What Should I do to Get Better?

[DCrom]

What helps me also is remembering a whistle busker I once heard in Cork - even then, I could tell she wasn't expert (I think I play much better than she did that night). But the hat she had out was half-full of coins. I dropped some in, too - she sounded good enough, and hearing her made the evening more pleasant.

No, no, no.... They were paying for her to shut up!!!

She'd have had much more success with the GHB. Later that same night, the pub we were sitting in (a small pub, with a single door to the street) was invaded by a couple selling raffle tickets for a charity. She circulated the room selling tickets, while he stood in (blocked) the doorway playing the GHB at full volume - the windows and pint glasses were rattling. We all paid up immediately so they'd move on. Extortion, pure and simple.

[JamesF]

Hi Folks,
I've been dabbling with the whistle for about a year now and can play a few tunes by ear but I basically suck. I haven't had much time to practice and I'm really not sure what the best way to learn is. I have the Clarke Tin Whistle Tutorial with whistle and CD by Bill Ochs but haven't had much luck using it. I find most of the tunes on the CD a bit hard to remember and not really very "catchy".

Wow, my story exactly. That tutorial is very helpful in the beginning then gets boring really fast.
Like you, I know I suck but I don't really care. I've been "playing" for a year this month with no rhythm whatsoever I've played outside Lady Footlocker, homeS for seniors, the frozen food section at WalMart, and most recently at a buffet down the Strip. (now that I've listed it I'm actually embarrassed, hehehe )
I think, when you feel better about it, that's when you actually get better. I used to worry about my playing so much I used to say to myself, "gosh, surely they don't play it like that in Ireland." Now it's "damn that was good." Who says you're not getting better? Stop listening to him.

[Nanohedron]

I can read music slowly but I wonder if I should just keep trying to play songs I can remember by ear until the fingering gets to be second nature...

That's the basics, right there. It's no good randomly lurching thru tunes you can remember but don't practise enough so that the autopilot has been able to kick in for you. Once you get to that point with a tune, it's very satisfying, and you'll be able to improve on it from there.

[starman]

I just downloaded the unregistered version of The Amazing Slowdowner to play with-pretty cool. It only lets you listen to the 1st 2 tracks on a CD but if they are 2 tracks I want to learn then why do I need the $40 version?

As for playing in public, I have to be a little careful here in DC. I wouldn't want to be mistaken for a terrorist with a pipe bomb hiding in a stairwell or something.

[franfriel]

Hi Mike,

I am by far no expert on the subject but you might want to check out Scoiltrad.com. Others on the list have spoken well of the program. They have online whistle lessons with Conal O'Grada. They recently had a bit of server trouble but it seems to be sorted out now. My husband bought me a set of lessons from Conal. When the system was down he went out of his way to talk with me via emails to ensure that I got things sorted out.

The lessons are well layed-out audio-video. You can loop the tunes and play them at slower speeds for practice. When you feel you've got it down, you can send your own recording to Conal for assessment.

I think the slowdowner idea is also great. And what I learned in a very revealing lesson with Bill Ochs is that there are wonderful tricks and shortcuts to ornamentation as well as different schools of thought on the subject. If sticking to a traditional style is important to you while you're learning the details of ornamentation, the suggestion I received is to listen to (and practice via the slowdowner route) the traditional players like Mary Bergen.

Have fun!

Peace,
Fran

[fancypiper]

Whistle CDs and "drive the tune into the brain" technique is what I did when starting. Boy, it would have been so much easier with today's technology.

Freebie stuff for Windows: Winamp, pacemaker plugin, loopmaster musician's tool plugin.

I would record the same tune time after time on the tape and when going to and from work (about an hour round trip) I would listen to my "drive yourself crazy" tape until my brain had the tune burned into it.

Then, I would try to play it.

You might want to check out the Micho Russel "Ireland's Whistling Ambasador" CD and/or video, also available from Bill Ochs, who was kind enough to give me the video for being a nice roommate at Elkins, WV one year at Irish week.

He has all the complicated technique, but uses it sparingly. The difference between Micho Russel and someone like Mary Bergin is absolutely shocking, but exciting and beautiful.

I learned a tune in 4 stages, 1. get the skeleton (plain old notes, no ornaments), 2. learn it again with ornaments, 3. learn it again with variations, 4. play around with all that stuff, changing things around until it suits my playing style. Mostly, the ornaments make the fingering easier (especially rolls and cranns) once you get them down. The tune turns "vertical" (maybe a gestalt would be a better word) rather than "horizontal" as a string of notes, one following another.

After a certain amount of time, tunes will suddenly jump under your fingers almost complete and with just a little work and it's your tune.

Maybe that makes sense to somebody besides me.

Thanks again, Bill Ochs, for your kind words and generosity.

[starman]

Hi Mike,

..
I think the slowdowner idea is also great. And what I learned in a very revealing lesson with Bill Ochs is that there are wonderful tricks and shortcuts to ornamentation as well as different schools of thought on the subject. If sticking to a traditional style is important to you while you're learning the details of ornamentation, the suggestion I received is to listen to (and practice via the slowdowner route) the traditional players like Mary Bergen.

