Learning to play the recorder | Music as movement

On-line space for playing recorders

Welcome to the Music as Movement website - a unique platform for learning to play the recorder, where you can find an ever-growing audio library with backing tracks to pieces for our beloved instruments.

"Play it as slow as: as slow as needed to play it efforlessly and perfectly, while playing the whole thing." (Kenny Werner: Effortless Mastery)

"Jeder Ton, jeder Ausdruck wird durch nichts anderes vermittelt als durch die motorischen Äußerungen des Musikers." (Renate Klöppel, Eckart Altenmüller: Die Kunst des Musizierens)

Welcome to Effortless Learning!

More than 1300 pieces to practice - listen, choose your own tempo, test your level with ABRSM pieces...

The Music as Movement Project

The Music as Movement project brings new possibilities for users' creativity to music education in the field of playing a recorder. From the very beginning of studying a tune, the musician has the opportunity to perceive the composition as a whole and adapt the technique of playing with an accompaniment in order to achieve a distinctive sound and prepare for a live performance with musical friends. The accompaniments function as a sound-advanced audio-metronome and are based on the content of well-known textbooks and collections. The project does not provide sheet music materials; all the sheet music used is listed as a source for the compositions. Exceptions: the folk songs from the Náš poklad / Our Treasure collection by F. Sládek (score and recorder part) and compositions used in transposed key (recorder part). Due to the limitless amount of literature for the recorder, the audio library is continuously expanded to include additional repertoire. The subscription is divided into sections For Everyone and For Early Music Fans.

The For Everyone section presents 14 chapters with compositions for soprano and alto recorders. The pieces are sorted according to the range of the instrument and intervals being discussed, and teachers can use them to create playlists for their students, which students can share and practice at home. The accompaniments also contain files with a recorder line, which can become an inspiration for teaching articulation. The material is suitable both for specialist teachers and for those who teach the recorder as a preparatory instrument. The content of the audio library is a great supplement to any printed textbook, the text part sheds light on the philosophy of the project and shares teaching topics with the reader.

The For Early Music Fans section provides users with the opportunity to study the early and high Baroque repertoire with the accompaniment in a stylish performance by experienced basso continuo players. The tracks are recorded in the 440 and 415 Hz tuning.

About the author of the project

Karel Odehnal started playing the recorder at the age of 25. He first studied privately with Jan Kvapil, later he studied at the Academy of Early Music in Brno with Susanne Wagner. He studied music at a number of seminars and the Summer School of Early Music in Prachatice, with other top players and teachers, such as Julie Braná, Carin van Heerden, Kerstin de Witt, Alan Davis, Jostein Gundersen, and others. He works as a pedagogue at SZUŠ Blansko, Czech Republic, and his pupils achieve high ratings in interpretation competitions in both solo and chamber music.

Charlie - Heated bag for recorders

The heated bag for recorders Charlie provides thermal comfort to recorders in any environment. Whether you are studying for long hours or performing at a concert in a cold environment, placing the mouthpieces in the bag will temper them, so you are able to tune immediately and avoid the distracting crowding of flutes. You can use a digital thermostat to set the temperature according to your preferences. The stability and protection of the instruments offered by this bag are ensured by 2 thermal sensors. The dimensions are cca 45 x 50 cm. I have been using the bag without any problems actually every single day since June 2018, when it was created as a prototype in cooperation with Ondřej Pytela, who designed the technical solution. If you are interested, you can contact this manufacturer at elektronix-cnc.cz.

Many thanks to Karel for developing such a helpful and supportive utensil for us recorder players. Charlie is an electric blanket that warms all around like a pocket, better than an ordinary electric blanket that can only be used from one side. Large enough for all heads, Charlie offers enough space for chamber music and solo projects, and the temperature is individually adjustable in very small steps. In addition, the bag is very nice to look at, kept simple in black, just right for the stage. I am a fan!!

Kerstin de Witt

Ohřívací vak „Charlie“ je nový zlepšovák Karla Odehnala, jehož vášeň pro zobcovou flétnu a vše kolem ní, je doslova nezdolná. A to se projevilo i v tomto výrobku, který spolehlivě zahřeje Vaši flétnu či její hlavici na teplotu, nastavitelnou až do výše 45°C. Kromě toho, že je toto zařízení praktické a perfektně funkční, jak mohu potvrdit ze své zkušenosti, je také vzhledově povedené – pevnější látka nahoře (já mám černou variantu) a umělý kožíšek uvnitř, připojení do elektrické sítě pomocí notebookového kabelu. Co více si může flétnista při cvičení či koncertě za běžné teploty nebo i ve studeném kostele přát, než suchou a teploučkou hlavici? Ať žije „Charlie“!

Gabriela Coufalová, Katedra hudení výchovy PdF UP Olomouc

Ohřívač fléten Charlie je jednoduše skvělý a společně s žáky ho v naší zobcovkové třídě využíváme denně, neboť zahřeje flétny na správnou teplotu a tím zabraňuje zahlcování. Do pece, jak Charliemu říkáme, se vejdou flétny celého souboru. Umožní nám mít zahřáté všechny nástroje během koncertu a proces je mnohem rychlejší, pohodlnější a bezpečnější než ohřívání nástrojů za opaskem, v kapse atp. Líbí se mi také možnost nastavení teploty např. na 36°C, díky čemuž flétny lépe drží ladění a hrát s cembalem či smyčci ve studeném kostele pak nepůsobí takové obtíže.

Martina Michailidisová, ZUŠ Moravský Beroun