Learning on your own

[SìneMac]

Hi all,
i'm new to the forum and also new to learning the whistle. Although i want to learn through a class or teacher, i haven't been able to find anything where i live. So i'm having to learn by myself until this changes. I'd appreciate any tips or advice on the best way to go about it. I can spare about an hour every day to practice, and i've found a few sites on youtube etc, which have been helpful. I am wondering how other players in my situation have managed to improve their skills and stay motivated. Any help would be great!
Thanks,
Sìne

[Mikethebook]

Hi Sine,
I'm in a similar position to you and have been using Mary Bergin's tutors which are outstanding!!! They are a little expensive to buy but not when placed against the price of actual lessons. There are three books, although the last hasn't been published yet, and they cover playing in the comprehensive way I've come across. When she publishes the last book, hopefully by this summer, she will start an on-line club for those who have bought her books and there will be more teaching there . . . though it will be free. Check them out at http://maryberginwhistle.com/tutor.html

[793744267]

Hi all,
i'm new to the forum and also new to learning the whistle. Although i want to learn through a class or teacher, i haven't been able to find anything where i live. So i'm having to learn by myself until this changes. I'd appreciate any tips or advice on the best way to go about it. I can spare about an hour every day to practice, and i've found a few sites on youtube etc, which have been helpful. I am wondering how other players in my situation have managed to improve their skills and stay motivated. Any help would be great!
Thanks,
Sìne

Hi Sine.

I am in your situation,too. But you know they say the interest is the best teacher, so I suggest that you follow the tunes you love.Take my personal experience, the first tune I learned is Joanie Madden's "Down By Saley Garden". It is a simple tune, not hard to learn.And when I played it out smoothly, I felt so proud and joyful. And I find another beautiful tune, then another……
thank god I live in this age, there are so many great tunes just waiting me to learn and play!
I never got trained or sth, Im just a normal office worker, but I'm so happy that I can enjoy playing whistles.I wish the same for you .Just enjoy it, and babystep. you will get it!

[ytliek]

Welcome to the whistle forum. You didn't say whereabouts you reside so cannot help with local teachers. Learning with a teacher I believe to be best. There are plenty of printed and online whistle tutorials to choose from so take a look at these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Xf1Ume0zA

https://www.oaim.ie/instrument/1/tin_whistle

http://www.tradschool.com/

Listen to as much music as you can. Play as much whistle as you can. Don't expect miracles as it takes effort playing whistle well. Enjoy you whistling.

[Mikethebook]

I am in your situation,too. But you know they say the interest is the best teacher, so I suggest that you follow the tunes you love.Take my personal experience, the first tune I learned is Joanie Madden's "Down By Saley Garden". It is a simple tune, not hard to learn.And when I played it out smoothly, I felt so proud and joyful. And I find another beautiful tune, then another……
thank god I live in this age, there are so many great tunes just waiting me to learn and play!
I never got trained or sth, Im just a normal office worker, but I'm so happy that I can enjoy playing whistles.I wish the same for you .Just enjoy it, and babystep. you will get it!

This is all well and good but, at the beginning, if you don't have guidance and teaching you will pick up a lot of bad habits. Plus you need someone to teach you all the ornaments that are a part of the music. When you have the basic skills under your belt, then is the time for looking out tunes you particularly like. I love the low whistle playing of Davy Spillane and so I transcribe his tunes so that I can play them. But I also work through Mary Bergin's books that teach me about ornaments, tune rhythms and tonguing etc and give me all the skills that are so much a part of whistle playing.

[Peter Duggan]

have been using Mary Bergin's tutors which are outstanding!!!

While respecting the wealth of skill, experience and advice they contain, to me they're seriously flawed by the notation she uses. Especially the dots used to indicate tonguing which, looking like giant staccato dots when carried over to the staff notation versions, are completely counter-intuitive to a music reader when the whole point is to slur onto the following notes. So think she could have thought of a better symbol (perhaps a small 'T'?) if she wanted something that worked for both ABC and staff versions but didn't want to write actual slurs, and the books would have been much the better for that one apparently little (but to me irritatingly almost 'stopper') thing.

