Yamaha YRA-312B Alto Recorder, simulated Rosewood finish, Key of F

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 615 ratings

Price: 35.98

Last update: 09-01-2024


About this item

3 piece alto recorder in the key of F
Made from durable and long-lasting ABS plastic
Arched windway gives experienced players more control
Simulated Rosewood finish gives the appearance of a wood grain texture

Product information


Top reviews from the United States

Bobby-47
5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice Alto Recorder
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2024
I bought this Yamaha alto recorder as well as an Aulos Haka alto. The Yamaha sounds much better to me. I also have a more expensive wooden alto, but I usually prefer the sound of this Yamaha. Your mileage my vary. The simulated rosewood finish looks great too. It's important to use a bit of the included recorder cream with the head joint, or you may find it difficult to remove the head joint when you finish playing. Beginners on alto recorder will also need a method book. The included fingering chart is not sufficient.
Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars Great product
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2024
Love this
J. Gwen Ingram
5.0 out of 5 stars Currently the best plastic recorder made
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2010
Even 25 years ago, I found that the simple Yamaha recorders gave me more consistent response and better intonation and tone than plastic and wooden recorders costing several times more. No, they were not then and still are not high-quality wooden recorders ... and they also aren't as vulnerable to damage.

This Yamaha YRA-312B III recorder is a cut above the Yamaha alto I played for many, many years and never could find a plastic upgrade for. The curved windway gives sweet response in the high register and improved tone that only my fine Moeck Rottenburgh recorders can best (and, in many common playing environments, the finer points of the Moeck would be lost). As with my former favorite Yamaha, the intonation is true, setting me free to make music instead of turning my attention to correcting unnecessary instrument flaws.

Why choose the fake Rosewood over the other Yamaha 300 series recorders? First of all, the Rosewood looks GREAT. My only beef is that I can't very easily line up the head and middle joints with the plastic seams the way I used to with my "plain" plastic recorders. :-) But there's a functional reason, too. The "simulated Rosewood" finish has a matte appearance and slightly textured feel. That means fingers, especially sweaty fingers, don't slip as easily ... and clip-on thumbrests stay where they're put while you're busy playing instead of creeping up (always right before that tricky fast passage where everyone listens to YOUR part).

Does the simulated Rosewood sound better? I can't say, but it doesn't sound worse and if the appearance causes the listener to perceive the sound as more pleasing, who's to argue with the end result? Or maybe the player is more inspired by the appearance, bringing about a more inspired and musical performance. The latter is quite possibly true for me.

Included is a wonderful, breathable cloth zippered bag, joint cream, a fingering chart in case this is a first instrument (or if it's an upgrade and you need help remembering how to get those obscure high notes), and a cleaning rod (you supply the lint-free cloth to thread through the rod's eye and swab out the recorder, washing or discarding the cloth when it gets dirty).

Between the playing quality, high-end case, aesthetic appeal, and the slightly textured finish, this recorder is well worth the additional cost for someone who is a serious player (it's still 20x less than a Moeck Rottenburgh in real Rosewood, and it's totally replaceable). The Yamaha YRA-312BIII simulated Rosewood Alto Recorder immediately became my new alternate concert instrument for those times when plastic is the appropriate choice to spare the valuable wood instrument, and it sits out at my desk, at the ready for random noodling without causing undue worry about the consequences should the cat get creative and actually manage to knock it on the floor.

I just wish Yamaha made simulated Rosewood sopraninos and tenors as well as the soprano and alto!
James Shannon
4.0 out of 5 stars Great instrument with one problem
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2023
This instrument plays like a dream. One issue-- it fills up with water rather quickly.
That's really all I have to say.
CandidOne
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful mellow sound.
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2012
If you listen to people playing this model alto on videos, you can tell how beautiful they are, often sounding better than the $600 recorders they compare them to. It doesn't take much wind to play this thing. Although not as bad as a tenor, someone with small hands might have a problem with the stretch required. Like most alto recorders, this has a very soft tone. It is pitched in F, so reading music is not like for a C instrument. I chose the alto over a tenor because I just loved the sound -- so recorder like.

Mind arrived with some small cosmetic boogers, and sometimes Yamaha products are flawless like my $7 Yamaha fife. On mine, one of the ivory plastic rings is discolored with brown from the finish, but it is very slight. You won't notice it unless you're looking closely. There's one model of the ebony that is in this series, that has a more pronounced grain pattern, which is probably a little cooler than this one. What's nice about any model with the wood grain finish is, it feels good in your hands. Any 300 series will sound the same.

Also, if you download the Yamaha recorder brochure, this recorder is the YRA 312B III. When I ordered it, I wondered if it was the III, the most recent model and it is. It fills up with spit easily. You have to suck it back. I've read where the Angel alto is better in that respect, less clogging. However, this sounds so good.

The canvas case is nice, with cleverly designed end cap covers, for keeping it in a case

Lastly, for people who look over their instruments inside and out, I found a design feature inside the mouthpiece that startled me when I saw it. I thought it was some kind of bubble or defect at first. If you look inside the mouthpiece, from the barrel end with the whistle (labium) facing a window, you can see a small indentation on the right (9 o'clock), as the interior curves up to the beak. Don't let it bother you. It's a design element, to give wind resistance.
jaime castaneda
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente calidad de acuerdo a su trayectoria
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
La flauta, siempre mi dulce compañìa , facil de llevar, bella para compartir, útil para la soledad. Regalo para toda la vida.
Basil
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Recorder
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
Not any English instructions. Don’t really need any though. Nice case.
Condor
1.0 out of 5 stars Out of tune
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2023
I cringe when I try to play this recorder. It hurts my ears when a note is even the slightest off, and this recorder is a disaster. I checked into suggestions to see if more or less air might help with the off key, but this recorder is just off, petiod. I could not return it because despite the grease I can not take it apart. How Yamaha could put something this terrible on the market is beyond me. I wanted an alto, but not like this.

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