Other Music
- Amergin
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- Tell us something.: Hi, I am registering to this forum because I am a new whistle player with an interest in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton, and other traditional music among other forms of music and would like to learn more, be able to ask questions when I have them, and so forth. Thanks.
Other Music
Hello, I am new to the forum and honestly also new to the whistle (just started playing this past September.) That said I feel quite passionate about learning this instrument and while I am interested in a wide range of Irish and Scottish traditional music, what particularly attracted me to this instrument was the haunting slow airs I've heard (say like John McSherry playing The May Morning Dew on youtube or Patrick D'Arcy playing an Raibh Tú Ag an Gcarraig) and my love of Sean Nos singing but lack of a very good singing voice or Gaelic language skills (want to learn though.)
In any case, for my first question I was wondering how possible is it to adapt music to the tin whistle and low whistle that might not traditionally be played on it? In particular say various Welsh tunes for pibgorn/pipes, Breton gwerz, or perhaps even piobaireachd? Any known examples of others having done so I could check out? I apologize if this is an ignorant question but I honestly have no idea.
As a second but related question, does anyone have any good resources for say Welsh or Breton tunes in ABC notation or some good recommendations that could be played well on the whistle?
Thanks.
In any case, for my first question I was wondering how possible is it to adapt music to the tin whistle and low whistle that might not traditionally be played on it? In particular say various Welsh tunes for pibgorn/pipes, Breton gwerz, or perhaps even piobaireachd? Any known examples of others having done so I could check out? I apologize if this is an ignorant question but I honestly have no idea.
As a second but related question, does anyone have any good resources for say Welsh or Breton tunes in ABC notation or some good recommendations that could be played well on the whistle?
Thanks.
- whistlecollector
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Re: Other Music
Welcome, and no, I don't think this is an ignorant question at all.Amergin wrote:In any case, for my first question I was wondering how possible is it to adapt music to the tin whistle and low whistle that might not traditionally be played on it? In particular say various Welsh tunes for pibgorn/pipes, Breton gwerz, or perhaps even piobaireachd? Any known examples of others having done so I could check out? I apologize if this is an ignorant question but I honestly have no idea.
When you get down to it, a whistle, a bagpipe and a pibgorn are all basically the same thing --- a little pipe with holes you blow through to make musical noise. In that sense, they are interchangeable. As for can it be done, well, that's just a matter of giving it a go!
If someone can do this, then I see no reason why you can't play Welsh pibgorn music or Scottish ceol mor on a whistle!
-- A tin whistle a day keeps the racketts at bay.
-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373
-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373
- Old Dog
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Re: Other Music
You can play any kind of music on a whistle that you want. Try something by Mozart or a Gypsy piece like Csardas. A good player (don't look at me) can make things like these sound great.
There is NO law that says you must only play Celtic music on a whistle!
There is NO law that says you must only play Celtic music on a whistle!
- ytliek
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Re: Other Music
There are several sources for tin whistle music other than traditional. See these websites:
http://thewhistler726.weebly.com/pop-covers1.html
http://thewhistler726.weebly.com/
And if you're into movie theme music:
https://www.youtube.com/user/inspirationalflute/videos
Enjoy your whistling and music however you approach it!
http://thewhistler726.weebly.com/pop-covers1.html
http://thewhistler726.weebly.com/
And if you're into movie theme music:
https://www.youtube.com/user/inspirationalflute/videos
Enjoy your whistling and music however you approach it!
- an seanduine
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Re: Other Music
Check out the entire world of Kwela: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt0H3tVQk-w
Or visit the Impempe Whistle page: http://impempewhistles.co.za/index.php
Bob
Or visit the Impempe Whistle page: http://impempewhistles.co.za/index.php
Bob
Not everything you can count, counts. And not everything that counts, can be counted
The Expert's Mind has few possibilities.
The Beginner's mind has endless possibilities.
Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi
The Expert's Mind has few possibilities.
The Beginner's mind has endless possibilities.
Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi
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Re: Other Music
Being diatonic makes it very adaptable. In other words, its easy to play melodies from your favorite sing songs on the whistle, even if only for your own bemusement. I went to see Ryan Adams and a singer named Amanda Shires opened for him and while I wasn't familiar with her work a couple of the catchier numbers (Bulletproof & Swimmer) stuck in my head and I found myself working them out a couple of weeks later. Good luck, practice lots, and learn to half hole early on, no matter what anyone else tells you haha
- Amergin
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- Tell us something.: Hi, I am registering to this forum because I am a new whistle player with an interest in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton, and other traditional music among other forms of music and would like to learn more, be able to ask questions when I have them, and so forth. Thanks.
Re: Other Music
Thanks for the replies. I asked regarding ceol mor because I've heard some people say it can only properly be played with the great highland bagpipes, but then I was aware of (and greatly enjoy) Bonnie Rideout's pibroch on fiddle, so I wondered whether it would work on whistle, specifically low whistle which I am a bit more interested in (just got my first one, an MK Kelpie, in the mail today actually.)
I suppose since based on the replies it seems that nearly any music can be played on the whistle the answer should remain the same, but how do you think the playing of Fuke-shu shakuhachi/suizen/honkyoku would go on the low whistle? Or perhaps Chinese dizi/xiao music?
I suppose since based on the replies it seems that nearly any music can be played on the whistle the answer should remain the same, but how do you think the playing of Fuke-shu shakuhachi/suizen/honkyoku would go on the low whistle? Or perhaps Chinese dizi/xiao music?
- Chifmunk
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- Tell us something.: Hi, I play 5-string banjo, mountain dulcimer, bones, and am now a beginner pennywhistler. I have some Dixon, Freeman, and Susato whistles. This is obviously the most extensive forum for information in whistle learning- thanks!
I also run a mountain dulcimer social site at: fotmd.com - Location: Germantown, NY
Re: Other Music
Though i think traditional Irish music is very pretty, personally I'm working towards playing simple medieval, Renaissance, and early European dance and folk tunes on the pennywhistle. Eventually I'd like to explore playing early American/Civil War repertoire as well.
If you can read very simple melody lines in standard notation, I'm finding it hasn't take too long to begin mentally translating simple tunes and melodies to the whistle. The PW is very versatile!
If you can read very simple melody lines in standard notation, I'm finding it hasn't take too long to begin mentally translating simple tunes and melodies to the whistle. The PW is very versatile!
Having FUN playin' my whistles!
http://pennywhistleclub.com/
...a new social network just for whistlers
http://pennywhistleclub.com/
...a new social network just for whistlers
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Re: Other Music
Tony Hinnigan talks about playing Andean (South American) music on the whistle in this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ12HQ8RWXs (posted on the forum before, by @wizzywig). In that video there's an interesting sound clip or two, but he also talks about playing *anything* on whistle.
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Re: Other Music
If it's pibgorn music you're after, check out John Tose's "200 Welsh Tunes for the Pibgorn" here http://www.mochpryderi.com/Resources/To ... 0Tunes.pdf ... a couple of my favourite tunes come from this list
Keith Lewis also published a booklet of tunes for the pibgorn, but I've not seen it advertised recently. You may find a copy if you search about.
Enjoy
Keith Lewis also published a booklet of tunes for the pibgorn, but I've not seen it advertised recently. You may find a copy if you search about.
Enjoy
"I'm playing all the right notes—but not necessarily in the right order."
- pancelticpiper
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Re: Other Music
I don't think we can rightly speak of "music traditionally played on Low Whistle" since that instrument is a late-20th century invention.
I love the Breton Bagad bands and there's nothing traditional about them, as they use Highland pipes, and oftentimes modern high-tech Scottish-style snare drums with Kevlar heads etc.
About Welsh pibcorn, isn't that a recently devised thing? My understanding is that no such instruments survive, is that right? I've read (in Baines) about the Eastern European/Balkan/Mediterranean hornpipe in a Welsh museum that has been, apparently, mistaken for native Welsh thing. Perhaps more examples have been found in Wales, and the strong resemblance to the Balkan instrument is coincidence?
So much of the music we hear today that is thought of as "traditional" has only evolved into its present form recently. That's the thing, traditions evolve. And we moderns go about reviving extinct instrument and making guesses as to how they were made, sounded, and were played. So I wouldn't be too concerned about "tradition" and "authenticity" and just play the music you want to play on the instruments you want to play that music on.
