another newbie...

[Matan]

hello hello,
i just discovered the whistle about a week ago (a friend bought a waltons D on a trip to Ireland) and i started to mess around with it. i found the chiff & fipple a few days ago, and I have to say that this is the most wacky community i ever saw on the web. keep up the good work!!

any way- i was wondering which whistle would you recommand to a newbie (that dont know how to play any musical instrument) as well as any methods of praticing and learning fingering?

i did manage to play some basic stuff by now (danny boy, green sleeves and foggy dew) but with no taps, cuts and other thingies.

thanks a lot in advance.

[LeeMarsh]

Welcom to whistling.
Check the recent <a href=http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 4>Beginner Looking for help... </a> post and pick up one of the Music pocketbooks for tin whistle. It has a lot of tunes you might recognize and includes tablature for the music. Tablature is a verticl line of dots and circles that illustrate where to put your fingers for each note in the tune. The book is less than a dollar.

[OnTheMoor]

Hey buds,
I also got a Walton from Ireland and have been playing it since. Never really heard any other whistles, but for a beginner it is working out fine for me, I'd stay with it until you outgrow it. I'll tell you what they all told me, Get the Clarke Tin Whistle Guide and CD by Bill Ochs, helped me, and others, tremendously. And yes I agree this is the weirdest community on the internet. Whoever thought so many people could talk so much about whistles!!!???

[vomitbunny]

I'm still a newbie myself, but I think I know what yer asking. It's more fun in the beginning to have a bunch of inexpensive whistles, most likely. There are some that are quite playable. Make up a list and order a handful. Still only cost a fraction of the price of a bad guitar.
Oaks and Acorns (same mouthpieces) have been good for me. And constistantly good, from what I hear. Every Generation I've had has been good with a little tweekeing, and better with a little more. Two are excellent. Get a couple of those in different keys. Don't get the highest keys they have unless you have tiny fingers. I like the lower ones.
Get an original or black clarke. It's like, a trainer for tweeking sorta. I've managed to get quite a lot out of ever one I've had so far. The clarke sweetone in D I have was very very good. Get both of those.
Waltons and Feadogs are popular with some people. My Waltons were very playable, just not my preference. Sorta chiffy and shrill. The feadog I got was pretty bad, but that doesn't mean much, being quality can vary in any brand. Both can be tweeked into better manners, if you have a little patience.
I also picked up at one time some cheapo indian or Pakistani made imports.
Everything I tried was pretty bad, save for one in A, which is pretty good. Don't bother with this except for avoiding extreme bordom. I started a couple of months ago. I bought a buttload of cheapies at first. Fistfulls. Learned (trying to learn) how to tweek them. I've got mid priced whistles, so to say, now, and looking at somewhat upscales ones in the somewhat future, maybe. But good god I've had a lot of fun with the cheapies. Planning on ordering more, just to do plastic surgery on.
Ok! That's everything I know so far.
Most of these whistles I mentioned cost between 5 and 10 bucks. You could get half a dozen for 35 bucks or so, shipped.

[Darwin]

I've been at it for almost two months now, and I've already accumulated six whistles and am waiting on a seventh. Be careful--it's not a slippery slope, it's an abrupt cliff with crumbling edges.

My advice is to start off with a Jerry Freeman tweaked whistle (Generation or Sweetone, available at http://www.whistleanddrum.com/ or http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/w ... 20Whistles ) or a Hoover Whitecap (at http://home.bresnan.net/~mackhoover/ ).

Or, get one of the 1/2" cylindrical whistles and get the Whitecap mouthpiece for it. I got a Feadog that didn't seem very tweakable, so I got the Whitecap for it, and it's probably the one I play the most, as it's the quietest of the lot, but still has a very nice sound. It's quite a bargain for a total of $27, and very easy to play.

That's if you'd rather concentrate on playing, instead of fighting with an ornery whistle. Once you feel comfortable with a decent, relatively inexpensive whistle, you can always get either a handful of real cheapies or try out some of the more expensive ones.

Definitely start out with a soprano D, and branch out once you know more about what you want. Like everyone else, I heartily recommend the Bill Ochs tutorial. Be sure to get the version with the CD.

[meir]

i second the jerry freeman tweak.

here's a novel idea. why not buy it from jerry directly? he posts here every day, you can pm him.

which one? i don't suggest the sweetone cause its so playable as it is, but it is his least expensive.

i love my tweaked shaw, just received, but that will set you back 30 something.

or you could get from him a gen and a sweetone together and save on the shipping.

welcome

meir

[vomitbunny]

Do both. YOu could get a Freeman tweeked shaw and a gen, a fistful of cheap whistles to mess with, and a book with hundreds of tunes and still come in under a hundred dollars, shipping included.
Thats sorta the route I took.

[Matan]

thanks alot guys.
you've been really helpfull.

[fancypiper]

Don't overlook the Clarke original design, my favorites.

[buddhu]

And my recommendation is the Bill Ochs 'Clarke Tin Whistle' tutor book (which seems to be one of the few things most people here agree on!) and a Clarke Sweetone D whistle. The Sweetones are easier to get a nice clear consistent note out of than a lot of the cylindrical whistles. Personally (as a novice), I rate the Sweetone as one of the easiest to play and they sound very nice - clear, but a little softer in tone than, say, a Generation, Walton or Feadog cylindrical.

If you get the Ochs book be sure to get the CD too.

Oh, and prepare to become obsessed... if you're not already.

[RonKiley]

You are in big trouble and don't even know it. We all have our favorite whistles and if you look at one of threads giving suggestions you will see almost every brand of whistle named. I personally like my Clare one piece nickel D. The Sweetone is good the Generations can be great or not so great. The best bet is a Jerry tweaked Sweetone or Generation. No matter what you get it will improve with age. Provided that you continue to play regularly. There is nothing like a lot of practice to improve a whistle.

What makes everyone think we are wacky? Is it just because we think a length of tubing is the ultimate in musical nstruments or is it our great diversity?

Ron

[Jerry Freeman]

I believe there's something close to a consensus that Bill Ochs' Tinwhistle Tutor book (with CD) is the best to start with.

Here's where you can get it:

Clarke Tin Whistle
Handbook and CD
By Bill Ochs, The Pennywhistler's Press
http://www.bookch.com/music.htm#3248

Brother Steve's Tinwhistle Pages is another great resource:
http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Matan]

As i stated before, thank you all guys.
I decided to get the twicked sweetone, Bill Ochs' Tinwhistle Tutor book (with CD) and the clarke original (because it looks pretty nice )

About being obsessed, i think i am already.

Aoes lying in bed with your girlfriend and playing "foggy dew" and "star of a county down" on the whistle over and over again for about 2 hours count as being obsessed?

Oh, ye, and she doesnt really like Irish music.

[Tyghress]

Matan, yes, that counts as obsessed.

Please note that playing a lot and listening A LOT to music you would like to be able to play will do you a world of good more than buying another whistle. I would recommend putting your money into CDs and tutors and a paid version of any slow-downer you choose before you go on the quest for 'the perfect whistle'.

have fun...sit back...join the party....nice to have you along for the ride.