Easy reel, hornpipe or simple something quicker

[ytliek]

Just gather the C&F crumbs... its the crumbs I tell ya and be satisfied.

[Mr.Gumby]

Feeding the Birds is a nice tune too.

[NicoMoreno]

I grew up in a small town in Ontario, and I went to a session in a small town in Ontario for a long time. I learned a few of the "chestnuts", but still learned what I liked. But I didn't learn the chestnuts because of the internet, I did it because that's what the people were playing... And I still listened to a ton of music and learned what I liked. I also had a pipe teacher who taught me some very nice tunes, and it became apparent very quickly to me the difference between an overplayed tune, and one that's not...

[ecohawk]

When I was starting out, the first reels I learned were Joe Cooley's reel and Fermoy Lasses. Both of them work well played fast or slow and they offer just enough tricky transitions to offer a good learning exercise. I won't get into the debate over whether something is called a beginners tune or has been overplayed since that's so judgmental and audience dependent.

I sit in Golden Gate park sometimes and play things like; Down by the Salley Gardens, Roisin Dubh, or Fermoy Lasses and inevitably a crowd will gather to dance or inquire about the beautiful versatility of this "odd little toy instrument".

I even had an old Scot (hey, I'm 60 and he was a lot older than I) and his wife stop by last Sunday to request Amhrán Na Leabhar - Lament for the Books, and Mná na hÉireann - Women of Ireland (forgive the spelling and translations, I'm an Irish/Indian Jew so it's all phonetic to me), saying they heard me playing from a distance a couple of weeks ago and it reminded them of home.

Play what brings you joy, but play often. Life is too short to wait around.

ecohawk

[cboody]

Come West Along the Road has the advantage of being a "short reel" with quite simple fingerings and the usefulness of being almost impossible to play without proper breath support (unless you tongue everything). It doesn't get too much play that I've heard around here, but I don't get to many sessions so YMMV

Among the common tunes (most already mentioned) I'd suggest Jigs: Kesh, Out on the Ocean, Saddle the Pony, and My Darling Asleep. Hornpipes: Off to California (and avoid Harvest Home since it gets played as a reel in some places), or Boys of Blue Hill. Reels: In addition to Come West Along the Road John McIlgen's (sp?). Again a short reel and not as well known as some, but easy.

[walrii]

Open your mind and your ears, play the tunes you like...

Aside from being fun, I practice more often and with more attention on the tunes I enjoy.

[Jleo Fipple]

Hello i have been playing tin whistle for half a year now and I really like but I want to play something "quicker" than loch lomond, valley of knockamure, wild rover these are lovely songs but i want to get better with tin whistle so what easy "quicker" song would you suggest to start with, thank you .

Simple tune I see used a lot as learning tool in on-line tutorials, once you have it down (under the fingers) start ramping up the tempo.

X: 1
T: The Britches Full Of Stitches
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:d>e fd|ed fd|d>e fd|edB2|d>e fd|ed fa|d>e dB|BA A2:|
|:~a2af|ed ef|~a2af|edb2|~a2af|ed ef|d>e dB|BA A2:|

Also here's a great link to some played tunes for some ideas, take you pick they all sound good.

Toraigh slow sessions

[Mr.Gumby]

Do note though, The Britches full of stitches is not all that often played in D but it will do as a exercise. Once you've tried that, play the same tune in G and then in A. All on the same D whistle ofcourse.

Don't ramp up the speed too much, it's not a mad speed sort of tune.

[Jleo Fipple]

Do note though, The Britches full of stitches is not all that often played in D but it will do as a exercise. Once you've tried that, play the same tune in G and then in A. All on the same D whistle ofcourse.

Good exercise, playing in A is awkward after getting the flow going in D

[MarkP]

Okay ... I'm being a bit cheeky... but living in a small town in Ontario Canada options are limited. Around here it's all chestnuts.

Then you've a golden opportunity to bring them new tunes? The first week you play it on your own and maybe someone will ask the name or where you got it. The next week you'll play it on your own and someone might recognise it. The third week someone will record it when you play. The next week they might try and join in. Before you know it, it's become 'Giles jig' and everyone in Ontario is playing it.