Have fun!

Peace,
Fran

I have both of Mary Bergin's CDs. I would have to slow her waaay down.

Thanks for the input. I'll check out Scoiltrad. Do you happen to know what's included in the "Beginner's Course"?

Thanks,

Mike

[starman]

Hi Folks,

I feel this has been a very helpful thread for me. I've got some new tools and ideas. You've been great.

While I've got you here maybe you can help me with something that I've been wondering about. I have gg-grandparents from Co. Louth. What's the correct pronunciation of Louth??

Thanks,

Mike

[franfriel]

Mike,

The Beginner Whistle Course at Scoiltrad is made up of 10 lessons.

The Lesson 1 is very rudimentary - Scales, Tuning, Holding the Whistle

Lessons 2 through 10 cover the following tunes, one tune per lesson:

Fainne Gael an Lae (Dawning of the Day) - March
Mickey Ned Patti's Polka
Coolaphookig Jig
Haste to the Wedding - Jig
The Rights of Man - Hornpipe
McKenna's Polka
Rosin Dubh - Slow Aire
Rolling on the Rye Grass - Reel
Sligo Maid - Reel

Lesson 2 - 10 follow the basic format of:

Audio/Video - complete tune played by Conal
Interactive Audio - 50% speed
Interactive Audio - 80% speed
Audio/Video - Ornamentatioin Explanation
Notation and Variations
Fingering Charts
Assesment Option

I believe they will also be offering (if they're not already) an option to buy single lessons on separate tunes for about $20. I believe the 10 lesson course was around $130ish. It was a gift so I'm not positive of the cost. I think there's also a demo you can explore to see what the lessons are like.

I hope that helps.

Peace,
Fran

[starman]

...

I hope that helps.

Peace,
Fran

Yes indeed.

Thanks Fran,

Mike

[chas]

I've been dabbling with the whistle for about a year now and can play a few tunes by ear but I basically suck. I haven't had much time to practice and I'm really not sure what the best way to learn is.

I used to think that I "cicn'y have time to practice much." Then I caught the bug. I'm as busy or busier than ever, but get in probably around 10 hours a week. It's not all in large chunks -- the whistles in the car, flute in the kitchen.

The most important thing is to play. The second most important thing is listen, and don't limit yourself to whistle music. Whatever you like, listen to it. One of the best albums I find to learn from is Kevin Burke's live album. It's mostly solo fiddle, done tastefully: that is, he doesn't play a million bpm, and he has an incredible feel for the music. Jack and Charlie Cohen (flute and box) are also wonderful.

I think the other posters have been right on the mark. Motivation, getting pleasure out of playing, whatever you want to call it, is what in the end will make you a better player. Slowdowners have certainly been a key to my learning, too.

I'll give the same caveat many have given; I'm not a model player. I sure do enjoy the hell out of playing the flute, though.

Oh, and BTW, check out the HMT website, www.hmtrad.com ; they occasionally have workshops, and they have a list of teachers in the DC area. There might even be one like in Springfield, which wouldn't be to much of a hike for you. Even one lesson might help immensely. I took two whistle lessons and really benefitted from them.

[fancypiper]

Nice places to put whistles and add to your WhOA disorder:

1. computer (if on dialup)
2. bathroom
3. couch
4. chair
5. bedroom (if single)
6. end table
7. kitchen
8. glove compartment in car (no knee driving)
9. Desk drawer
10. Ruler holder in overalls
11. etc. I am sure I have them at other places..

[jhonan]

While I've got you here maybe you can help me with something that I've been wondering about. I have gg-grandparents from Co. Louth. What's the correct pronunciation of Louth??

L - ow (as in "ow! I hurt myself!") - th (as in 'the')

L - ow - th

The emphasis is on the 'ow'. Just don't pronounce it like 'Low' (as in 'low down'....) or 'Loo' ... !

Or, imagine saying 'Mouth', but using an L in place of the M...

[dubhlinn]

While I've got you here maybe you can help me with something that I've been wondering about. I have gg-grandparents from Co. Louth. What's the correct pronunciation of Louth??

L - ow (as in "ow! I hurt myself!") - th (as in 'the')

L - ow - th

The emphasis is on the 'ow'. Just don't pronounce it like 'Low' (as in 'low down'....) or 'Loo' ... !

Or, imagine saying 'Mouth', but using an L in place of the M...

tricky this one, but I would suggest ( And agree with the mouth bit), but then gently place you tongue behind your front teeth and try THE, without the E and then, with a bit of luck, you will be approaching LOUTH , which is near Dublin.

Slan,
D.

[SirNick]

Hey, don't count out the Mad for Trad cdrom. I learned a great deal from that tutorial! Watching someone play the tune right next to the music notation and being able back it up, back it up, and back it up some more helps.