Yamaha YRT-304B Tenor Recorder Key of C Black

Marvellously engineered, this is a beautifully sonorous instrument, solo or ensemble. At the top of the resin heap, the YRT304B has become my favorite out of the entire recorder family. It is also affordable at $59 - a fraction (10%-20%) of the cost of a wooden recorder of equivalent quality. Easy to maintain without the need for the initial "breaking in" process or need for ongoing oiling, it is immediately playable out of the box and easily replaceable should it be lost or damaged, though due to it's durable resin construct, it is an extremely hard wearing instrument which navigates temperature fluctuations well (not affected as with it's sensitive wooden counterparts). Washable, portable - what more can you ask. The only thing it is short of is: prestige value and the "edge" of exceptional handmade counterparts. Great utility and performance. Ideal spare or travel instrument or to bring on the road. Marketed as "professional" line. For the Adult Beginner seeking an instrument to play - this is ideal. Most relate to tenor recorder's sonorous tones and find it has a relaxing quality, calming even organic (wooden sound) - the only reason school children start learning those squeaky high pitched descants is because of reach limitations. Strain-free playing for smaller hands ======================== Out of the box, the YRT304B requires the widest reach handspanwise due to its unique hole positions (the Bass is easier to play because it already comes goosenecked and with added keys) and of those who manage to play the Tenor in it's straight unmodified form, there is talk about hand strains and sprains after prolonged play. All's not lost however, due to an emerging demographic of aging and arthritic tenor players, the Tenor can be now be professionally "custom modified" per individual requirements - so that smaller hands/shorter arms can now play it with ease and so that universally, the instrument can be played without undue sprains and strains, previously endured by tenor players. Well to start with my hands are too small for it, but I was determined to play the Tenor, so I had it professionally modified in the US prior to shipping at Bill Lazar's earlymusicshop based in CA. He simply added a gooseneck to the headjoint to shorten the instrument and two added keys at the 3rd and 4th holes on the body - in short, I had the works. Depending on your body's unique dimensions, each person has different requirements. In my case I needed all three mods, whilst for another it could be just the one of 3 and for another, 2 of 3 in varying combos. Bill did a great job - it wasn't cheap but I can now play the tenor EASILY AND ENJOY it. Well worth the investment. The total cost of a new tenor with full modification comes up to just a little over a quarter the cost of a wooden Mollenhauer. Well it may not have the prestige of a wooden European recorder but it fulfils it's niche function excellently. $59 from amazon, it is RRP$199 which is usually discounted down to $149 in oz. Hard to pass by. Buy with confidence as each instrument is of uniform quality which delivers a known reliable level of performance, unlike handmade gems which need to be painstakingly picked out from a bunch of instruments and difficult to replace due to it's unique handmade qualities. The 3 top reviews have said mostly everything there is to say about the YRT-304B II. Hope this adds some further value to what is already said. Read more

I own this Yamaha model in an alto version, so I knew exactly what to expect when I purchased this. I was not disappointed! If you want to learn how to play a tenor, need a back up, a practice instrument, or a travel instrument, or you’re not ready to invest in a wooden model, this Yamaha model based on the Rottenburgh recorder style offers the most exceptional value for the money of any on the market. Many professional musicians have Yamaha models as their practice instruments, and yet the sound quality is good enough to play in an ensemble. The tone is lovely, smooth, and clear. The keys are strong and the whole in time to is solidly made. There is nothing flimsy about this instrument. It will last a lifetime. Although the description says that it does not come with a thumb rest, it actually does have a small one, as well as recorder joint cream, and a cleaning rod. You can use the rod with an eye glass cleaning cloth or a cotton sock. Use anything that doesn’t dishes fibers. Clean the cloth regularly. Before you play, as with all recorders, you always need to warm up your hands and fingers and engage in stretching exercises so that your fingers will be able to reach all the holes properly. It is a challenge for almost everyone at first to properly play the middle register C (the lowest note), so you don’t think that your instrument is defective. It is a process of learning how to make sure all the holes are covered and that you are applying the proper breath. This instrument is a great value for the money and I’m thrilled to have one. Although I do plan to buy my wooden recorder within the next four months, I will continue to use this one, as I do my Yamaha alto even though I have two other wooden altos, for my extended practices, as well as for my playing enjoyment. Read more

I have been looking for a good quality plastic tenor recorder for those occasions when I don't want to bring my expensive and more fragile wooden tenor recorder with me. For years I've been using an Aulos plastic tenor which I've never been all that happy with. The Aulos has only one key for low C, which makes playing low C# very difficult. This Yamaha has solved that problem by having two keys, so the full chromatic range is possible. It has a very beautiful recorder tone, and the full range speaks very clearly and easily. This is vastly superior to many of the wooden tenors available and should not be avoided just because it's plastic. Easy to blow, easy to clean, rugged. Excellent! Read more