good tunes for the beginner
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good tunes for the beginner
What are some good songs for the fledgling wistler to sweat over?
I've been playing for a little over 3 weeks now with one of Jerry's Sweetones (I'm an addict now. thanks! ). I've dedicated a fair amount of time learning to play Merrily I Kissed the Quaker's Wife and Si Bheag & Si Mhor and become pretty proficient at both.
I was just curious to see if anyone had any suggestions.
Thanks.
I've been playing for a little over 3 weeks now with one of Jerry's Sweetones (I'm an addict now. thanks! ). I've dedicated a fair amount of time learning to play Merrily I Kissed the Quaker's Wife and Si Bheag & Si Mhor and become pretty proficient at both.
I was just curious to see if anyone had any suggestions.
Thanks.
- TonyHiggins
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Before you learn any more tunes, buy a lot of expensive whistles. Then, you'll feel obligated to learn. And if you don't learn any, you can pull the whistles out to look at. Wood is very nice.
Just kidding. If you want to learn Irish dance music, which you imply, learn jigs, polkas, and hornpipes before dealing with reels. You'll get a better handle on rhythm that way. Don't fool with ornamentation much until you can at least hear the rhythms in your playing.
Some easy jigs are Swallowtail Jig, 10 Penny Bit, Blackthorn Stick. A nice slip jig is Fig for a Kiss. (Be sure you understand 9/8 time). Polkas: Ballydesmond (there are several). Hornpipes: Off to California, Harvest Home, Boys of Bluehill.
You'll find plenty of recordings of these popular session tunes. You'll need to listen to the music, whether on recordings, or live, to get a sense of how to play it. (Don't learn from beginners who have been playing only a year longer than you. Skip that step.) Have fun. Practice like a maniac.
Tony
Just kidding. If you want to learn Irish dance music, which you imply, learn jigs, polkas, and hornpipes before dealing with reels. You'll get a better handle on rhythm that way. Don't fool with ornamentation much until you can at least hear the rhythms in your playing.
Some easy jigs are Swallowtail Jig, 10 Penny Bit, Blackthorn Stick. A nice slip jig is Fig for a Kiss. (Be sure you understand 9/8 time). Polkas: Ballydesmond (there are several). Hornpipes: Off to California, Harvest Home, Boys of Bluehill.
You'll find plenty of recordings of these popular session tunes. You'll need to listen to the music, whether on recordings, or live, to get a sense of how to play it. (Don't learn from beginners who have been playing only a year longer than you. Skip that step.) Have fun. Practice like a maniac.
Tony
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- Sandy Jasper
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Hey, I resemble that remark!TonyHiggins wrote:Before you learn any more tunes, buy a lot of expensive whistles. Then, you'll feel obligated to learn. And if you don't learn any, you can pull the whistles out to look at. Wood is very nice.
Oh sure, now you tell me!Just kidding.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which is least known--Montaigne
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light
--Plato
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light
--Plato
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- glauber
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Re: good tunes for the beginner
Yes, the tunes in Brother Steve's tin whistle site. Each one is there to teach you something about ornamentation, phrasing, etc, and they're good tunes that you actually will play in sessions.Jack-in-the-Green wrote:I was just curious to see if anyone had any suggestions.
g
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- BillChin
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There is a thread on "easy cover songs." Cover in this context, refers to songs recognizable by the general public.
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=13463
A song that is easy for one person may not be easy for the next. With that caveat, the list of cover songs includes:
Amazing Grace
Greensleeves (and many other Christmas time tunes)
Lord of the Rings song (hobbit song?)
North Country Blues (Bob Dylan)
Scarborough Fair
Simple Gifts
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Texas Playboys (and various other Al Jolson tunes)
The Star Spangled Banner
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=13463
A song that is easy for one person may not be easy for the next. With that caveat, the list of cover songs includes:
Amazing Grace
Greensleeves (and many other Christmas time tunes)
Lord of the Rings song (hobbit song?)
