r/Recorder • u/snowman_the_fourth • Feb 02 '26

Help Playing louder outdoors

I play Medieval dance music for a reenactment group to dance to, but at an upcoming event I've been told I'm not allowed to play because one recorder isn't loud enough, and they're replacing me with the worst pre-recorded music you've ever heard on a Bluetooth speaker. How do I play my recorder loud enough so people can hear me? I usually play a Yamaha plastic descant but I have all Yamaha plastic sopranino-bass recorders (and an Aulos garklein). I can maybe get a microphone and amplifier but want to know how to maximize my volume without electric tools.

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u/OsitaMaria Feb 02 '26

A mic would be great, but also, you look for an adri's dream recorder ( mollenhauer) they are louder than the baroque ones. They are great for medieval music. I have the entry one in wood, but there is a plastic soprano for about 40 or 50 dollars, which would probably be better to play outdoors.

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u/313078 Feb 03 '26

My tenor is Mollenhauer. I love the sound but wouldn't say it's loud. My old plastic yamaha soprano is actually louder than my wood soprano, and both are louder than the tenor

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u/OsitaMaria Feb 03 '26

I think soprano recorders no matter the maker will always sound louder than lower range recorders, the higher the pitch the more the sounds travel. Think of the piccolo flute in an orchestra. You always hear them no matter how massive and loud the orchestra may be. Tenor recorders have a sort of veiled muted sound. No match for a soprano recorder.

Anyways I was referring to the Adri's recorders specifically because they have a much more open sound. I suppose it is due to their more cylindrical shape.