Precursor

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Sun Jan 20, 2002 10:25 pm

I would like to learn to play Uilleann Pipes. But I take things slowly. My goal is to spend some time learning the Tin Whistle and see if I have what it takes. If that works out, then I will graduate.

So my question is, can anyone recommend a good Whistle that will make the transition a smooth one? That is to say, a whistle that makes similar demands for fingering, etc. to the pipes, but with a decent sound all it's own.

I can spend up to $100 US.

I will post this on the Whistle forum as well.

ChristianRo · Post by **ChristianRo** » Mon Jan 21, 2002 2:42 am

Hi Davo,

playing whistle as a precursor to taking up the pipes is definitely a good thing. You get an understanding of Irish music and the way it is played, which is essential for piping. But bear in mind that whistles demand a slightly different fingering than the UPs. I suggest you start off with a standard soprano D whistle, just like everyone else. Try to get a good Generation D and you'll be happy for quite a long time. When it comes to choosing a whistle which demands similar finger stretch and posture, I found that my Overton F comes quite close. But as I said, making bellows, bags, chanters, drones and eventually regs work is a totally different thing that has to be learned from step one onwards.
Hope that helps
Christian

John Allison · Post by **John Allison** » Mon Jan 21, 2002 2:58 am

Just did some comparing and think my Burke Low-G composite is the closest in hole size and positioning to my chanter.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Mon Jan 21, 2002 3:19 am

On 2002-01-21 03:42, ChristianRo wrote:
[....] whistles demand a slightly different fingering than the UPs. [...]

see my comments posted on the whistle board, I would think the chanter needs a totally different approach from the whistle re closed fingering and my experience is that the whistle can hold you back in that area rather than help, I have to tell my students all the time they are NOT playing the whistle or flute, the chanter requires a different mindset alltogether

ChristianRo · Post by **ChristianRo** » Mon Jan 21, 2002 3:40 am

Peter,
of course you have a point here. But there must be a reason why almost all pipers are good whistleplayers, too. I, for my own part, would not really call myself that. Strangely enough, I played the pipes for quite some time BEFORE seriously tackling the whistle.
Christian

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Mon Jan 21, 2002 4:44 am

I do agree with you for most of what you said (see also my comments on the whistleboard), I do find however that my students biggest difficulties in tackling the chanter arise from the fact they are good whistleplayers who transfer what they know best to the chanter.
It works the other way around though: if you can play the pipes, you can play the whistle easily enough.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-01-22 04:40 ]</font>

jqpublick · Post by **jqpublick** » Tue Jan 22, 2002 1:01 am

Hey all.

Don't know about you folks, but I've fiddled (pardon the pun) about quite a bit with both flute and whistle and although I'm not great on either -nor all that good on UPs (yet)- I have found that practice on the UPs has helped quite a bit with playing both of the other instruments.

It seems that practicing the UPS with its more difficult ornamentation makes the other instrument's ornamentations easier to play. However, I do find that (on flute at least) I've been trying to play with a closed fingering style, which doesn't quite work. Overall, I'm not sure why, but the more instruments I play the more the cross-training helps with each of them.

But I don't think that learning the whistle will necessarily help train someone to play the UPs, excepting that you at least get used to the fact that your fingers cover holes!

Mark