Page 1 of 1

Hi.

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2018 10:19 pm
by afl2277
Hi, my name is Ange, I'm new here, and I'm looking forward to picking up hints and tips etc re my whistle playing.

Recently I decided on a rail tour around Southern Ireland, and as I started to think about this I started watching Irish music on You Tube, and noticed the tin whistle. I was fascinated by the up beat tunes and the sound of the whistle. Watching a tutorial video I realised that I remembered my school recorder days, where the notes are, and so I got my first whistle, a Clarke Sweetone, a black one in D. I absolutely love it. I had a few minutes of the screech of too much/too little breath, but now I'm playing simple tunes after a week....and already the bug has bitten and there is a Feadog winging it's way to my house via the postman.
Ange.

Re: Hi.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:42 pm
by PB+J
Welcome to you! I'ma beginner myself, a decent musician but not on the whistle. It's been a rocky but very scenic road for me

Re: Hi.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:02 pm
by afl2277
PB+J wrote:Welcome to you! I'ma beginner myself, a decent musician but not on the whistle. It's been a rocky but very scenic road for me

Thanks for the welcome :D

I've been self taught on a few instruments throughout my life, the last being a kalimba which frustrated me so much Im ashamed to say I gave up on it.

It was only planning my Ireland trip that brought me to the whistle. Luckily I remembered the notes location from my school days...two simpke words...BAG and FED....and after a few minutes of screeching I was up and running. If I ever get the hang of the taps and finger slides that make the music sound so nice I'll be happy even playing as slowly as I do :thumbsup:

Re: Hi.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 5:22 am
by Kade1301
Welcome! I'm a beginner on the whistle, too.

Actually, the notes are not the same as on a recorder, even if you seem to remember German fingering, which is more similar than baroque. On the whistle there is an F sharp where the German-fingering recorder has an F natural. And I suppose in the second octave the differences get even more important, but I wouldn't know for sure as I've only learnt baroque fingering.

Re: Hi.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:19 am
by brewerpaul
Welcome-- you're in for a world of fun and satisfaction,especially when you get to the point where you can play at sessions. It'll take time so be patient with yourself. In the meantime, keep listening to as much Irish music as you can,any instruments, and try to go to some sessions even if you can't play. A lot of the feel for the music sort of sinks in by osmosis.
I'm a big fan of a tutor called The Clarke Tin Whistle by Bill Ochs. It teaches you very gradually in manageable segments starting with learning to read music, then very simple tunes, gradually adding all those ornaments. It comes with a CD so you can hear how each lesson should sound.

Re: Hi.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:31 am
by afl2277
Kade1301 wrote:Welcome! I'm a beginner on the whistle, too.

Actually, the notes are not the same as on a recorder, even if you seem to remember German fingering, which is more similar than baroque. On the whistle there is an F sharp where the German-fingering recorder has an F natural. And I suppose in the second octave the differences get even more important, but I wouldn't know for sure as I've only learnt baroque fingering.
Hi there, thanks for the welcome.

When I compared the whistle notes to a recorder I meant in the broadest terms, straight out of the box without the complexities of sharps and flats :D

And it's only when I drive to a quiet layby or beside the park that I get into other octaves....living next door to a new Mum with a sleepless baby, my consideration for the Mum catching a few mins of precious sleep keeps me from being any louder with the whistle at this point than I need to be....so an ideal time to stay low, stay quiet and pay attention to technique. Loud and high can wait a while :sleep:

Re: Hi.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:40 am
by afl2277
brewerpaul wrote:Welcome-- you're in for a world of fun and satisfaction,especially when you get to the point where you can play at sessions. It'll take time so be patient with yourself. In the meantime, keep listening to as much Irish music as you can,any instruments, and try to go to some sessions even if you can't play. A lot of the feel for the music sort of sinks in by osmosis.
I'm a big fan of a tutor called The Clarke Tin Whistle by Bill Ochs. It teaches you very gradually in manageable segments starting with learning to read music, then very simple tunes, gradually adding all those ornaments. It comes with a CD so you can hear how each lesson should sound.
Hi, thanks for the welcome.

I don't think I'll ever get to play in public, except maybe a tune of two at a van meet. Where I live in the UK I've never seen any Irish music stuff happening, so I think I'll have to wait for my roam around Ireland to get close to it in person. But I am searching online frequently and finding such lovely tunes. Online is such a great resource especially when such as me can't get to see the real thing. I'll have a look for Bill Ochs. I'm loving everything about it so far :D

Re: Hi.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:29 am
by fatmac
Welcome aboard. :)

I came here looking for flute info, but I quickly succumbed to the little terrors, went & bought a bunch of 'em, luckily the six hole fingering is the same as on the little piccolo & my keyless delrin flute that I just bought, so practice on one helps with the other, at least I think so. :D

Re: Hi.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:58 pm
by afl2277
fatmac wrote:Welcome aboard. :)

I came here looking for flute info, but I quickly succumbed to the little terrors, went & bought a bunch of 'em, luckily the six hole fingering is the same as on the little piccolo & my keyless delrin flute that I just bought, so practice on one helps with the other, at least I think so. :D
Hi there, thanks for the welcome.

The previous instrument I tried was a kalimba...an African thumb piano....and I've got so frustrated with it I've packed it away. It has metal keys that are 'pinged' with the thumb nails. Not only is the scale on alternative sides, so the notes don't follow on, but at my age my thumbs just refused to do different things at the same time. In this case the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" was right.

But like you I've found it so easy to play the whistle virtually straight out of the box, as a previous instrument matched the notes. And this makes all the difference when learning to play tunes, to be able to instinctively move to the next note, to know where that sound is. I hope you are enjoying learning and playing as much as I am :D