Good and bad

breqwas · Post by **breqwas** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:58 am

Maybe you could practice on the street or in a park?

Not right now. This is Moscow, not Utah. It is 4C (39F) outside right now, rain with snow. Playing outside is possible since late april till late september or early october, and possible does not mean comfortable.

Pyroh · Post by **Pyroh** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:02 am

Bregwas: Does your apartment block have cellar? Here, in Prague, almost all blocks do, and when you do sound muffling in them (carpets are awesome), they´re a lovely place to play.

I suffer from similar problem - with my neighbor. Good thing is, she´s so arrogant I don´t feel bad when I disturb her a bit.

There are some tips how to silence your whistle - they do work (although they´re not perfect). Or you can buy a quiet whistle.

Generally - music can give you tons of joy I´d say. The start is always difficult, and sometimes it´s better if you have muffled place to play (rehearsal room/ceiling etc.). Even if you can play a tune really well, if your neighbors hear it every day, played for five minutes, they´ll hardly like it - it´s not so much matter of your quality.

lalit · Post by **lalit** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:34 am

Your playing made ME happy.

I've been playing a little over a year, but I don't have time to practice every day, so I still look forward to the day when I have the amount of fluency you have now.

It would be very disheartening to face two dozen critics who have nothing good to say. I think you have to address the issues people have been talking about here: is the pitch too high? is the whistle too loud? lots of playing throughout the day? But after that -- once you have done all you can to make it acceptable to the people around you -- if they keep complaining, the problem belongs to them, not to you. Don't let them ruin your joy.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:10 pm

Finding a place to practice is extremely difficult in some environments.

I taught myself flute here.

I can imagine that Moscow would be even tougher.

Best,
Denny

breqwas · Post by **breqwas** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:18 pm

Pyroh, blocks in moscow and in prague are a bit different. Imagine a 17-floors building, 16 flats for each floor. This is our block, some are bigger.

They usually have some cellars and attics, but they're not for public use. Doors which lead there are always closed since terrorist attacks in 1999.

pojp58 · Post by **pojp58** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:33 pm

Denny wrote:Finding a place to practice is extremely difficult in some environments.

I taught myself flute here.

I can imagine that Moscow would be even tougher.

Best,
Denny

You must be as old as me Denny.lol I was on the CV62 USS Independance.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:20 pm

pojp58 wrote:
Denny wrote:Finding a place to practice is extremely difficult in some environments.

I taught myself flute here.

I can imagine that Moscow would be even tougher.

Best,
Denny
You must be as old as me Denny.lol I was on the CV62 USS Independance.

Odd little world out there.

I'd take the flute to the foc'sle to practice.
Sitting for hours thinkin'
"I've seen girls 5'1" tall & 93# playin' these suckers
it can't be that hard."

BoneQuint · Post by **BoneQuint** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:05 pm

Maybe try learning a few simple melodies that the people who have to listen to you practice like? Whatever, pop songs, show tunes, classical bits. You don't have to play them fast or flashy, just simple, fun, and even.

sbfluter · Post by **sbfluter** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:54 pm

Does your building has a boiler room or laundry room or some other noisy place? Perhaps an hour or half hour spent in there would be ok?

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:14 pm

BoneQuint wrote:Maybe try learning a few simple melodies that the people who have to listen to you practice like? Whatever, pop songs, show tunes, classical bits. You don't have to play them fast or flashy, just simple, fun, and even.

This is what I was going to suggest.

It's hard for people to enjoy music that is unfamiliar. Although I love the sound of the irish whistle and irish flute, I have to say, ITM just doesn't interest me in the least. I like slow airs. Every time I listen to a recording that one of you posts, I'm always disappointed that it's ITM again.

It's easy for people to enjoy music that they know. Add some of "their" songs to your list of tunes. Pretty soon one of those songs is going to hit one of your neighbors right in the heart. Folks might even ask for requests.

It's also very easy for people to complain about the practicing but that's one of the things that makes your building special. I bet if you didn't play, people would fuss that you're not playing now. I don't think many of those people really mean it as deeply as you may think.

KBR · Post by **KBR** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:54 pm

GOOD - I've been playing whistle for about a year too and I'm not nearly that good. Your playing made me happy. But, you are doing something wrong.....you're playing to the wrong audience. Find like minded souls and you'll get a better response. On the website "WhistleThis" one person submitted a recording of a tune without the fipple on the tube of his whistle; he was just blowing across the tube. It was cool, very breathy but you could still here the melody, the ornaments, etc. Whistling without the whistle sound part...maybe worth giving a try if you can't get away by yourself....kbr

Indie · Post by **Indie** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:19 pm

Well, there's something about whistles (& ocarinas) that makes them so fun to PLAY but maybe not always that much fun to listen to.

Also, some people just don't like music very much! -- My husband, for one! I just love it when my boys are playing either the guitar or the bass or the piano or the organ, & my husband just pretty much wants them to stop the second they start. Maybe it has to do with not being able to control what (or when) music is being played. I know that can be an annoyance sometimes.

I enjoyed the clip you showed us on Youtube, and see that you already have a mellow whistle. However, if you have a lot of money, you could buy a Burke whistle, which would probably be pleasing to more ears. Or if you had a little money, you could buy a traditional Clarke whistle which is pretty & soft & not so strident as many tinwhistles.

But mainly just try to remember the joy you feel when you play. That's the best. If others like it, that's great, but if they don't--well, sometimes you must play anyway, for yourself.

pkev · Post by **pkev** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:54 pm

Hi there,

A few anomalies here i think.

You say from your first post, your playing isn't that bad, then you say in a following post, you understand your music isn't worth listening to!

The only way to deal with this is for you to decide how much you want to play. If your desire or hunger to learn is leaning more towards keeping going than giving up then that's what you have to do.

Where theres a will theres a way type thing.

btw how long do you practice for each day? What does your practice routine / schedule consist of? How do you develop your tone?

Musicians have to make sacrifices to learn their craft.
If it's a question of my desire against other peoples influence then my desire wins I'm afraid. I can be quite selfish about this but that's ok cos I'm a musician....

pkev

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:50 am

I get crap from other people every day, just keep practicing, and you will WOW everyone in the pub one day.

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 8:29 pm

I am listening to your clip right now. You play fine and it is very enjoyable. Maybe you should just feel sorry for anyone complaining because they obviously just don't "get it". Their world is less for that. You get enjoyment from playing. You do a good job of it. Don't you dare stop!

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