North Country Blues (Bob Dylan)
Scarborough Fair
Simple Gifts
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Texas Playboys (and various other Al Jolson tunes)
The Star Spangled Banner
- Henkersbraut
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Re: good tunes for the beginner
Glauber - thank you! *is printing like mad*
- Martin Milner
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Hi Jack,
I would start with slow tunes like O'Carolan tunes, & polkas, mazurkas if you can hear them, then move onto jigs, slipjigs, slides, hornpipes & finally reels.
Slow tunes are slow so they're easier, though slow airs can be tricky, so you need to hear them first.
Polkas have maximum 4 quavers in a bar, and a good swing to them.
Jigs have six quavers in a bar, so they're 50% harder then polkas.
Reels have 8 quavers in a bar, so they're 100% harder then polkas. They're also usually played the fastest.
Slip jigs have 9 quavers in a bar, but once you get the feel for them they're not really any harder than jigs - you can put them together with jigs in a set.
Slides have 12 quavers in a bar, but that doesn't make them 3 times harder than reels, because they work very like jigs - you can put them together with jigs (and slipjigs) in a set.
Tadaaa! Who first related music to mathematics? Good Ol' Pythagoras, that's who, first name Monty.
I would start with slow tunes like O'Carolan tunes, & polkas, mazurkas if you can hear them, then move onto jigs, slipjigs, slides, hornpipes & finally reels.
Slow tunes are slow so they're easier, though slow airs can be tricky, so you need to hear them first.
Polkas have maximum 4 quavers in a bar, and a good swing to them.
Jigs have six quavers in a bar, so they're 50% harder then polkas.
Reels have 8 quavers in a bar, so they're 100% harder then polkas. They're also usually played the fastest.
Slip jigs have 9 quavers in a bar, but once you get the feel for them they're not really any harder than jigs - you can put them together with jigs in a set.
Slides have 12 quavers in a bar, but that doesn't make them 3 times harder than reels, because they work very like jigs - you can put them together with jigs (and slipjigs) in a set.
Tadaaa! Who first related music to mathematics? Good Ol' Pythagoras, that's who, first name Monty.
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- LeeMarsh
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Opps, I posted this on another topic but it applies here better
Some easy tunes at my beginning.
For example, in another thread, folks found Rocky Raccoon and Black Bird from the Beatles album, fit nicely. As did the House of the Rising Sun. Also a number of lullabys like All Through the Night work well for beginner, simple and slow and well known.
The trick is to find a tune you already know forwards and backwards. Maybe it was that first slow dance with girl of your dreams, or the tune you and your mates claimed as your theme song, or song your uncle revelled in when he had one too many. If it's one you've heard 100 times; it will be easy to find on your whistle. Not all songs work, some are just too much rythmn and not enough melody, but other will florish, filled with melodic content as well as the wealth of heart you've already invested in them.[/list]
Some easy tunes at my beginning.
- Star of County Down.
- Gift of a Thistle (love theme in Brave Heart)
- Minstrel Boy
- Foggy Dew.
- Rakes of Mallow (Theme of John Waynes Irish movie the Quiet Man)
For example, in another thread, folks found Rocky Raccoon and Black Bird from the Beatles album, fit nicely. As did the House of the Rising Sun. Also a number of lullabys like All Through the Night work well for beginner, simple and slow and well known.
The trick is to find a tune you already know forwards and backwards. Maybe it was that first slow dance with girl of your dreams, or the tune you and your mates claimed as your theme song, or song your uncle revelled in when he had one too many. If it's one you've heard 100 times; it will be easy to find on your whistle. Not all songs work, some are just too much rythmn and not enough melody, but other will florish, filled with melodic content as well as the wealth of heart you've already invested in them.[/list]
Enjoy Your Music,
Lee Marsh
From Odenton, MD.
Lee Marsh
From Odenton, MD.