Aulos303 Descant Recorder

This is the brown and cream version of the Aulos 511B E Symphony Recorder, and I think it does look nicer than the black and white version that I borrowed to try before buying. I bought this at a sale price which was a lucky bargain, as I'd already decided on this model.This is as good as plastic/resin tenor recorders ever get. It even out performs many wooden tenor recorders, and you would have to pay many times the price to get a wooden one that matched its performance. It has a very balanced, solid and quality feel to it and produces a beautiful tone right through the range. The recorder is a 3 piece model and comes in a nice leatherette case with a cleaning rod, joint grease, clip on thumb rest and fingering chart/care instruction sheet. The centre section also has end caps for storage. The foot section has easy reachable levers for the low C and C#, which still produce a strong sound unlike many tenor recorders, and the tone is pleasant and easy to play right through into the high range. The precision build quality is apparent as soon as you start to assemble the recorder, with the joints fitting together perfectly. Only need very lightly greasing. If only all recorders were built to such exact tolerances!The finger spacing is typical of most modern tenors and as this is not my first tenor recorder, I found the spacing very comfortable. The tuning is spot on right through the range too, unlike my old tenor which was a cheaper brand and had serious uncorrectable tuning flaws. That has now gone to the charity shop!Aulos are not the cheapest of the plastic/resin recorders but this model is the best I've played. I'm usually a Yamaha fan, but after borrowing a Yamaha tenor and one of this model, I think the Aulos just has the edge on performance and sound. This makes it worth the extra few pounds to get the best. I can't find a single negative to say against it. 5***** for Aulos!

I'd never tried a tenor recorder before, though I've played descant (soprano) and treble (alto) recorders for very many years, and and I bought this for fun, to see what it was like. It's good. A nice warm tone and is fairly easy to play, though the fingers do have to be well splayed apart to cover the holes, and those with small hands would find great difficulty. This model is actually slightly smaller than others, and I picked it after doing a good bit of googling and research on Amazon itself. My problems stem from having somewhat arthritic fingers and wrists which tire much more quickly than on a smaller recorder, but I reckon the exercise is probably doing some good, so I'm persevering.It's excellent quality, comes in a nice case, and overall I am very happy to recommend this instrument.

Considering the price, this is a lot of musical instrument for one's money. Because it is keyless, this tenor is actually easier to hold and finger than the keyed tenors I have tried. The hole spacings for the lower holes are comparable to those of an alto recorder, and the lack of a key means the lower notes can be played faster and with less strain on one's little finger. Despite this design feature, the recorder still feels sizable and relatively heavy. I would have thought they could have made it much lighter, but at least it comes with a detachable and fully adjustable thumbrest that does help alleviate the weight.The sound, though not very complex or interesting, is nice and mellow, and blends rather well with other instruments. It lacks the personality to stand out as a solo instrument, but then that is seldom the role of a tenor recorder, solos usually being preserved for the higher voices.The first time playing it, I found the lowest notes a bit weak - or at least they require care in playing not to overblow them, but usually when they are weak, that means the upper register is strong, and it is - if not very interesting sounding - easily accessible, even on the first go I easily hit the A above stave, usually the highest note I play.I also, a bit surprised to be honest, found the instrument to play rather well in pitch too. Not a given for any plastic instrument, though I have come to learn that going for the top range plastic instruments from Yamaha or Aulos usually offers good intonation.I'd recommend this instrument to a beginner on tenor recorder, someone who just wants a cheap tenor in addition to more frequently played altos or sopranos, or as an extra practice instrument along with a wooden one for someone who focuses more on the tenor than the other sizes.

My 9 year old son loves it. Unfortunately his 18 month old sibling also loves making noise with it even though it’s taller than he is.