[awildman]

Skype lessons with a real teacher. Better than any books or videos you can buy.

[tstermitz]

Start with Mary had a little Lamb and progress through melodies and songs you know.

Yes, pick tunes you like as you will have more persistence and pleasure when you succeed. And, if you like the tune, you already know how it goes. You just have to memorize it.

When it comes to learning tunes, they are fairly short, so just memorize them one at a time. 10 20 40 80 tunes at each doubling, you reach a new level of skill.

Since no one has mentioned "Brother Steve's" website, I'll do the honors. He has lots of good advice.

http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/

( He does post here and at TheSession.com regularly. )

[s1m0n]

I'll second the word about brother Steve (http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/). I know Stephen Jones in real life, and have nothing but positives to say about him as a human being and as a teacher.

You CAN learn to play music alone. Sufficient determination will overcome almost any deficit. The traps are that you will get good at one aspect of playing and then avoid all others. Once you get a few reels under your belt, try and find a few other beginners to play with. Yes, they'll speed up and slow down, and that's not good if you notice, but play with them anyway. Learn their tunes and teach them yours. In the end, you'll all be better musicians.

[ScottMaurer]

I'm a beginner myself. I have found the best learning tool has been analytical listening. Absolutely get a teacher or failing that some Skype lessons and a good book. However, listen more than you play to good players. Pay attention to what ornaments they are playing and where. Pay attention to phrasing, rhythm and what they do to make you feel the pulse of the music. The tunes I play best are the tunes I can really feel and that comes from serious listening.

[brewerpaul]

Listen, listen, listen. Listen to as much whistle music as you can. Listen to Irish* music on other instruments too, and group playing.

Don't even worry about ornaments at all until you can play tunes solidly. A tune well played without ornaments is better than one played badly with ornaments.

*We all seem to assume that you're wanting to play Irish music. The whistle can play just about any type of music, but most of the printed and online tutorials are basically Irish based. Don't let that stop you from playing tunes you already know really well. Tunes that you already have in your head (TV commercials, Christmas Carols, folk songs etc) will come pretty easily on the whistle.

[SìneMac]

Thanks very much for the replies. I'll make use of the online tutorials and practice lots, while i try and find a tutor. I see a wee bit of progress from week to week, and that makes a difference. I really like the idea of eventually being good enough to play with other people. That's my goal, anyway.

[pancelticpiper]

to me they're seriously flawed by the notation she uses.

I've not seen her notation but incorrect/inappropriate/strange notation plagues most books purporting to put ITM music into print.

I attended a whistle workshop at a festival decades ago at which the teacher handed out his own transcription of a Mary Bergin medley from her famous Feadoga Stain album. It was wonderful, with all the articulation clearly and correctly notated.

It was the first, and only, time I've seen traditional whistle playing correctly notated. (By "correct" I mean that anyone who can read ordinary music can read the transcription and the result will be as close to the original performance as can reasonably be expected, with articulation, breathing, phrasing, and ornamentation all notated.)

Nowadays with YouTube and Skype learners can bypass all these issues and learn by ear, which I feel is the best way.

[Bagpiper Danny]

Hi all,
i'm new to the forum and also new to learning the whistle. Although i want to learn through a class or teacher, i haven't been able to find anything where i live. So i'm having to learn by myself until this changes. I'd appreciate any tips or advice on the best way to go about it. I can spare about an hour every day to practice, and i've found a few sites on youtube etc, which have been helpful. I am wondering how other players in my situation have managed to improve their skills and stay motivated. Any help would be great!
Thanks,
Sìne

Hi! If you're still searching for instruction, give the following a shot:

1. http://www.blaynechastain.com - Blayne has an amazing, and extensive online whistle course. Covers everything from the basics, up to advanced and a vast tune and technique library. This is how I started. It's great.

2. http://www.patrickdarcymusic.com - Patrick is an awesome guy and teaches online using Skype.

Whatever you do, don't give up. Good luck!

[McAfee]

It's been quite awhile since, but I used "Mel Bay's Complete Irish Tin Whistle Book".
I liked going old school, and concentrate with sheet music instead of videos, the cd helped listen for what each song should sound like as well.
Good luck!!!