C5
all holes covered
Tenor recorder · Baroque fingering
Tenor recorder fingering chart
The tenor recorder is a C instrument — the same fingerings as the soprano, an octave lower in pitch and a step larger in size. Tap a note to see which holes to cover and hear the pitch.
First octave — gentle, steady breath
Second octave — open, then pinch the thumb
Top register — advanced
New to the recorder? Start with B, A and G near the top of the first octave. They use only your left hand, and they are enough to play Hot Cross Buns and Mary Had a Little Lamb.
Where these fingerings come from
The tenor is a C instrument, so every fingering here is identical to the soprano chart. We transcribed those patterns from the American Recorder Society's published soprano chart — Fingering Chart for Soprano (or Tenor) Recorder, Baroque (English) Fingering, which covers the tenor directly — and checked them note-by-note against the Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide; the two sources agree. The diagrams were redrawn by us from scratch, not scanned from a printed chart.
The chart is maintained by SKY AND WIND. If something looks wrong, use the report a fingering link under any note — we will verify it and update the chart when it is wrong.
Take it to the music room
The whole chart on one page
Every fingering above on a single sheet. Print it, or download the PDF and keep it in your case.
Tenor Recorder — Fingering Chart
BAROQUE (ENGLISH) FINGERINGCOVEROPENHALF OR PINCH
First octave
C♯5
hole 7 — outer hole only
D5
hole 7 open
E♭5
hole 6 — outer hole only
E5
holes 6 and 7 open
F5
FORK
fork — hole 5 open, 6 and 7 closed again
F♯5
FORK
fork — hole 4 open, 5 and 6 closed
G5
left hand only
G♯5
FORK
fork — hole 3 open, 6 outer only
A5
thumb, 1 and 2
B♭5
FORK
fork — hole 2 open, 3 and 4 closed
B5
thumb and 1
C6
thumb and hole 2
Second octave
C♯6
thumb fully open, 1 and 2
D6
thumb fully open, hole 2 only
E♭6
thumb fully open, 2 to 6
E6
PINCH
pinch the thumb, 1 to 5
F6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 5 open, 6 closed
F♯6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 4 open, 5 closed
G6
PINCH
pinch the thumb, left hand only
G♯6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 3 open, 4 closed
A6
PINCH
pinch the thumb, 1 and 2
B♭6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — 5 and 6 closed, 7 outer only
B6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — 4 and 5 closed
C7
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 1, then 4 and 5
Top register
C♯7
BELL FORK PINCH
pinch, fork, and cover the bell with your knee
D7
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — same as C♯ but leave the bell open
E♭7
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — 2, 3, then 5 and 6
Reading the diagram
Identical fingerings, a step up in size
The tenor is a C instrument, so the fingering is exactly the soprano's. Seven holes down the front and one thumb hole on the back; the left hand covers the thumb hole and holes 1–3, the right hand covers holes 4–7. If you are new to reading these diagrams, the how-to-read guide on the soprano page applies unchanged.
The tenor is a step larger than the soprano, with the holes further apart — the stretch is the first thing players notice. Sit or stand tall, let the instrument hang from the thumbs, and use the flat pads of the fingers rather than the tips.
It also needs more air than a soprano — slow, warm and steady, not harder. The tenor's low notes are both its strength and its weak point: they speak easily when every hole is sealed, and they drop out the moment a finger leaks.
Sounds an octave below the soprano
A soprano sounds an octave above written pitch; the tenor sounds as written. The note names on this chart are the same as the soprano's, an octave lower in sound.
The thumb hole is bigger
The tenor's thumb hole is wider than the soprano's, so the pinch for the upper register is a slightly larger motion. If the high notes crack, check that the thumb has rolled back far enough to leave a clear crescent.
What is the tenor used for?
The tenor carries the middle and alto parts in recorder consorts and plays a large share of the early music repertoire — Dowland, Praetorius, and the English and Italian consort music of the 16th and 17th centuries. Many adults who find the soprano too small and the alto too quiet settle on the tenor.
Two fingering systems
Baroque or German? The same question applies
Tenor recorders come in Baroque and German systems just like sopranos, and the same test works: look for the letter stamped near the thumb hole — B for Baroque (English), G for German. Nearly all instruments and method books are Baroque, and the chart on this page is Baroque.
For the full comparison — hole sizes, the fork F, what German changes and which to buy — see the Baroque vs German section on the soprano page.
Common questions
Questions tenor players ask
Is tenor recorder fingering the same as soprano?
Yes, exactly. Both are C instruments, so every fingering on this chart is the same pattern you use on a soprano. The only difference is that the tenor sounds an octave lower.
Why is my low C or D weak or absent?
Almost always a leak or too little air. The tenor's bottom notes need every hole sealed perfectly — especially the double holes at position 7, which the little finger must cover completely. Use the flat pad of the finger, then check for a shiny ring on the skin where the seal was complete.
Is the tenor recorder hard to play?
The challenge is size, not technique. The holes sit further apart than on a soprano, so the left hand works harder and the fingers need a slow, deliberate warm-up. Once the stretch settles, the tenor responds more easily than any other size.
Do I need a keyed tenor recorder?
Only if your hands are small. Many tenors have a key for one or both bottom holes so the lowest notes stay in reach. It is a convenience, not a different instrument — the fingering chart is the same either way.
General recorder questions?
Sealing holes, squeaks, cleaning and the high notes are the same subject on every recorder size — those answers live in the soprano page FAQ.
Corrections
Found a fingering that looks wrong?
Tell us and we will check it. Every fingering on this page is the soprano pattern — transcribed from the American Recorder Society's published chart and checked note-by-note against the Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide. Transcription is done by humans and humans miss things.
Email hello@recorder-chart.com — or use the link under any note on the chart, which fills in the note name for you. We will verify your report against the published charts and update the page if it turns out to be wrong.
Sources: American Recorder Society, Fingering Chart for Soprano (or Tenor) Recorder, Baroque (English) Fingering, checked note-by-note against the Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide soprano recorder (Baroque) fingering chart. Diagrams on this page are drawn from scratch and are not reproductions.