Polara Pat wrote:
I have to admit that finding tunes on the Session has always been a bit tough for me so many options for each tune. You really need to go in already knowing what you want.
Actually I really like it when there are numerous settings for a tune, because I can play through them all and get a feel for what's a middle-of-the-road approach and what are outliers. Also I can see what portions of a tune seem to be regarded as core/intrinsic and which portions are more open for variation.
I've relied on The Session more than ever in recent weeks, because I've been practicing through a tune-book that has several settings that don't feel right to me.
Polara Pat wrote: Which complete setting would you use for a D whistle? I didn't see any Dmin settings starting with F2Af cFAF.
That F2AF cFAF was Bar 2 of the 8th setting. That's where I play it on whistle, in the key of A minor.
To make it come out in D minor I use a mezzo G whistle, to make it come out in E minor I use a mezzo A whistle.
On whistle, it's customary to call notes and fingerings and keys by what they would be on a D whistle (probably because Irish "concert flutes" and "concert pitch" uilleann pipes are in D).
To transpose to another key you play on a different-key whistle, but players still think in terms of a D whistle.
BTW that 8th setting is in the same key that I play it in, but the setting itself has several differences with how I play it. I could post the way I play it there, but they already have 20-odd settings! My setting is fluterised to flow better on flute/whistle.