2014 - ROLL CALL for C&F Whistlers & Learners

[MTGuru]

Maybe it's best to take the discussion of cuts to a separate thread, so as not to derail this one. Carry on ... - Mod

[astevick]

Hi everyone,
I've done a lot of "lurking" on the forums here (quite helpful to this newbie!), but I think this is my first actual post. Haha! I'm from the US, but living in Scotland for now while my husband does post-grad studies. It's a wonderful traditional music adventure for me! I've been able to increase my Scottish repertoire a bit, which is cool.

I'm very new to this whistling thing, though not to playing music. My main instrument is Celtic harp, but I played flute for 9 years, and I do some guitar and piano as well. I play my harp tunes on the whistle, which is lovely because I already have them in my head, which makes it easier to get them out of the whistle.

I just--2 days ago!--got a Dixon low G (plastic, tunable), and I'm having lots of fun with it! I started with a Clarke Sweetone, but really am mostly interested in low whistles. I want to work my way to low d, but I have tiny hands so I'm getting used to the reach bit by bit.

-Alli

[houstonwhistler]

Haven't been around for a while. Life happens. But I've dusted off the whistles and resumed irritating the wife. Feels good. Please count me in on the roll call.

[kmarty]

Hi,
I'm learning to play whistle second year. A three months ago* I also started to learn play flute which is probably too early, but I like it.

I'm currently learning "Arianna's tower" and "The High Reel".


*) Actually six months if you count my attempt to make pvc flute. But since october I have a real flute and some habits had to be changed.

[brianholton]

In my twenties, I saw the Chieftains in Edinburgh on their first tour of Scotland in 1973, and bought my first whistle the next day (Generation d, nickel). I abandoned baroque recorder for Scottish trad, and never looked back.

I hung around Sandy Bell's in the early- to mid-70s, where you could hear people like Finbar Furey on a regular basis: I got the tip about Bernard Overton from him, and bought an Overton A in 1974. I still have it. Tony Cuffe was also learning at that time, and we swapped tips and ideas - he helped me with the guitar, I helped him with whistle. I never had lessons, but a young flute player from Donegal (whose name I don't think I ever knew) showed me how Irish ornaments are used. There was a whistle player with a withered arm - Alex somebody? - who played Scottish tunes, and Cathal McConnell was a regular, too.

I also remember an old guy in the Ship Inn in Melrose who played pipe tunes on the whistle, along with a moothie player: that was very much pipe band style, with a touch of Jimmy Shand.

Nowadays I am spending a lot of time with my Garvie low D, finding how to get the best out of this wonderful and versatile instrument, but asthma sends me to the Scottish smallpipes more and more: I have a combo NSP and SSP C set by Ian Ketchin, and an A set by John Rutzen.

I don't know how many whistles I have lost or given away over the years. I think I still have around sixty in the house, though I doubt if more than a dozen get regular use. My old Fred Rose blackwood d, my Grinter F in cocobolo, my Weston c in hawthorn, my Copeland brass d and nickel silver c, and my Dixon delrin d-plus (for travelling) - these are probably the ones, apart from the Garvie low D, that get the most use at sessions and gigs.

I also sing and play guitar and mountain dulcimer, and I have been hanging out at C&F for about eleven years.

Keep on blawin, lads & lassies!

yours aye
b

[PiperKev]

Hi, all!

I've been a perpetual beginner for 2 or 3 years now, but have finally gotten serious about it in the past few months or so. I'm learning "The Butterfly" on my Freeman Bluebird (My first real ITM tune), and TRYING to learn how to play my Becker Low D! It's an adventure!

Cheers,
Kevin

[jt_siew]

Hi everyone, I'm JT from Malaysia and started to pick up my first whistle from Mr. Guido Gonzato (PVC High D) last year. Just wondering is there any other Malaysian whistle player in this forum? BTW, wishing everyone have a happy 2014 new year.

[ghicken]

It's been a while since I last posted. I'm still lurking around. 2013 has been an interesting year for me in my quest for playing ITM. I got a bodhran last March and found a teacher to not necessarily learn how to bang a drum but to learn everything about the rhythms of the different types of tunes. My background before the whistle and flute was guitar and banjo, and when my teacher loaned me a tenor banjo it opened me up to playing instruments with GDAE tuning. I took classical violin lessons in my twenties but a gave it up because I never set a goal. Now that I have a goal I took up the fiddle as well. I also got a mandolin and a baritone ukulele which I tuned to GDAE.

In 2013 I started to develop arthritis in my right index and middle fingers. This has adversely affected my flute progress but it has not affected my whistle playing. I have not practiced my whistle as much as I used to but I still practice it.

I have big goals for 2014 which include the whistle and I'll be lurking on...

[Michael Anderson]

I am a bodhran and bouzouki player and vocalist who has always wanted to get into a strictly melody instrument, and as an Irish/Scottish/Atlantic Canadian Trad player the whistle is far and away the obvious choice. I bought a Lon Dubh but then wimped out (no other term for it) when it didn't click right away as something I had a knack for. Kids these days and their instant gratification hangups!

