What non ITM tunes do you play on the whistle?

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:04 pm

I was just wondering what tunes, other than the traditional ones, fellow chiffers think sound good on the whistle. Also, what key do you use for the tune?

I added a Generation F to my cache and think that marching tunes associated with the fife sound good on it, like Gary Owen, Waxies Dargle and Yankee Doodle. I also think that Ashkon Farewell plays well on a D whistle.

Other ideas, anyone?

Will O'Ban

missy · Post by **missy** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:09 pm

Wayfaring Stranger (Em on a D whistle)
Amazing Grace (either in D or A)
Shaker Hymn / Lord of the Dance (Em)
Star of County Down (Em)
Southwind (D)

Most of the time when I'm doing whistle it's to Tom doing mountain dulcimer, so I may be doing lead or not.

Missy

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:44 pm

No particular tunes, but I love playing along with Yusef Lateef on the Bflat and Joni Mitchell on the E. Those happen to be two of my favorite Weasels.

TonyHiggins · Post by **TonyHiggins** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:33 pm

Stairway to Heaven works with the original recording on a D. (Haven't played it since back in the day.)

Stephen Foster's 'Hard Times' is nice.

I just posted this evening to Clips my first Breton dance: War Hent Kerrigouarch. (Don't ask me what the title means.)
Tony

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:42 pm

I play the following non-ITM tunes on a D whistle:
Wildwood Flower
Wayfaring Stranger (though I prefer singing this one)
Amazing Grace
Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go (hey, it's Scottish, not Irish)
Loch Lomond (Scottish)
The Ash Grove (Welsh)

I'm also learning a few Shaker hymns to play at my sister's wedding in October:
Lovely Love
Star of Purity
I'm On My Way To Zion
Tree of Life

I'm sure there are other non-ITM tunes I've played off and on, but the names aren't coming to me at the moment.

Cheers,
John

izzarina · Post by **izzarina** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:43 pm

TonyHiggins wrote:Stairway to Heaven works with the original recording on a D. (Haven't played it since back in the day.)

Now THAT I've got to hear!

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:50 pm

I like to try to follow Ian Anderson's flute parts on Jethro Tull tunes. My favorite is probably the intro to "Living in the Past".

mcbob · Post by **mcbob** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:12 pm

The theme to Gilligan's Island on a high D

cracks up the audience every time, sometimes I can't do it with a straight face....

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:27 pm

I play some Scottish tunes, such as "Mrs McLeod's", and some French-Canadian tunes, such as "St Anne Reel".

happyturkeyman · Post by **happyturkeyman** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:42 pm

theme from pirates of the carribean

it don't mean a thing

mambo swing

we didn't start the fire

theme from rocky

theme from gilligans island

the imperial march

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:15 am

Just about anything really. The only things I don't play are heavily chromatic pieces.

I play a lot of Scottish, Township jive, general British folk, blues, jazz that isn't too chromatic.

I don't think of music as being key specific. Since I sing, and accompany myself and others in whatever key best suits, I'll just play whatever whistle is handy. When I practice, I might play exactly the same tunes on low D, low F and high Eb in the same practice session.

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:39 am

Mostly, I play my own original material. For those looking ahead, this is about the time to start learning Christmas tunes, if like me, you are not that quick learning new songs (hence, the need to write original tunes). The curious can find some of my songs are at:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/billchinmusic.htm
+ Bill

waitingame · Post by **waitingame** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:56 am

Quite a few Scottish tunes (Loch Lomond, Scotland the Brave, Wi' A Hundred Pipers etc.)
Some Northumbrian tunes (John Peel, Bobby Shaftoe etc.)
Annie's Song
Singing In The Rain
Bye Bye Blackbird
My Way
Red Red Wine
Tom Hark
Wonderful Tonight
Dancing Queen
Day For Peace (Jennifer Armstrong)
Travis John (Kate Power)
Hey Jude
Killing Me Softly With His Song
She's Not There (The Zombies)
And countless others.
Key depends entirely upon the circumstances.

sandman · Post by **sandman** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:28 am

I broke my Howard low D's cherry last Saturday on a big Muddy Basin Ramblers show where 400 people heard me do "Summertime" with the piana player that opened for us. I just love how easy it is to bend and slur notes with that whistle.
The people clapped and cheered so I guess they liked it too.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:03 am

Little Sparrow (Fair and Tender Ladies)
Sweet Sunny South (minor version)
Moonshiner (Jean Ritchie)
Old Hog in the Wood
Over The Waterfall
Midnight on the Water
Barbara Allen
Railroad Boy
Pretty Polly
Omie Wise
Shady Grove
Greenland Whale Fisheries
The Cruel Mother
Henry Martin
Charming Polly
I Once Loved a Lass
Gae T' the Kye wi' Me
Johnny Lad
Summertime
St. James Infirmary
Sweet Georgia Brown (in C)
Ain't Misbehavin'
Bully of the Town
Streets of Laredo
Roving on a Summer's Night
Historia de un Amor
Malagueña Salerosa

Several Chinese and Taiwanese songs. I have music for one up at http://www.coastalfog.net/whistles/eighteen.html The MIDI is a little flakey, so try the QuickTime, if you can.

Lots of Old-Timey songs don't have choruses, making them a bit short to play as instrumentals, so I like to play them on the A whistle, so that I can alternate playing and singing.