A question of keys.

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 10:46 pm

Hello there everyone. I'm new at this but I think I understand enough to ask my question. I'm brand new to whistling, and have only a couple of D whistles (which I'm enjoying immensley, when I can get them away from my daughter) but I'm a bit confused concerning the different keys. I understand that the bottom note of a D whistle is D and the C is C and so forth, but doesn't that mean that when you are playing with a group in a session or something, and you switch whistles, (from one key to another) that you will have to use different fingerings for the same sheet of music? Since the fingering for a D on a D whistle is all holes closed, but the fingering for a D on a C whistle is all holes closed except for the bottom one. (I think) Doesn't that really get confusing? Or am I missing something basic here? :

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 11:08 pm

You are correct about the fingering, but a D whistle will suffice for almost all Irish traditional music. If you play music with key signatures other than D, G, or A, then you may need whistles in keys other than D, and you will have to change fingerings accordingly (or else use transposition, but I don't want to get into that).

skh · Post by **skh** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 6:47 am

rodfish,

check http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=176758#176758, where I tried to shed some light on the mysteries of keys of tunes and whistles, and what whistle to choose for a tune in a given key. Also read the comments following mine, there are some important corrections of what I wrote. The whole thread is probably worth a read.

Does that help a bit?

Sonja

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 1:47 pm

Thank you Ridseard and Sonja. I appreciate the responses. I did read the site you recommended Sonja and it answered a lot of questions, mainly that I'm going to have to brush up on my theory a bit.

Thanks again! Now, I think I'll go order a C whistle!

Rod

By the way, since this was my first posting on the PW board, do I get a free whistle to review or something?

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 2:29 pm

Here you go.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 2:35 pm

Pay no heed to Jerry. You'll be less than charmed with that one, and he just wants to get his mitts on it so he can tweak it for you. He's obsessed that way, you know.

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 3:14 pm

Has Jerry come up with a posh occupational title yet for his day job yet? I mean T'Whistle Tweaker and Protector of the Mouse :roll: could do with an upgrade to reflect the skill, knowledge, and dexterity involved.... OK, so I'm jealous

.

Trisha

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 3:15 pm

Oh and welcome, Rodfish

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:46 am

Jerry Freeman wrote:Here you go.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Ahh, I love people with a sense of humor!! Anyway, I already have one of your whistles Jerry. A "tweaked" sweetone, and I must say, it is sweet. But thanks for the thought! Actually it doesn't look too bad, except it's not my color.

Rod

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:48 am

trisha wrote:Oh and welcome, Rodfish

Thanks Trisha! (I'll try to keep up with you all.) :roll:

Rod

bjs · Post by **bjs** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:27 am

Does this help:

Pick up a whistle (say an F whistle) and locate its key in the top row.
You forget its key and imagine it is your usual D whistle. Now look at the music sheet and locate its key on the left (say written in A 3 sharps). Play from the written music as if you are using your usual D (so you will have to cross finger to get that g#) the result is the tune you are actually producing is in the key of (C in this example) wherever the row and columns chosen intersect.

Brian

fiddling_tenor · Post by **fiddling_tenor** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 11:46 am

I use one for my house, one for the van and another for the sedan. I have a key for the bike lock. And one for the left side of the garage.

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 4:16 pm

For folks who are wondering what is Mixolydian or what's a Dorian? And how do they relate to keys? There's an excellent article by Jos Hindriks that talks about Modes in irish music.
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/novairishsessi ... html">NOVA Irish Session - Irish Modes and the "D" Tin Whistle - by Jos H. Hindriks</A>

Oopps forgot this was on Geocities. YOu need to go to the <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/novairishsession">NOVA Irish Session</a> page first and then select the link to the Modes page above.

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:21 pm

bjs wrote:Does this help:

Pick up a whistle (say an F whistle) and locate its key in the top row.
You forget its key and imagine it is your usual D whistle. Now look at the music sheet and locate its key on the left (say written in A 3 sharps). Play from the written music as if you are using your usual D (so you will have to cross finger to get that g#) the result is the tune you are actually producing is in the key of (C in this example) wherever the row and columns chosen intersect.

Brian

Thanks Brian, that helps a great deeal. Did you make that chart yourself, or can I find it somewhere online? It's pretty amazing. (I'm showing my ignorance I know.

Rod

Hiro Ringo · Post by **Hiro Ringo** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 12:19 am

LeeMarsh wrote:For folks who are wondering what is Mixolydian or what's a Dorian? And how do they relate to keys? There's an excellent article by Jos Hindriks that talks about Modes in irish music. YOu need to go to the <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/novairishsession">NOVA Irish Session</a> page first and then select the link to the Modes page above.

Good page,thank you!

Chiff and Fipple Forums

A question of keys.

A question of keys.

A question of keys;