Then came Christmas Day at my brother's. While playing with my nieces, I noticed - wait for it - a Howard low D among their scattered toys! I picked it up and had a quick blow, and asked my brother when he got it. I had no idea he had such a thing! He told me he'd had it around two years but never had a chance to play, whipped off a very nice "Mairi's Wedding", proper piper's grip and all, then just gave it to me! So now I have to learn it, plain and simple.

Will of course get another high D, probably something like a Freeman tweaked brass Generation or Mellow Dog this time around. And exercise some damn discipline and not expect instant results. Oh, and my brother also gave me the Hohner baby button accordion in the pic below. Yup - he's an enabler.

[Rich_N_]

Hi folks,

Answering roll call. I've been whistling for just over 12 months and to be honest, I still pretty pants at it! Rather than learning trad tunes I've been learning tunes by some of favourite artists such as Flook, Kan and Brian Finnegan's solo stuff. Also, I've recently got into Cormac Breatnach and love to play his versions of Si Beag Si Mhor and Foggy Dew.

Alongside the Irish influence I also am trying to learn tunes by Scottish artists such as Peter Morrison (Peatbog Faeries), Ross Ainslie and my Italian friend Iain Marr from a band called The Sidh.

I'm currently working on Nightride by Brian Finnegan from his album The Ravishing Genius Of Bones. I've also been learning Fly and Starrs from that same album - although I've had to learn the latter on an MK Pro Low D as I don't have a flute (the MK has a very similar strong tone). I've also been playing One Two Three and Eva by Kan, I love that band and their style of music.

From this list it looks like I'm quite good - but suffice to say - I play the above fairly badly and using only basic ornamentation . But, I am getting better .

Hope you're not too bored reading this.

Happy new year everyone, here's to a great 2014 of tooting & tunes.

Rich

[pancelticpiper]

bought an Overton A in 1974. I still have it.

Cool!

My first whistle teacher/mentor, who I met in the late 1970s, played an Overton Low D as his primary instrument (he played flute as well). I don't know when Overton started making low whistles, but I had never seen one before. He had taken out the original alloy block and made his own block, and that whistle played extremely well.

PS about 'mountain dulcimers', I'm from West Virginia and there in Appalachia we have two sorts of dulcimers that are used for what we call 'mountain music', one is the hammer dulcimer and the other is the lap dulcimer. Both are, as far as I know, equally traditional there and are used for the same sort of music.

This music is hugely popular back home with many youngsters very good at playing it... here's a great video showing young and old alike enjoying making this music together
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pk04QrB9vg

and the other mountain dulcimer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cdntgI4h8M

[pancelticpiper]

Highland Cathedral is German not Scottish

Sure enough composed by two German guys, but they play the Scottish national rugby team onto the field with it at Murrayfield, and a number of people in Scotland wanted to adopt it as the official National Anthem.

like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bLljkIe0Po

[RonKiley]

I have been here awhile. I love Irish Traditional music. Much of what I hear though is Irish/American traditional music. I have been playing whistle ever since I had a heart attack and had to have bypass surgery. It helps me build up my lung power. I have the usual collection of whistle in most keys except low Eb. My favorites are my Burke session brass D, my Burke Bb, Feadogs Gens etc. I probably play a Gen D or Gen Eb more than any other. I also have a Casey Burns Folk Flute but I don't have sufficient air to play it. I also play mountain Dulcimer or lap dulcimer. I was formerly into bluegrass and old time country. I love jazz but I have never played it. I am at the Cleveland, Ohio Irish Festival and the Dublin, Ohio Irish Festival every year. While I was gone for awhile a number of you changed names. Some of those whose opinions I grew to trust are now unknown to me. The one I trust the most on Trad I have identified. The others I have not recognized yet.

[jmccain]

... and an A set by John Rutzen.

A great smallpipe maker!

I'm not a frequent poster, but have read this board for years. I have had many folks here treat me with unexpected kindness.

You never know who you'll run into, either. Last fall I was in New York City and saw a (former?) member showing her silver coin jewelry in Bryant Park.

Cheers, John

[Michael Anderson]

[quote="pancelticpiper"

PS about 'mountain dulcimers', I'm from West Virginia and there in Appalachia we have two sorts of dulcimers that are used for what we call 'mountain music', one is the hammer dulcimer and the other is the lap dulcimer. Both are, as far as I know, equally traditional there and are used for the same sort of music.

This music is hugely popular back home with many youngsters very good at playing it... here's a great video showing young and old alike enjoying making this music together
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pk04QrB9vg

and the other mountain dulcimer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cdntgI4h8M[/quote]

The lap dulcimer was my first instrument at age 14. Always did like the sound of drones. I love that first video - that's the power of folk music to bring old and young together. Does my heart great good to see and hear.