Learning tunes in different keys

[ThorntonRose]

I may have asked this question before the board moved. I can't remember. Anyway, I would like to find out from the fipplers that tend to use sheet music how you go about learning tunes that are not in D or G. If, for example, you have a tune in F, do you transpose it to G, learn it, then pick up your C (or low F) whistle when you want to play the tune in F? Or, do you pick up the C whistle and read from the F score? I have tried the latter, but I can't get it yet, because my fingers want to do XXXXXX for D, which is not right on a C whistle.

~ Thornton

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ThorntonRose on 2001-08-08 08:17 ]</font>

[ErikT]

Well, there are three ways to do it (maybe more).

#1) You can transpose in your head on the fly. I'm not particularly good at this but can do it if I have to.

#2) Finale Software, or it's cheeper version (don't remember the name) allow you to scan the page and then automatically transpose. You could then print out a copy.

#3) You could play it on another instrument so that you can hear how it is supposed to go and then switch to playing by ear. This is typically what I will do.

Hope this helps,
Erik

[lollycross]

Don't be a sissy...learn it on your favorite D whistle, just 1/2 holing the sharps and flats!!! Why go thru all the fuss of
transposing music, etc. If the instrument
can be played cromatically, than why not
just do so?

[ErikT]

OK, Lolly,

4 ways

E

[TonyHiggins]

But wait, there's more!
I write out the notes of the original scale on a horizontal line with the corresponding notes of the new (D) scale directly beneath. Then I write out in letters, the notes of the tune in the new scale. For instance,
d e f# g a b c# D
g a b c d e f# G
to change from d scale to g. Make sure everything lines up like when you do long division or you won't know where you are. Now I can tell at a glance that d=g, e=a, etc.
Memorizing by ear and just playing on the other whistle is the preferred (easiest) method.
Tony

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: TonyHiggins on 2001-08-08 11:20 ]</font>

[LeeMarsh]

When I learned to read standard notation. I learned by converting the letters A, B, C, etc, w/appropriate sharps and flats. So when I learn a tune in C, I play it directly on the C whistle. For me its part of learning the C whistle, getting the fingering down for the A, B, C, w/appropriate sharps and flats. One of the things I do when I pick up a non-d whistle is a quick mental review of the Letters and score location associated with oxxxxx, xxxooo, xxxxxo, oxxooo, For example on an A whistle, I would re-associate the A in the middle of the treble clef with oxxxxx, the D at the bottom of the treble clef with xxxooo, B below the treble cleff with xxxxxo, the G natural at the center of the treble cleff with oxxooo. Sometime I cheat and put the fingering tablature below the standard notation; however, I try to move away from that. One of the reasons I took up whistle is to get irish style music into my head and hands including the various keys, modes, etc. So for me, playing a D tune on an A whistle, is an opportunity to expand my music theory and practice skills.

Again this really only covers the first part of learning a tune, I usually end up playing it by ear, eve if I learned by standard notation. I like this approach because over the long run you develop the eye hand coordination to the poine were you can forget about it and just ...

[DaveO]

On 2001-08-08 08:16, ThorntonRose wrote:

...I would like to find out from the fipplers that tend to use sheet music how you go about learning tunes that are not in D or G.

Not only are some tunes in other keys (Bb is a common key for Irish tunes), but sometimes the melody is not quite in the range of the whistle. In either case, I usually take a copy of the tune in ABC format, convert it to PostScript using the free program abc2ps, and then print the PostScript file using GhostScript, another free program. abc2ps has lots of options, including a transposition feature. Check out http://www.ihp-ffo.de/~msm/ to learn more about abc2ps.

Dave