Questions on clef, starter books, and whistle choice...

[Abe]

So here is a smattering of questions I'm hoping to get cleared up in my head..

1. I've always played bass clef instruments...cello, trombone, electric bass so my brain is pretty much stuck in base clef mode even when attempting to read treble clef. Obviously anything written for a standard high D whistle is going to be written in treble clef...so my question is...are their books out there for low whistles written in bass clef or to people just transpose the standard treble clef pieces?


2. Which book or book CD combo would you guys recommend? I see the Clarke book recommended a fair amount...is this the standard starter book or is their something else I should check out?


3. Lastly, I'm still torn on what to order for my first whistle. What originally got me interested in playing was hearing some low whistle tunes but the price is really putting my off. (New baby due in a few days and not a lot of cash to spare.) Thus I am tempted to just get a Mellow Dog in D (which I also like the sound of...not so shrill) so I can find out if the whistle is something I will stick with and enjoy. Not exactly what I had pictured in my mind but I guess its a worthy start. The other choice I'm tossing around in my head is to order a Tony Dixon Low D for $50 which solves my cost problem and gets me a Low D but from the recordings on Tony's site they seem to sound a bit "breathy" and I prefer the cleaner sounding tone...so then that makes me lean back to a Mellow Dog for the pure sound and the cost savings. Can anybody give some advice to push me one way or the other?

[mutepointe]

if the baby is due in a couple of days, forget spending a lot of time on the whistle. please let us know what the baby is and all that stuff. pics too.

if you don't use sheet music, you won't have the clef problem.

[Abe]

if the baby is due in a couple of days, forget spending a lot of time on the whistle. please let us know what the baby is and all that stuff. pics too..

The baby has to sleep some time right? =) Don't worry I'll post some pictures when the time comes.

[mutepointe]

psssst. abe, you should have paid attention in those parenting classes. ain't nobody going to want you playing a whistle while the baby is sleeping and you ain't going to have no time to play the whistle while the baby is awake. this is your first, right? congratulations.

[brewerpaul]

Baby friendly playing technique:
Place the whistle between your lips as usual.
Slide the whistle down a bit onto your lower lip so the windway opening is occluded by your lip.
Play as usual. The air will rush over the top of the mouthpiece and blow over the window, producing sounds.

The result is VERY quiet, but suitable for solo practice.
Oh, and good luck with the little 'un

[chas]

1) Since none of the instruments you cite are remotely related to the whistle, you should have no trouble with the treble clef. One note below the staff is all holes covered, and each note up from that is one more hole opened up. Heck, soprano whistles play an octave higher than is written.

2) I've never found a whistle tutorial that was remotely useful. I'd recommend Brother Steve's website, including the transcriptions done by some of C&F's finest. And listening to a lot of Irish music.

3) I'd suggest getting the Dixon or a Susato low-D. My now 6-year-old daughter was at times only consolable by the low whistle. It was, at least for her, a remarkably soothing sound. If I still had my Susato low-D, I'd send it to you gratis. I found the low whistle that useful as a parenting tool.

[chas]

(double post)

[jemtheflute]

Re: clefs. Yes, Trad music melodies in general are written in treble clef, not specifically for the whistle, even in books with whistle related titles. You won't find ANY in bass clef (or tenor for that matter) unless it has been specially transposed. A low whistle will not alter the situation - it actually plays at the same pitch as a flute/oboe etc - i.e. D written below the treble stave, fingered xxx xxx, sounds at that pitch on low whistle, the D neighbouring "Middle C" on a keyboard ("two-foot D" 'cos of the approx tube length, in organ terms). It is "low" only in relation to the standard "high" instrument.
High or "soprano" whistles play the same music but actually sound an octave higher - just as do piccolos and descant (soprano) recorders. No annotation of that is made, it is just assumed. Even low whistles/flutes in C, B, Bb, A or even G (like the orchestral Alto Flute) still play from treble clef notation, though maybe transposed for interval difference similarly to the clarinet. You'd have to get into the territory of Pancelticpiper's request for a true bass or contrabass whistle - fundamental D an octave or two below the normal "low" whistle - to need to write for it in bass clef!

[Lance_Wallen]

learning treble wont take you that long if you can already read bass, just give it some time. It helps if you write a scale out all the way that crosses bass and treble cleff so you can see the relation.

as for whistles, there's nothing wrong with starting on a faedog or clark cheapie but from everything I've read you can't go wrong with a jerry freeman tweaked "anything" at this point either for the price.


As for the baby... that's a simple fix. Play the whistle while the baby is awake, chances are even if you suck the baby will be enthralled and give momma some time to relax.

[jemtheflute]

As for the baby... that's a simple fix. Play the whistle while the baby is awake, chances are even if you suck the baby will be enthralled and give momma some time to relax.

That might rather depend upon who is sucking - and what!!!! :

[PallasAthena]

So here is a smattering of questions I'm hoping to get cleared up in my head..

1. I've always played bass clef instruments...cello, trombone, electric bass so my brain is pretty much stuck in base clef mode even when attempting to read treble clef. Obviously anything written for a standard high D whistle is going to be written in treble clef...so my question is...are their books out there for low whistles written in bass clef or to people just transpose the standard treble clef pieces?

You read the same music for either a a low or high whistle--the low just sounds an octive lower. I guess you could play in bass clef if you really wanted to, but it is probably simpler to learn trebble.

[Adrian]

I found the Clark book very helpful but I used several web sites as well.

Perseverance with the treble clef will soon lead you to master it. The opposite worked for me when I had to force my self to gain some competency with the bass clef when I was learning bass guitar. Just persevere and it will soon be easy peasy.

Go for the low D.

[jemtheflute]

You read the same music for either a a low or high whistle--the low just sounds an octive lower. I guess you could play in bass clef if you really wanted to, but it is probably simpler to learn trebble.

PallasAthena - please read my post above - you are standing matters on their head - you'll confuse the guy! Yes, one uses the same music, but strictly speaking low whistles play treble clef notation at actual written pitch. "Normal", high whistles play the same dots but sound an octave higher.

[PallasAthena]

You read the same music for either a a low or high whistle--the low just sounds an octive lower. I guess you could play in bass clef if you really wanted to, but it is probably simpler to learn trebble.

PallasAthena - please read my post above - you are standing matters on their head - you'll confuse the guy! Yes, one uses the same music, but strictly speaking low whistles play treble clef notation at actual written pitch. "Normal", high whistles play the same dots but sound an octave higher.

I thought that...but being an alto sax player (alto is one octive above bari, bu bari is also trebble...so sort of similar...), I tend to think of the higher one as the point of reference...sorry for any confusion.

[awildman]

If one learns by ear, one does not need sheet music.