F sharp, G sharp and B flat on the recorder: fingering

Lesson 9. Semitones: F♯, G♯ and B♭

Between some notes there are more notes hiding — semitones. With them you can play “Happy Birthday”, “Ah, You Porch” and even Oginski's Polonaise!

A sharp is a sign that looks like a little grid. It raises the note a tiny bit higher. A flat looks like a small letter b and lowers the note a tiny bit.

F sharp. Cover everything as for G, and with the right hand — the middle and ring fingers. The index finger of the right hand is lifted.

A fingering with a gap like this is called a fork fingering: the fingers cover every other hole, like the prongs of a fork.

G sharp. The left hand covers with the thumb, the first and second holes. The right hand — three fingers: index, middle and ring.

B flat. The thumb and index finger of the left hand, then the ring finger of the left hand and the index finger of the right. The middle finger of the left hand is lifted.

Semitones sound very close to the neighboring notes, so the trainer will help you understand whether it worked.

🎤 Exercise: Semitone neighbors

G, F♯, G, A, B♭, A, G♯, A. Move only the fingers you need.

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Press “Start” and allow access to the microphone

🎛️ Notes not being heard well? Adjust it for your recorder

What are sharps and flats

The distance between neighboring piano keys is called a semitone. A sharp (♯) raises a note by a semitone, a flat (♭) lowers it. That is why A♯ and B♭ are the same sound, just written differently.

F♯ on the recorder

Cover the back hole and the three holes of the left hand, and on the right hand — the middle and ring fingers. The index finger of the right hand stays lifted. This is a fork fingering: the holes are covered “every other one”.

G♯ on the recorder

The back hole, the first and second holes of the left hand, and also the three upper holes of the right hand. The ring finger of the left hand is lifted.

B♭ on the recorder

The back hole, the index and ring fingers of the left hand and the index finger of the right hand. The middle finger of the left hand is lifted.

Why semitones are “out of tune”

Fork fingerings are more sensitive to breathing. If the trainer shows the note is a bit low — blow a little more confidently, if a bit high — softer. And be sure to press your fingers tight: even a tiny gap shifts the sound.

F♯ and G♯ on a German recorder

The above is the Baroque system. On a German recorder (the letter G or “German” on the body) these notes are played differently:

F♯ — everything is covered except the index finger of the right hand: it is lifted, while the middle, ring and little fingers of the right hand cover the holes.
G♯ — the back hole, the index and middle fingers of the left hand, the index and middle fingers of the right hand. The ring finger of the left hand and the lower holes are open.

On German recorders F♯ often sounds inaccurate or is hard to get — this is a feature of the system, not a student's mistake. Switch the system in the exercise — the diagram will change.

Questions and answers

How is A sharp different from B flat?

On the recorder, not at all: it is the same sound and the same fingering. The name depends on the key in which the melody is written.

Why does F sharp sound out of tune on my recorder?

Check the fingering system (German or Baroque) and how tightly your fingers cover. Fork notes need precision.