I've been involved in a thing not unlike the Welsh Pibcorn revival, becoming enthusiastic about the Cornish Doublepipes, none of which survive. That hasn't stopped makers from making them and people like me from playing them. I've adapted quite a few Cornish folk-songs and dances for those pipes.
Here I am playing for a gathering of Cornish Bards
I love the Breton Bagad bands and there's nothing traditional about them, as they use Highland pipes, and oftentimes modern high-tech Scottish-style snare drums with Kevlar heads etc.
About Welsh pibcorn, isn't that a recently devised thing? My understanding is that no such instruments survive, is that right? I've read (in Baines) about the Eastern European/Balkan/Mediterranean hornpipe in a Welsh museum that has been, apparently, mistaken for native Welsh thing. Perhaps more examples have been found in Wales, and the strong resemblance to the Balkan instrument is coincidence?
So much of the music we hear today that is thought of as "traditional" has only evolved into its present form recently. That's the thing, traditions evolve. And we moderns go about reviving extinct instrument and making guesses as to how they were made, sounded, and were played. So I wouldn't be too concerned about "tradition" and "authenticity" and just play the music you want to play on the instruments you want to play that music on.
I've been involved in a thing not unlike the Welsh Pibcorn revival, becoming enthusiastic about the Cornish Doublepipes, none of which survive. That hasn't stopped makers from making them and people like me from playing them. I've adapted quite a few Cornish folk-songs and dances for those pipes.
Here I am playing for a gathering of Cornish Bards
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
- Chifmunk
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- Tell us something.: Hi, I play 5-string banjo, mountain dulcimer, bones, and am now a beginner pennywhistler. I have some Dixon, Freeman, and Susato whistles. This is obviously the most extensive forum for information in whistle learning- thanks!
I also run a mountain dulcimer social site at: fotmd.com - Location: Germantown, NY
Re: Other Music
Nice!pancelticpiper wrote:
Here I am playing for a gathering of Cornish Bards
Having FUN playin' my whistles!
http://pennywhistleclub.com/
...a new social network just for whistlers
http://pennywhistleclub.com/
...a new social network just for whistlers
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Re: Other Music
Some older pibgorn do exist and/or have been documented, see http://www.mochpryderi.com/Pibgorn.html . Much like the recorder before them, they effectively disappeared within documented memory and have been revived by a few enthusiasts, there's even a (very well-made) plastic one http://www.pibgorn.co.uk/pancelticpiper wrote:About Welsh pibcorn, isn't that a recently devised thing? My understanding is that no such instruments survive, is that right? I've read (in Baines) about the Eastern European/Balkan/Mediterranean hornpipe in a Welsh museum that has been, apparently, mistaken for native Welsh thing. Perhaps more examples have been found in Wales, and the strong resemblance to the Balkan instrument is coincidence?
What, apparently, there is less evidence for, as I understand it, is the use of a pibgorn as a bagpipe chanter.
"I'm playing all the right notes—but not necessarily in the right order."
Re: Other Music
Thanks for this link! I've been looking for more Welsh music since seeing this band at a festival:Kypfer wrote:If it's pibgorn music you're after, check out John Tose's "200 Welsh Tunes for the Pibgorn" here http://www.mochpryderi.com/Resources/To ... 0Tunes.pdf ... a couple of my favourite tunes come from this list
http://www.calan-band.com/
And, yes, one of the musicians sometimes (he's a multi-instrumentalist sort) plays the pibgorn.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur. (Anything is more impressive if you say it in Latin)
- Amergin
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- Tell us something.: Hi, I am registering to this forum because I am a new whistle player with an interest in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton, and other traditional music among other forms of music and would like to learn more, be able to ask questions when I have them, and so forth. Thanks.
Re: Other Music
Thanks for replies and the pibgorn resources, I appreciate it. Speaking of Welsh tunes, there's a tune played by the band Carreg Lafar on their album "Hyn" entitled "Afon Yr Haf" that features a whistle and is very pleasant to me. Does anyone know if this is a traditional tune and if so what it's name might be or where I can the ABC notation for it? Here it is on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAmJ5a-05YA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAmJ5a-05YA