Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hi,

I am a professional cellist who also has some background in oboe. I bought a few D whistles and am learning. I obviously don't need any help with music theory. I am trying to find an etude/method book and a book of Irish whistle tunes that become progressively more challenging. I am trying to self-teach and watch some of the good teachers online.

Thanks, Scott

Welcome to the whistle forum. There are a few possibilities for learning. One suggestion is Stephen Ducke tutorial book:
https://www.amazon.com/Tin-Whistle-Comp ... phen+ducke
TradSchool
http://www.tradschool.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/tradschool ... _polymer=1

Another resource is Ryan Duns tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 38B53CC6D4

Another is Denis O’Toole:
https://ceoltracks.com/

Or inquire here:
https://thesession.org/

There is plenty of free whistle resources to help get started. There is help here within the forum. Enjoy your whistling.

I'm a huge fan of Mary Bergin's tutorial books/CDs. They're not cheap but the books are printed on thick high quality paper and the teaching is second to none going into detail about everything about playing the whistle including tonguing patterns which most tutors don't cover. I'm working through book 2 with the tunes getting hard as you progress and more ornamentation is introduced. There is a final book 3 on its way which will cover airs as well as more advanced ornamentation and dance tunes. Check them out at http://maryberginwhistle.com/.

While Mary Bergin's books are perhaps second to none in terms of thoroughness and progression, you might find her staff notation awkward as a serious music reader. This is because she uses what look like giant staccato dots to say 'tongue this note' where music writing convention would have slurs starting from those points. To be fair, she also offers alternate ABC-style notations which she recommends using (along with your ears), but they're marked up in the same way. How you get along with this, only you can tell, but I don't like the unconventional use of dots.

Another book you might consider is The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle by Grey Larsen. In an ideal world you'd have both if you like books, though some will rightly caution against too much reliance on books for learning this music. I have both and quite a few more, but confess to having made little use of Mary Bergin's otherwise excellent materials because of the notation issue.

Agreed that the Mary Bergin tutorial books are well worth the investment. Another whistle instructor that doesn't get mentioned enough is L.E. McCullough. So plenty of resources to look into as you decide what type of learning is best.

The Complete Irish Tin Whistle Tutor
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Irish-T ... 0825603404
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW5gG8dagC4
https://lemcculloughswhistleblog.wordpress.com/

Grey Larsen's book (tome) is very complete. It includes exercises throughout, and they are specific to practicing many different kinds of articulations (decorations). Grey is quite precise in his approach, and as a trained musician that might be something you find valuable.

Someday, I'd like to check out Mary Bergin's book.

Stiamh (Brother Steve) who posts here, has a very good introduction to whistle playing at his website. I'd recommend that to start with before hitting the more serious work for your etudes.

And of course, the tunes themselves form a kind of study. 16 - 32 - 64 tunes later you have covered quite a good variety of material.