Plucked The soprano recorder in C, also known as the descant, is the third-smallest instrument of the modern recorder family and is usually played as the highest voice in four-part ensembles (SATB = soprano, alto, tenor, bass).

Since its finger spacing is relatively small, it is often used in music education for children first learning to play an instrument.

In addition to the traditional "Baroque" (or "English") fingering, which was created in Haslemere in 1919 by Arnold Dolmetsch,[1] soprano recorders have been made that make use of "German" fingering, which was introduced by Peter Harlan around 1926.

However, German fingering has been described as a "step backwards ... made on the false assumption that the instrument would be easier for schoolchildren".

Notably, the soprano recorder has the largest work for a solo wind instrument in European history, Der Fluyten Lust-hof composed by Jacob van Eyck.