10 Easy Songs You Can Play on The Recorder

Everyone should pick up at least one musical instrument throughout their lives. Not because music is this universal art form that calls out to people everywhere, but because music can improve your mood.

One of the easiest instruments any amateur to music or musical notations can pick up is the recorder, an instrument that is similar to a flute. Practicing the recorder will help you pick up multiple fingering techniques and breathing control. Here are some of the easiest songs you can play on the recorder.

10 Easy Songs You Can Play on The Recorder

You may recall some of these songs from your time in nursery or kindergarten. A lot of them are nursery rhymes, some of which are taught exclusively on the recorder.

#1. Happy Birthday to You

“Happy Birthday To You” is one of the easiest songs you can play on the recorder, and even learn on any instrument. It’s in the key of C major, and you only have to play one high note — the C high note. You also have to play an altered note — B-flat.

The notes are:

D D E D D G F#
Happy Birthday to You

D D E D A G
Happy Birthday to you

D D D’ B G F# E
Happy Birthday dear…..

C’ C’ B G A G
Happy Birthday To You

Remember to blow softly on the lower notes and practice the jump from C to High C. It’s the only tricky part of the song.

#2. Titanic: My Heart Will Go On

Remember this iconic song from the romantic hit movie Titanic? There’s an easy recorder version that you can learn in less than an hour. The Titanic recorder notes are in the F major scale with two high notes.

The notes are:

G G G G F# G
Every night in my dreams

G F# G A B A
I see you, I feel you

G G G G F# G G D
That is how I know you, go on

G G G G F# G
Far across the distance

G F# G A B A
And spaces, between us

G G G G F# G G D
You have come to show you, go on

G A D C B A
Near, Far, wherever you are

B B A G F# G F# E
I believe that the heart does, go on

G A D D C B A
Once more you open the door

B C B A G F#
And you’re here in my heart

G F# F# G A B A G
And my heart will, go on and on

#3. Baby Shark

“Baby Shark” is a popular American nursery rhyme you may be familiar with. It’s a very easy song to learn and has only 4 notes.

The notes are:

C D F F F F F F F F
Ba – by Shark doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

C D F F F F F F F F
Mo – mma Shark doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

C D F F F F F F F F
Da – ddy Shark doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

F F E
Ba – by Shark

#4. Amazing Grace

Originally written in 1773 to illustrate a sermon on New Year’s day, “Amazing Grace” is one of America’s most treasured Christian hymns. It’s often played at the beginning of major sporting events and gatherings to celebrate the unity of America under God.

The notes are:

D G B G B A G E D D

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that

G B G B A D B D B D B
Saved a wretch like me. I once was

G D E G G E D D G B G B A G
Lost but now am found was blind but now I see

#5. Ode To Joy

“Ode to Joy” is arguably the most popular recorder song there is, and it’s also really easy to learn. The symphony was composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven in 1824, and it’s in D minor.

The notes are:

B B C D D C B A G G A B B B A
B B C D D C B A G G A B A G G
A A B G A B C B G A B C D A G A D
B B C D D C B A G G A B A G G

You’ll need to learn how to shift from B to C for the middle part, but apart from that, they’re all individual notes.

#6. It’s Raining

“Rain Rain Go Away” is a simple 3-note song with a really easy rhythm and low difficulty level.

The notes are:

G E G G E G E E G G E
Rain rain go away, come again another day

G G E E G G E A G G E
Little Johnny wants to play, rain rain go away

#7. Mary Had a Little Lamb

“Mary Had a Little Lamb” is a nursery rhyme and another really elementary song, among the easiest songs you can play on the recorder. It only has 3 notes and no shifts or high notes or flats — the easiest song on this list. You can learn to play it on your first go.

The notes are:

B A G A B B B A A A B D D
Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb

B A G A B B B B A A B A G
Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow

B A G A B B B A A A B D D
It followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day

B A G A B B B B A A B A G
It followed her to school one day, which was against the rules.

#8. Row Row Row Your Boat

“Row Row Row Your Boat” is a traditional English nursery rhyme. It’s very short but covers all the natural notes that everyone is capable of singing. Practicing this song will help you improve your note detection skills.

Here are the notes:

C C C D E
Row row row your boat

E D E F G
Gently down the stream

C C C G G G
Merrily Merrily

E E E C C C
Merrily Merrily

G F E D C
Life is but a dream

#9. Hot Cross Buns

In many schools, “Hot Cross Buns” is exclusively the first song you learn on the recorder on your first day. It covers the most basic skill when learning how to play a recorder, which is switching between the three notes most commonly played together on the recorder — B, A, and G.

The notes are:

B A G B A G
Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns

G G G G A A A A
One a penny, two a penny

B A G
Hot cross buns

#10. Old MacDonald Had A Farm

“Old Macdonald Had a Farm” is one of the best recorder songs to practice. It covers all the basic skills, like holding a note according to the song’s metronome and switching between commonly played-together chords.

The notes are:

G G G D E E D
Old MacDonald had a farm

B B A A G
eee – I – eee – I – O!

D G G G D E E D
And on that farm he had a cow

B B A A G
eee – I – eee – I – O!

D D G G G
With a moo moo here

D D G G G
And a moo moo there

G G G
Here a moo

G G G
There a moo

G G G G G G
Everywhere a moo moo

G G G D E E D
Old MacDonald had a farm

B B A A G
eee – I – eee – I – O!