Ok....I visit this site more than I care to mention...reading, reading...going to links...and links....printing off music...listening....etc., etc. I EVEN DREAM ABOUT PLAYING THE WHISTLE!!!! Ok...I am obsessed. Also have a wish list of more whistles I want to buy. Sigh.....
So many whistles, so little money...
Ok...my questions:
I have been playing for less than a month. I'm working on my ornamentation...but it just doesn't have the punch that I hear on sound clips or my cd's. I think I may be playing them too slow. What can I do to help me speed up my cuts, taps and rolls???????
Second question: Why buy different whistles in different keys? Are the fingerings different for different notes? You guys that play them must be Einsteins then...cuz I am still shuffling about with my own fingers on my D whistle.
Thank you for all your help and encouragement!!! Next week I am on vacation...and I will be stopping in Madison Wisconsin and Milwaukee, hoping to find a session or two to attend. Also...if anyone is from that area, let me know of any sessions you may know about.
Whistling in my dreams,
Nancymae
More questions...from a newbie...an obsessed newbie
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Bloomfield
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Ok, if you are anything like all the other beginners (including me), then your problem is not to speed up but to slow down. Practice your ornaments (I would only do cuts & taps at this point) slowly. No. Even sloooowwer. Like reaaaaalllllly slooooooooowwwwww. Get them clean and steady, without breaking up the rhythm. It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as your rhythms stays steady. Don't tongue, but use your cuts & taps for rhythm (separating same-pitch notes, mostly). If your rhythm isn't right, no one will care how fast you play: it won't be good. Go slow. SLOW.
As for other key whistles, if you want to get some, do. But don't bother worrying about fingerings & notes, just play everything as if it were a D-whistle. Enough time to figure out the rest later.
Oh, and did I mention that you should go slow?
Have fun.
P.S. If you're going to buy a book, I'd recommend Bill Ochs's Clarke Tinwhistle Tutor.
P.P.S. I am assuming you want to play Irish Trad, or "Celtic". Can't speak to anything else.
As for other key whistles, if you want to get some, do. But don't bother worrying about fingerings & notes, just play everything as if it were a D-whistle. Enough time to figure out the rest later.
Oh, and did I mention that you should go slow?
Have fun.
P.S. If you're going to buy a book, I'd recommend Bill Ochs's Clarke Tinwhistle Tutor.
P.P.S. I am assuming you want to play Irish Trad, or "Celtic". Can't speak to anything else.
/Bloomfield
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nancymae
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Thank you Bloomfield for the response. I guess I have to buy some cd's so I can listen and listen!! And...play slower!!! I get what you mean about the beat....I will try and do the ornamentations with beat...even though it is slow. I think that will help!!!
I am a very impatient person...but I am willing to do the work...like practice, practice, practice!! I am a watercolorist and a pastelist...so I am familiar with the need to steading improve one's skill. I was just feeling a bit insecure that I was not "getting it".
Thank you for your reply...I have no idea why I have two messages out there with the same writing. I did not do this twice......not too good in the puter department either!!!
I just LOVE PLAYING MY WHISTLE!!!
Nancy
I am a very impatient person...but I am willing to do the work...like practice, practice, practice!! I am a watercolorist and a pastelist...so I am familiar with the need to steading improve one's skill. I was just feeling a bit insecure that I was not "getting it".
Thank you for your reply...I have no idea why I have two messages out there with the same writing. I did not do this twice......not too good in the puter department either!!!
I just LOVE PLAYING MY WHISTLE!!!
Nancy
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Bloomfield
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Well, being the very soul of patience myself *cough* I think I can relate. A great teacher said to me once: Practices doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent... so be careful to get it right. Listening is an excellent idea. There is a good thread in the ITM forum called Beyond the Bothy Band (or something) that should get you started on some good stuff to listen to.nancymae wrote:I am a very impatient person...but I am willing to do the work...like practice, practice, practice!!
Also, if I may link to myself, there is a thread I wrote a while ago about my learning, and where I got that permanent-not-perfect quote, that might be helpful: Roll Over Bloomfield. I am also the soul of modesty, come to think of it.
/Bloomfield
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Bloomfield
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LeeMarsh
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NancyMae,
It's great your trying to learn and play along with CD's but doing that and trying to play SSSSSLLLLLLLLOOOOOWWW can be a little difficult.
However, there are a number of Software packages that will let you play CD's at slower speeds without changing the pitch. I have a couple of programs that came with my Audigy Sound Card, but there are a number of inexpensive shareware programs that let you play the tunes at slower speeds. Check you sound card software first. If you don't have an luck there you can do a search of this bulletin board for 'Slow downer' software. The topics come up a number of times with various folks recommending the various packages they've tried.
Good luck and remember to ...
It's great your trying to learn and play along with CD's but doing that and trying to play SSSSSLLLLLLLLOOOOOWWW can be a little difficult.
However, there are a number of Software packages that will let you play CD's at slower speeds without changing the pitch. I have a couple of programs that came with my Audigy Sound Card, but there are a number of inexpensive shareware programs that let you play the tunes at slower speeds. Check you sound card software first. If you don't have an luck there you can do a search of this bulletin board for 'Slow downer' software. The topics come up a number of times with various folks recommending the various packages they've tried.
Good luck and remember to ...
Enjoy Your Music,
Lee Marsh
From Odenton, MD.
Lee Marsh
From Odenton, MD.
