Whistling in church

[TheSpoonMan]

I play in a small (15-25 people) Pentecostal congregation. I usually use my flute but will get my whistle out sometimes (in a small room the whistle can be a bit too strident). I usually accompany my mom, so most of the music is kinda 80's/90's-style, keyboard driven stuff. She prefers sharp keys, so I usually wind up playing whistle-friendly keys like D, G, and A. C and F are common, btu all that takes is a C whistle. Guitarists I know have a real unhealthy fixation with E and B, so you may want an E whistle for that. Guitarists also have a real unhealthy fixation wtih capos, so if you're playing with guitarists, if you can't convince them to hav a reasonalbe key progression you may need a LOT of whistles.

But different peopel like different things- ask the group you wanna play with. Maybe even sit in on a few practice sessions if they let you.

[pancelticpiper]

For most Church hymns, the consideration they use when choosing the key to put the tune in is the range.
They usually will place the tune in whatever key is required, up to three or four sharps or flats, to get the tune into the standard C to C range (if the tune has the range of an octave). If the tune's range is over an octave, they push up and down equally from that C to C core, for example if a tune has the range of a tenth it would usually have a range of B to D, etc.
I just last Sunday played as part of a large "praise band" which included trombones, trumpets, cello, sax, piano, keyboards, several guitars, two percussionists, and a 300 member choir. We were playing for a congregation of around 40,000.
I ended up using low whistles in C, D, E flat, and E, as well as the uilleann pipes, and even bodhran on a couple pieces I didn't have scores for. (This was all pretty much sightreading, with one rehearsal, and we weren't allowed to take the music home to practice after the rehearsal.)

[mutepointe]

I play whistle in our Catholic Church alongside a flute and two guitars.

To cover all the keys I use a high D, C, B, Bb A, G and low D. This collection covers the range that I have tried.

I find that I have to play in D or G on an A whistle (or a G whistle) because the range is too low for the high D. I could play the upper octave on the Low D but I lack confidence on that one.

Since I am comparatively new to music I often find that I only play the refrains since I can't learn the whole Hymn in a week. But I am improving. I must be doing OK since the congregation (of St Patrick's parish) likes whistle music.

When we pray in song we pray twice!

Playing on the refrain would add a nice power to a song, including the Responsorial song. Does your music have a harmony or descant? That would sound great too.

I've played some of those songs that go into the high second octave on a whistle in practice and the rest of the folk group usually asks for that song on a flute. They don't want the dog to come howling.

[Tia]

I deffinitly thought of sound of music and when they sing about maria being a problem
I dont whistle in church..yet I just joined the choir I think I'll wait a bit before offering

[rebl_rn]

I started playing whistle again in Church a few months ago. We are a congregation of about 60, with an average Sunday attendance of about 40. Our music ministry consists of drums, 1 or 2 guitars, mandolin, whistle, a couple of vocalists, and occasionally keyboard. One of our guitar players also plays the fiddle, but he has only played that in church a couple of times. We play mostly contemporary praise and worship with some of the traditional hymns mixed in.

Since we're mostly guitar-driven, we do play a lot of songs in E - I either don't play on those songs or play some sort of harmony on my D. (One of these days I'm gonna get an E whistle). I usually play my D whistle but occasionally play my C and my A. I have a Eb and a Bb but I don't play those very often.

[whistlecrazy]

Nice to see all these church goers on the board! I play with my church's prays team. We consist of two guitarists, a pianist, an organist, a drumber, and three vocalists. Seems like I play in E, D, and C a lot. There's a couple of songs that I play in G on one of my high d's, usually my Silkstone.

[Feadoggie]

(One of these days I'm gonna get an E whistle).

You might want to consider a B whistle for this. It turns out to be one of the whistles that gets used most frequently by me in church.

Feadoggie

[pancelticpiper]

OK, I think this link might work, to a 360 degree panorama photo of the service I played for. If you do a closeup, I can just be seen to the right of the conductor, playing a bent-neck Susato low C whistle.

http://www.recongress.org/360/2.htm

[Key_of_D]

The best thing about playing in churches... the accoustics. (well, usually anyway)

[Bill Hennessy]

The best thing about playing in churches... the accoustics. (well, usually anyway)

I do love the acoustics in a sanctuary. I occasionally sneak in there alone and play when no one's around. On Sundays I'm a little too self-conscious.

[pastorkeith]

Our organ has a midi that enables the organist the dial up or down in half step increments - the singers love that. I usually bring a D, Low D, Bflat, c, e flat, e. F comes up a lot, but I usually use my b flat for that. Need to replace my low G at some point. We have an organ and acoutic guitar, whistle (me - when I can get out of the pulpit or from behind the altar) and occasionally a string bass and drums and even a harmonica).

pastorkeith