* "Today I tried the new type of key for the B and B flat ~ invented by Craig Carmichael ~ on the Tarasov alto. I was really impressed by the ease and stability with which it works. A simple idea that really improves the sound as well. It gives the development of the "21st century" recorder many new possibilities."

Karel van Steenhoven, Amsterdam Loeki Stardust [Recorder] Quartet, March 16th, 2003

There's more to a Supercorder than a typical alto recorder. It does more, but if you don't like the sounds of the items in the table below, perhaps Supercorder isn't for you:

Supercorder Feature	Player Attention
Three screws under the porcelain beak adjust the windway position. Since the player is able to replace mouthpieces and adjust the windway position for best sound, there is no need to send the instrument out for revoicing.	Player should be prepared to adjust the screws when necessary with a small screwdriver and check the sound, and repeat, until good sound and response is obtained.
Except for the Baroque model (Baroque fingered), there are new (mostly easier) fingerings with stronger, optimally tuned notes.	Except on the Baroque model, new fingerings must be learned.
The fine-tuning port allows play-by-ear tuning as is common with most woodwind instruments, a lovely pitch-vibrato, and fade-out end notes without drop of pitch.	Learning new lip-tuning technique and to adjust tuning at different dynamics.
Supercorders are a unique new type of instrument. As such, they are hand-made and smaller details are still evolving.	Until such a time as production becomes more standardized, players should be prepared to see some variation between units, and parts that may sometimes look a bit "homemade". (Ask for photos of a unit to be emailed to you if desired before ordering.)

 
  7-key Fully Keyed Supercorder replaces all weaker forked fingerings with easier keyed fingerings via two ring keys. Eb is the same as E but with right-hand 2 also pressed, and Db is as D but with right-hand 3, the same in both octaves. F#2, which is hard to get in tune on most recorders, is played well tuned as  o xoo oxoo. Normal lowest note is E, with a weaker Eb available by bell-stopping. Some very high note fingerings change, but more 3rd octave notes are added: E as  / xxo xxoo  is sharp and an alternate is preferred (/ xox xxoo or / xoo oooo), high F is played / xox xoxo, and third octave A (/ xoo oxxo) is often a bit sharp unless 2 is part-holed (/ x/o oxxo). For C and D, the keys are no help though arguably D, E and perhaps F are marginally stronger, but when Eb or Db is wanted, they're worth their more than their weight in nickel-silver, if not gold. Have you ever thought of middle F as a weak note? Well, now all the nearby notes are at least as loud!

Wood Options: The Role of Wood in Recorder Sound

Supercorder Shop Manual Page

Sound Sample of this instrument
(Presented with apologies for the lack of talent and poor recording quality.

For other samples of the prototype playing, find the "Superrecorder" samples on my MP3s page, CraigsSoundFiles.html, which includes the alto supercorder in all the works other than The Highwayman suite. (The Modern Alto recorder in Highwayman has some of the supercorder improvements.)

Here is a quick preliminary sound sample of a finished supercorder: SupercorderSample2.mp3 .

Supercorder has a few fingering differences, mostly easier, with its keys on 3 fingers. All chromatic notes up to and beyond C4 (in fact, to G4 - same as sopranino - is usual) are available, without bell stopping. Second octave B to C# becomes a single finger transition. Many notes are stronger and better tuned. (Low Eb1 is available by fingering low-E and bell-stopping.)