THIS Delightful Companion, the Pipe Recorder, hath been for a long time out of use; but now it's beginning to be in a greater Repute than ever it was before: And indeed there is no Musick so near a natural Voice, it admits of excellent Harmony in Consort of two and three Parts. I have therefore with the Assistance of several able Masters set down these plain and easie Instructions for Beginners.

The first thing that a Practitioner is to observe, is the true manner of holding the Pipe, and placing his Fingers exactly on the holes; for the perfecting of which, observe these Rules following:

First, hold your Pipe with your left hand uppermost next your Mouth, then observe there is eight holes upon the Pipe, viz. seven before and one underneath, which we call the uppermost, and is to be stopt with your Thumb, the next with your fore finger, the third with your second finger, the fourth with your third finger, next stop the next or fift hole with the fore finger of your right hand, your second finger of the same hand stop on the sixth hole, then stop the seventh hole with your third finger, the last or lowest hole stop with your little finger; having thus placed your fingers, be sure to stop them all close, then begin to blow with a gentle breath, which will sound the first Note or Stop which is called F-fa-ut, next take off your little finger, keeping all the rest close, then you will sound or stop G-sol-re-ut, and so you are to proceed in all the Notes ascending, which are prickt upon five lines, and named and placed according to the proper places in Space and on Rule according to the Scale or Gamut, the several Stops are placed under them by Dots on seven Lines, the seven Dots do express all to be stopt by your fingers as is afore-mentioned; where you see no Dots are placed, there the holes are open, as you may plainly see and learn by this following Table.

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Secondly, In this Table observe, That the lower seven Lines represent the several holes, and the Dots upon those lines what holes are to be stopt.

The little finger or eighth hole hath no peculiar line, but is placed below the other seven lines, and is expressed by this Signature or Circumflex marked thus ☽; next observe, that for G-sol-re-ut, above which we call in Alt, you are to keep on your second finger on the third hole (as you find underneath it a Dot on the third line) and not to blow the Pipe open as on the Flagelet, for so the Pipe will be out of Tune.

[Page] Next you are to observe, That the seven Lines and Dots are not intended for a method or constant Rule to play by, for it is not a commendable way, neither do I advise any to use it any other ways than to attain to the right knowledge of the Stops for every Note, that so you may the readier know them when you come to play any Tunes prickt in the right Musical way upon five Lines, as all the following Tunes are.

This Table directs, and is a Guide, to know all the Stops upon the Recorder or Flute, both Flat and Sharp, or the half Notes ascending and descending, according to the Scale of Musick.

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Of these Graces, a Beat is marked thus [...], a Shake is marked thus [...] A Beat is fetcht from the half Note below the Note it stands over; and a Shake is fetcht from, or shaked in the proper Note above it; a Slur is thus marked [...], when it is over or under two Notes tied together, and is a sliding from one Note or more to another in the drawing of one breath. In all the Ayres or Tunes in this Book, you will meet with these Graces set over the several Notes that are to be so Graced.

[Page] The last and most chiefly to be understood is the Notes, their Names and Proportions of Time, which are here set in the plainest method I could invent, beginning with the Semibreve, which is accoun­ted a whole Measure.

Semibreve.

𝆹 𝆹

Minim.

톹텥 톹텥

Crotchet.

톺텥 톺텥

Quaver.

톼텮 톼텮

Semiquaver.

톼텯 톼텯

These two last are often for conveniency tied together, sometimes 4 or 6.

Semibreve.

𝇄 𝇄

Minim.

𝇅 𝇅

Crotchet.

𝇆 𝇆

Quaver.

(quaver rest) (quaver rest)

Semiquaver.

(semiquaver rest) (semiquaver rest)

A Semibreve is the longest Note (being a full Time) for which you must keep your Breath on the Pipe so long as you can leisurely in imagination tell four, which are to be Crotchets, for in the Common Time all Notes are reckoned double in proportion to the Semibreve, as two Minims, four Crotchets, eight Quaver, sixteen Semiquavers, as this first Example directs, which is marked with this Character 𝇍 or Mood, which is set at the beginning of all Lessons.

[Page] The second and third Examples direct the Tripla Time, which is numbred by 3, and this Character 𝇊3 or Mood is placed at the beginning of all Lessons: In these two Proportions of Time you often meet with Pricks added to the Notes, which Pricks are half the measure and proportion of the Notes to which they are added.

Example. [...]

Thus I have in the most plain and easiest manner I could, set down the Examples of all Notes and Proportions of Time; such as desire to see the same more at large, I refer them to Mr. John Playford's Introduction to Musick.

To conclude; By these Rules and Directions, with a little help of some able Master to explain the true meaning and use thereof, you may in a short time become good Proficients on this Instrument. Thus hoping that these my Endeavours will be kindly accepted, it will be an Encouragement for me to present you with a Second Part of this nature in a few Months.