F4
all holes covered
Sopranino recorder · Baroque fingering
Sopranino recorder fingering chart
The sopranino recorder is an F instrument — the same fingerings as the alto, an octave higher. Tap a note to see which holes to cover and hear the pitch. Every note from F upward.
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 sopranino is an F instrument, an octave above the alto, so every fingering here is the standard Baroque pattern from the soprano chart applied a fifth lower and an octave higher — the same fingerings as the alto chart. We transcribed those patterns from the American Recorder Society's published soprano chart 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.
Sopranino Recorder — Fingering Chart
BAROQUE (ENGLISH) FINGERINGCOVEROPENHALF OR PINCH
First octave
F♯4
hole 7 — outer hole only
G4
hole 7 open
G♯4
hole 6 — outer hole only
A4
holes 6 and 7 open
B♭4
FORK
fork — hole 5 open, 6 and 7 closed again
B4
FORK
fork — hole 4 open, 5 and 6 closed
C5
left hand only
C♯5
FORK
fork — hole 3 open, 6 outer only
D5
thumb, 1 and 2
E♭5
FORK
fork — hole 2 open, 3 and 4 closed
E5
thumb and 1
F5
thumb and hole 2
Second octave
F♯5
thumb fully open, 1 and 2
G5
thumb fully open, hole 2 only
G♯5
thumb fully open, 2 to 6
A5
PINCH
pinch the thumb, 1 to 5
B♭5
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 5 open, 6 closed
B5
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 4 open, 5 closed
C6
PINCH
pinch the thumb, left hand only
C♯6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 3 open, 4 closed
D6
PINCH
pinch the thumb, 1 and 2
E♭6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — 5 and 6 closed, 7 outer only
E6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — 4 and 5 closed
F6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — hole 1, then 4 and 5
Top register
F♯6
BELL FORK PINCH
pinch, fork, and cover the bell with your knee
G6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — same as C♯ but leave the bell open
G♯6
FORK PINCH
pinch, fork — 2, 3, then 5 and 6
Reading the diagram
Alto fingerings, in miniature
The sopranino recorder is an F instrument, so the fingering is exactly the alto's — which in turn is the soprano pattern transposed a fifth. 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 sopranino is the smallest recorder most players will meet outside a collector's cabinet, and its holes sit closer together than on any other common size. Where a bass punishes a short reach, a sopranino punishes a heavy touch — let the fingertips rest lightly and close each hole with the pad, not the tip, or neighbouring holes will catch each other.
A gentler breath than you'd expect
Small does not mean loud. The sopranino speaks on very little air, and the top register turns shrill fast if you push it — a slow, steady stream from low in the breath controls it far better than a hard puff.
Sounds an octave above the alto
A sopranino sounds an octave above written pitch; the alto sounds as written. The note names on this chart are the same as the alto's, an octave higher in sound.
Coming from the alto?
Every finger pattern is identical. What changes is the size of the reach and the pitch that comes out — the sopranino asks for smaller movements and a lighter touch than the alto. If you can play the alto, you already know this chart.
Where does the sopranino fit?
The sopranino tops the recorder consort and carries the treble line above a soprano or alto ensemble. It is also the instrument usually meant by Vivaldi's flautino concertos (RV 443–445), and it turns up in Irish and Scottish traditional playing as a way to take a tune up an octave.
Two fingering systems
Baroque or German? The same question applies
Sopranino recorders are built in the same two fingering systems as 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. German sopraninos are rare enough that most players will never meet one.
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 sopranino players ask
Is sopranino recorder fingering the same as alto?
Yes, exactly. Both are F instruments, so every fingering on this chart is the same pattern you use on an alto — the sopranino just sounds an octave higher.
Why are the holes so close together on a sopranino?
Because it is one of the smallest recorders in common use — the whole body is scaled down to reach that higher octave. Rest your fingertips lightly and seal each hole with the pad rather than pressing hard, or you will catch the hole next to it.
Is a sopranino the same as a piccolo recorder?
Not quite. "Piccolo recorder" is an informal, inconsistent label some sellers use for either the sopranino or the smaller garklein — it is not a standard size name. If a listing calls something a piccolo recorder, check the lowest note: F means sopranino, C an octave above soprano means garklein.
What music is written for sopranino recorder?
It tops the recorder consort, and it is the instrument usually intended by Vivaldi's flautino concertos. Outside classical repertoire, it also shows up in Irish and Scottish traditional music as a way to play a tune an octave up.
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 transposed to F — 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: the sopranino is an F instrument and we found no widely circulated printed sopranino chart to consult, so these fingerings are the American Recorder Society Fingering Chart for Soprano (or Tenor) Recorder, Baroque (English) Fingering transposed to F, checked note-by-note against the Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide Baroque soprano chart. Diagrams on this page are drawn from scratch and are not reproductions.