Hello from a new guy!

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micah
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Tell us something.: Interest in learning how to play a tin whistle. Just purchased a Freeman Blackbird from ebay and looking for suggestions on learning to play.

Hello from a new guy!

Post by micah »

Hi everyone! I'm from Central Arkansas, US. 43 yrs old, no musical talent at all. Been playing a tin whistle exactly 0 days, BUT I ordered my first yeaterday, a Freeman Blackbird in D. Can wait you get i! I am determined that I will learn to play this instrument. How good...we'll see. :)
If anyone has any suggestions on videos to watch or books to get I'd really appreciate!
Spielorjh
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Tell us something.: I play whistle and want to talk to others who do also. I need to pad this out to 100 characters. 100 characters is longer than it seems to be when one is typing. Perhaps I'll overshoot.

Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by Spielorjh »

Just a warning - a whistle's propensity towards being dropped on concrete is directly proportionate to how expensive it is.
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ytliek
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by ytliek »

Welcome to the Chiff whistle forum. Enjoy your whistling.
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an seanduine
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by an seanduine »

Not everything you can count, counts. And not everything that counts, can be counted

The Expert's Mind has few possibilities.
The Beginner's mind has endless possibilities.
Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi
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Chifmunk
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Tell us something.: Hi, I play 5-string banjo, mountain dulcimer, bones, and am now a beginner pennywhistler. I have some Dixon, Freeman, and Susato whistles. This is obviously the most extensive forum for information in whistle learning- thanks!
I also run a banjo/mando/fiddle shirt site at https://harmonias.com/
and a mountain dulcimer social site at: fotmd.com
Location: Germantown, NY

Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by Chifmunk »

Hey wonderful!

The Freeman Blackbird in D is my total FAVE whistle so far of the dozen or so I have so far.
It's sweeeeet to play and so lovely sounding.

My advice is to just start out with real simple tunes for the first week or so. Don't rush, enjoy each note, the journey. :thumbsup:
Having FUN playin' my whistles!
http://pennywhistleclub.com/
...a new social network just for whistlers
micah
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Tell us something.: Interest in learning how to play a tin whistle. Just purchased a Freeman Blackbird from ebay and looking for suggestions on learning to play.

Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by micah »

Spielorjh wrote:Just a warning - a whistle's propensity towards being dropped on concrete is directly proportionate to how expensive it is.
Lol! Thanks for the advice! Hence the reason I decided to start out small! ;)
an seanduine wrote:Welcome. Your first stop: http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/

:D Bob
Thank you for the link! I will definitely check it out. I will need all the help I can get!


Thank you to everyone that replied. I am super excited to get it in and start. I know that it will take a while, I don't really plan on being able to master it for at least 2 or 3 weeks! ;) JK!
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jiminos
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by jiminos »

Welcome! May you enjoy many years of whistle acquisition.

May your family understand your tragic new addiction.
Jim

the truth is not lost.
do not search for it.
accept it.
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pancelticpiper
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Tell us something.: Playing Scottish and Irish music in California for 45 years.
These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format.
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by pancelticpiper »

jiminos wrote:
May your family understand your tragic new addiction.
In the scale of tragic addictions the whistle isn't so bad... just think if he had ordered bagpipes!

Which brings to mind the issue: what is the least-annoying instrument to listen to a beginner take his first steps upon?

There was a Middle School kid across the street who was making noises on some instrument. We could hear the squeaking and honking, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what instrument it was, or even what instrument family! Was it a violin, a clarinet, a trumpet? I couldn't tell (even though I'd been a beginner on all three of those at some point).
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
Tyler DelGregg
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by Tyler DelGregg »

I teach high school and middle school. Last year, our music teacher issued kazoos to his middle school students right about this time to practice for the Christmas program. The year before that he issued recorders and music sticks. :o
I wonder what will turn up this year; I'll find out soon. Hopefully whistles!!!
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Byll
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by Byll »

Hammer dulcimer, Richard...
'Everything Matters...'
Lisa Diane Cope 1963-1979
Tunborough
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by Tunborough »

pancelticpiper wrote:Which brings to mind the issue: what is the least-annoying instrument to listen to a beginner take their first steps upon?
Harp.
GuyM
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Tell us something.: Hi, I've just started playing the whistle again after a break of many years. If that goes well, I might even take up the flute again ;) Guy

Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by GuyM »

I have a Blackbird in C, which has a lovely mellow tone. I also have a Freeman Bluebird in D, which has a nice husky sound, which I like more the more I play it. Enjoy your whistle playing!
Cayden
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by Cayden »

Micah,
Nice to have ye join us. Enjoy the journey. :thumbsup:

Cheers,
Cayden
"TEAM TRAD" Pro Staff
Official Life Member of DUBLIN DUCK DYNASTY
"Joanie Madden, Mary Bergin, and Andrea Corr, each a Whistle Goddess in her own right"!
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whistlecollector
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by whistlecollector »

pancelticpiper wrote:Which brings to mind the issue: what is the least-annoying instrument to listen to a beginner take his first steps upon?

There was a Middle School kid across the street who was making noises on some instrument. We could hear the squeaking and honking, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what instrument it was, or even what instrument family! Was it a violin, a clarinet, a trumpet? I couldn't tell (even though I'd been a beginner on all three of those at some point).
Must have been the dreaded saxoclaroomnitonoviolocornophone!

Quite possibly this piano.

Mind you, this model french horn might give that piano a run for its money!

Seriously, anything that makes the various squeaks and squawks private. Practice chanters, digital claviers and so forth. Those would all be fine. If it has to acoustic, then perhaps a load of grammar schoolers banging away on pentatonically arranged xylophones would be the way to go. Sounds just like our (pentatonic) wind chimes!
-- A tin whistle a day keeps the racketts at bay.

-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373
awildman
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Re: Hello from a new guy!

Post by awildman »

Everybody has musical talent. I don't have the best ear and am capable of playing decently. Music is simply math and patterns, and if you can repeat patterns, you can play music. There are definitely levels of artistry, but if you can put six fingers down on a tube of holes in a semi-organized and well-timed manner, you will be a successful music maker. As much as some people would like to think otherwise, there is nothing mysterious about making basic music. Advanced music is still the stuffs of magic to me, but the gap is narrowing a bit after a decade at it.

If I can learn this stuff, pretty much anybody can.
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