Hi, hopefully I’m posting in the right area. If I missed a posting area for new people, sorry!
Anyway, I’m a chiff and fipple (and whistle) noob. I’m interested in learning to play the tin whistle and as I was Goggling, I stumbled upon this site and look forward to acquainting myself with the community, and, hopefully the tin whistle.
As far as my background, I picked up a couple of Soodlums whistles (a C & D) when I was a teenager visiting relatives in Galway back in the mid-80s and taught myself a couple of simple slow songs on the D using an instruction booklet, but I didn’t have anyone back in Arizona to answer questions or show me techniques for more complex pieces, and not being naturally gifted musically, I got discouraged and put them aside. Well, my father recently passed away and as I was going through his house and clearing out closets, I found my old whistles, and surprisingly, I remembered how to play a couple of songs, even 25 years later. So while at work (shhh, don’t tell the boss ), I began YouTubing whistle playing and started trying to pick up new songs (some of the YouTube players sound great but have an annoying habit of not getting both hands in shot for me to see the fingering). Anyway, my playing is still rudimentary, but I’m bound and determined to stick with it and see where I end up.
First order of business is I’d like to order a good sounding D to compare with my Soodlum’s whistle, so any suggestions would be welcome. Cost isn’t really an issue, though I think I’ll hold off on a really expensive whistle till I see if I show any promise as a player – kind of reward myself for achieving a musical milestone if you will.
Check out The Clarke Tinwhistle book/cd combination for learning to play. Starts from scratch, assuming that you know nothing, gradually teaches you simple tunes and the valuable skill of reading music. Bit by bit, lesson by lesson, new pieces of the musical puzzle are logically added and the CD lets you hear how each should sound. By the end of this small but packed book you’ll be playing fully ornamented jigs and reels. Highly recommended.
I’m ordering at least one of the whistle’s you two recommended right after I post this!
As far as the songs I remember, well lets see it’s Plaisir D’Amour (The Joys of Love) and Amazing Grace. I remember parts of The Wild Rover and The West’s Awake – the latter of which I found some guitar music for when I was 19 and just used my tin whistle’s music lesson to read the notes - don’t know if it counts as a real tin whistle bit, though.
Hopefully with a lot of practice and the passage of time, I’ll be able to contribute more meaningfully to this fine site ha ha
*edit – oh I’m trying to learn Rocky Road to Dublin
Welcome to C&F. You’ve come to the right place. There’s a lot to learn here, some great ongoing healthy debate and a lot of good folks to help you along.
Good choice with the Bluebird. You’ll quickly put the rest away and for good reason. Then, as you come to realize that art and music make the best blend you’ll get bold and order a Busman from brewerpaul.
I’m still a newbie at the whistle (less than a year) but I think you can’t go wrong with the Clarke Tin Whistle book & CD by Bill Ochs. I’m nowhere near finished with it yet, but it’s very good at gradually progressing in difficulty and has a lot of fun tunes to play.
http://tinwhistler.blogspot.com has been very useful too. Some things are easier to grasp when you can see and hear how it should be done.
Background: First described by late 20th /early 21st century psychologist and internet whistle journalist Dale Wisely, WhOA is a rare disorder, affecting perhaps 2100 people, who describe an obsessive preoccupation with acquiring pennywhistles (An end-blown, 6-hole simple-system flute associated with Irish music). Due to the low prevalence of this disorder and the exceptionally narrow and esoteric nature of the obsession, researchers have debated whether WhOA is best considered a discrete disorder, or a variant of the so-called “Shared PreOccupational Disorder (SPOD).” Also noted by historians , the origins of this disorder may be linked largely to deliberate efforts by Wisely to cause victims to acquire the disorder, so that he could gain recognition for identifying the disorder and “helping” victims cope with it. (See New York Times, 3/25/2002, “WhOA: Disorder or Fiendish Plot by Whistle Cult Leader?” and Washington Post, 5/3/2002, “Class Action Lawsuit by ‘WhOA victims’ (WhOA Anonymous vs. Chiff & Fipple) Foiled by Delayed Y2K Problems”). The controversy aside, cases continue to be reported years after Wisely’s activities were terminated by the Internet Authority (see Birmingham News, 2/2/2004, “Newly Formed ‘Internet Police’ Nab Whistle Website Owner for Violation of Internet Obsession Act”)…
been playing for about a month now and already have 5 whistles and 2 on the way, but they all sound so very different, i am really enjoying experimenting with them
Welcome. Whistles can be used for all kinds of music and can add an interesting sound where you’re not used to hearing them.
If you’re looking to goof off more at work, one of the folks on the board made an ocarina application for an iPhone. If you use earbuds, you’ll be fine.
), I began YouTubing whistle playing and started trying to pick up new songs (some of the YouTube players sound great but have an annoying habit of not getting both hands in shot for me to see the fingering). Anyway, my playing is still rudimentary, but I’m bound and determined to stick with it and see where I end up.
but the Jerry Freeman tweaked Generations and others get high marks for being both inexpensive and first rate players: