Chiff and Fipple Forums

pancelticpiper wrote:Here's a little thing I did on cuts, pats, and rolls. Like many music things they're tough to clearly put into words, but are extremely simple when demonstrated.

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

Thanks Richard, I've been told that I will be watching your video tomorrow haha and I'm looking forward to that. You are so right about needing to see something demonstrated as opposed to reading about it. Cheers for that.

Hey gang, I just wanted to say thanks to the good folks who pointed me in the right direction for trying to learn this whistle with very little direction. The suggested links and advice have been very helpful. Truth be told I was really reluctant to join this forum and put it off for quite a while. I assume that there are heaps of people like me who start trying to play the whistle, then throw in the towel after realizing they are in over their heads. Fortunately, I like to get obsessed about every project I take on. That being said, I wouldn't be too surprised to see a good portion of C&F members rolling their collective eyes at my intro. That's ok, everyone needs to start somewhere. I do appreciate those that did take the time. Cheers.

Nah, we're all pretty much just like you - folks who got in over our heads and then stuck with it. "Natural" musicians take up difficult instruments, like the fiddle. People who aren't sure about their musical ability buy something that looks simple, like a whistle. Lots give up, but if you persist, you'll make it.

s1m0n wrote:Nah, we're all pretty much just like you - folks who got in over our heads and then stuck with it. "Natural" musicians take up difficult instruments, like the fiddle. People who aren't sure about their musical ability buy something that looks simple, like a whistle. Lots give up, but if you persist, you'll make it.

Good to know that I'm not alone. I really hope to stick with it. Practice, practice, practice!!

Another very important thing to do is listen, listen, listen. Not only to whistle players but every other instrument connected to the genre.

For instance you could hear the same tune played on a fiddle, then on a whistle then on accordion and listen for the different ways of ornamentation and different takes on a tune.
As well as being enjoyable it is an integral part of learning this music.

Learning the whistle can be very rewarding, to become proficient takes time, enthusiasm and dedication and of course a love of the tunes!

DaveAuty wrote:Another very important thing to do is listen, listen, listen. Not only to whistle players but every other instrument connected to the genre.

For instance you could hear the same tune played on a fiddle, then on a whistle then on accordion and listen for the different ways of ornamentation and different takes on a tune.
As well as being enjoyable it is an integral part of learning this music.

Learning the whistle can be very rewarding, to become proficient takes time, enthusiasm and dedication and of course a love of the tunes!

Seems like sound advice to me. I'll need to train my ears a bit but i figure that if I stick with it and practice my brains out it will all come together. I do love a lot of the tunes but I may just need to dismantle them a bit in my head to figure them out. I'll get there.

Just to give you an example of different takes on a tune. Below are a couple of renderings of 'Shandon Bells' a jig played firstly on flute (Brid O'Gorman) then on whistle (Joe Bane). The Joe Bane version has the dots as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwZUJiU ... AxKNjJFS31

http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/index.html