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nancymae
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Thank you all for your insightful AND productive posts. I am learning that SLLLLLOWWWWW is the way to go!! Last night I gave up my ornamentations...and just played slllloowww!! Probably not as slow as Bill told you to play Bloomfield....but I am getting there!! Hearing all those wonderful clips on Bro Steve's and others sites makes me very impatient to sound like them....but I have to be patient.
I love playing the whistle....and I'm glad I stumbled across it....
I am going on vacation next week....camping out and traveling...while painting outdoors and playing my whistle in the great outdoors!!!
See you guys in two weeks!!!
Thank you for all your words of wisdom!! I will be a little easier on myself!!
Nancymae
I love playing the whistle....and I'm glad I stumbled across it....
I am going on vacation next week....camping out and traveling...while painting outdoors and playing my whistle in the great outdoors!!!
See you guys in two weeks!!!
Thank you for all your words of wisdom!! I will be a little easier on myself!!
Nancymae
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anniemcu
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Re: More questions...from a newbie...an obsessed newbie
Hiya, NancyMae,nancymae wrote: Second question: Why buy different whistles in different keys? Are the fingerings different for different notes? You guys that play them must be Einsteins then...cuz I am still shuffling about with my own fingers on my D whistle.
Nancymae
An OTHER reason for having whistles in other keys is that you just may get good enough to *choose* to play a tune in the key of D on, say, an A whistle... the tone is a little different, you have access to different notes and you may just prefer one whistle to another. Personally, I'm lucky the fingering's the same from one to the next, LOL! Seems not many people *want* to play their favorite tunes in my favorite whistle's key (Bflat).
annie
Last edited by anniemcu on Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
anniemcu
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fancypiper
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Remember that ornaments aren't actual notes and should not be heard as actual notes.
For example a cut is a chirp in front of the main note and the downbeat is a great place to do that (along with possibly tounging).
A roll is just a quarter note cut into two pieces (short roll) or, more commonly dotted quarter note cut into 3 pieces (long roll). The notes used for the cut and pat aren't that important, the rhythm of the roll is the key to a good roll. The cut and pat shouldn't be heard as individual notes (if so, your cutting or patting finger isn't fast enough "on the bounce"), but as "bumps" in the longer note. The cutting finger pops up and right back down, the bottom patting finger(s) pop down and right back up. Do that part fast, but play the tune at 1/2 to 2/3 of the speed you hear someone do it, but when you do rolls/ornaments, pop those ornamenting fingers fast.
Whenever possible, divide the work between both hands in rolls as it makes keeping time easier. Of course, that's limited to the rolls on notes in the lower hand.
The top hand rolls are harder, because it all has to be done with one hand.
My son used to play heavy metal music. I played light metal. It is tin.
For example a cut is a chirp in front of the main note and the downbeat is a great place to do that (along with possibly tounging).
A roll is just a quarter note cut into two pieces (short roll) or, more commonly dotted quarter note cut into 3 pieces (long roll). The notes used for the cut and pat aren't that important, the rhythm of the roll is the key to a good roll. The cut and pat shouldn't be heard as individual notes (if so, your cutting or patting finger isn't fast enough "on the bounce"), but as "bumps" in the longer note. The cutting finger pops up and right back down, the bottom patting finger(s) pop down and right back up. Do that part fast, but play the tune at 1/2 to 2/3 of the speed you hear someone do it, but when you do rolls/ornaments, pop those ornamenting fingers fast.
Whenever possible, divide the work between both hands in rolls as it makes keeping time easier. Of course, that's limited to the rolls on notes in the lower hand.
The top hand rolls are harder, because it all has to be done with one hand.
My son used to play heavy metal music. I played light metal. It is tin.
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Forrest Aguirre
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Dictyranger
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Obsessed newbie...slow hands
Very cool. Thank you.Ok, if you are anything like all the other beginners (including me), then your problem is not to speed up but to slow down. Practice your ornaments (I would only do cuts & taps at this point) slowly. No. Even sloooowwer. Like reaaaaalllllly slooooooooowwwwww. Get them clean and steady, without breaking up the rhythm. It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as your rhythms stays steady. Don't tongue, but use your cuts & taps for rhythm (separating same-pitch notes, mostly). If your rhythm isn't right, no one will care how fast you play: it won't be good. Go slow. SLOW.
I suppose I should introduce myself, since this is my first post after a month lurking. Vital statistics: Walton D, about two months playing now, 20-year obsession with Irish traditional music, spouse is actually encouraging me to buy more whistles. (I don't think I need any right now--the Walton is getting a little tarnished but it still sounds fine.) I see there are a number of Hudson Valley whistlers here--brewerpaul, we live about five miles from each other. Hiya!
I've been teaching myself partly from my album collection, but I'm also working through L.E. McCullough's Complete Irish Tinwhistle Tutor. I'd been concerned because I don't seem to be able to play the introductory pieces at the speed he does on the CD--I can handle them slower, but at fast speeds my rhythm breaks and the song sounds like hell. I'd been waiting to seriously practice my ornaments until I could play the basic song at full speed.
After reading your post, it sounds like the thing to do is to get the basic tune up to a reasonable, fairly quick speed, with good rhythm, and then work in the ornaments. I've been having good luck with slower tunes I know by heart from my music collection--at any rate, I can play Si Bheag, Si Mhor at the speed the Chieftains do, with some simple ornaments, although I'm still a bit rough.
Any other advice?
Dictyranger
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