Brand spankin' newbie here.
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Lotis
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Brand spankin' newbie here.
Last weekend went to see a group of kids called the Cottars from Cape Breton NS. One of the gals did a solo bit on the whistle that just seemed to resonate deep down with me. So I ordered me an O'brien 3 piece D. Been playing music steadily for over 40 years...guitar, mandolin and steel guitar. Figure learning a new one might help keep the alzhiemers at bay as the years roll on. I haven't got my whistle yet and have never played one. What are the most important things to initially know to make music with a whistle? Thanks and I look forward to this new adventure and community. Your pal, Larry Otis
Vintage guitarist in mostly original condition!
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Unseen122
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You should probably buy a tutorial I can reccommend two Bill Och's and Grey Larsen's those link to the Amazon Canadian site the latter is more through but the first has a really good selection of tunes.
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FJohnSharp
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- Tell us something.: I used to be a regular then I took up the bassoon. Bassoons don't have a lot of chiff. Not really, I have always been a drummer, and my C&F years were when I was a little tired of the drums. Now I'm back playing drums. I mist the C&F years, though.
- Location: Kent, Ohio
Don't try to play too fast, too soon. Learn accuracy, then speed--like typing.
(Yes, this is my mantra).
(Yes, this is my mantra).
"Meon an phobail a thogail trid an chultur"
(The people’s spirit is raised through culture)
Suburban Symphony
(The people’s spirit is raised through culture)
Suburban Symphony
Welcome!
A couple of other random bits of advice: consider picking up a few cheap whistles as well - when starting out, you don't always know where your personal playing preferences will end up, and cheap whistles are a good way to experiment.
Listen. A lot. I've still got a long ways to go, but most of the progress I've made has come from listening to the music and trying to figure out what the better players are doing. (Given your experience, you're probably already doing this.)
Also, since you're sort of SF Bay-area-ish, you might want to consider coming to one of the Bay Area C & F gatherings, even if you're not attending regular sessions. Tony Higgins has hosted most of them (East Bay); I don't know his current plans, but depending on interest I'll probably host one sometime this winter here in San Jose, too. Many - most - of the people who show up are skilled musicians (and genuinely nice people), so it's a good way to soak up technique and compare *lots* of whistles (and flutes, and pipes, and mandolins, and fiddles, and . . .) in a congenial environment.
Dana
A couple of other random bits of advice: consider picking up a few cheap whistles as well - when starting out, you don't always know where your personal playing preferences will end up, and cheap whistles are a good way to experiment.
Listen. A lot. I've still got a long ways to go, but most of the progress I've made has come from listening to the music and trying to figure out what the better players are doing. (Given your experience, you're probably already doing this.)
Also, since you're sort of SF Bay-area-ish, you might want to consider coming to one of the Bay Area C & F gatherings, even if you're not attending regular sessions. Tony Higgins has hosted most of them (East Bay); I don't know his current plans, but depending on interest I'll probably host one sometime this winter here in San Jose, too. Many - most - of the people who show up are skilled musicians (and genuinely nice people), so it's a good way to soak up technique and compare *lots* of whistles (and flutes, and pipes, and mandolins, and fiddles, and . . .) in a congenial environment.
Dana
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Tony McGinley
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Cead Míle Fáilte leat Larry!!
A hundred thousand welcomes to you Larry!
I am an almost one year old whistler, with a middle aged body, from Ireland.
Advice - - Ahh no not really - - just enjoy - -- make it enjoyable - at any cost.
I have tended to go towards low whistles because I like the mellowness and similarity to the old Irish wooden flute. Low whistles have a big advantage for learners, I found they help you cut more slack from partners, family or friends - that counts for a lot in the first few months of practice. OK they need lots more puff and the fingering is a bit difficult - BTW the pipers grip is really well worth learning early on.
A hundred thousand welcomes to you Larry!
I am an almost one year old whistler, with a middle aged body, from Ireland.
Advice - - Ahh no not really - - just enjoy - -- make it enjoyable - at any cost.
I have tended to go towards low whistles because I like the mellowness and similarity to the old Irish wooden flute. Low whistles have a big advantage for learners, I found they help you cut more slack from partners, family or friends - that counts for a lot in the first few months of practice. OK they need lots more puff and the fingering is a bit difficult - BTW the pipers grip is really well worth learning early on.
Tony McGinley
<i><b>"The well-being of mankind,
its peace and security,
are unattainable unless and until
its unity is firmly established."<i><b>
<i><b>"The well-being of mankind,
its peace and security,
are unattainable unless and until
its unity is firmly established."<i><b>
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Cynth
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Hi Lotis---It's nice to meet you. I'd say the main things are (and I'm repeating a lot of what has been said already):
1. Make listening to the kind of music you are interested in part of your daily practice session. It doesn't have to be the same instrument, just the same type of music.
2. Make sure you are relaxing right from the start. Tension can lead to big problems. Don't practice too long at a sitting.
3. Practice SLOWLY and accurately. Don't even think about fast.
4. Find simple tunes you like to practice. Make up exercises for the note changes that don't sound good.
5. Once you find a tutorial and a few simple tunes, just stay focussed on that material for awhile. Don't spend all sorts of time getting a lot of advice about new whistles and looking for tunes you don't need yet. It will get overwhelming fast. And it takes away from practicing.
Some on-line tutorials that have simple tunes in audio and sheet music:
http://www.whistletutor.com/
http://nigelgatherer.com/whist.html
http://www.whistleworkshop.co.uk/home.htm
http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/b ... index.html
Exercises to stretch and relax hand and fore arm muscles:
http://www.mindspring.com/~shin-on/handcare.html
All this advice is stuff I wish I would have done. I'm no expert.
1. Make listening to the kind of music you are interested in part of your daily practice session. It doesn't have to be the same instrument, just the same type of music.
2. Make sure you are relaxing right from the start. Tension can lead to big problems. Don't practice too long at a sitting.
3. Practice SLOWLY and accurately. Don't even think about fast.
4. Find simple tunes you like to practice. Make up exercises for the note changes that don't sound good.
5. Once you find a tutorial and a few simple tunes, just stay focussed on that material for awhile. Don't spend all sorts of time getting a lot of advice about new whistles and looking for tunes you don't need yet. It will get overwhelming fast. And it takes away from practicing.
Some on-line tutorials that have simple tunes in audio and sheet music:
http://www.whistletutor.com/
http://nigelgatherer.com/whist.html
http://www.whistleworkshop.co.uk/home.htm
http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/b ... index.html
Exercises to stretch and relax hand and fore arm muscles:
http://www.mindspring.com/~shin-on/handcare.html
All this advice is stuff I wish I would have done. I'm no expert.
Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium. ~ Diligence is a very great help even to a mediocre intelligence.----Seneca
Re: Brand spankin' newbie here.
Three things Larry:Lotis wrote:Last weekend went to see a group of kids called the Cottars from Cape Breton NS. One of the gals did a solo bit on the whistle that just seemed to resonate deep down with me. So I ordered me an O'brien 3 piece D. Been playing music steadily for over 40 years...guitar, mandolin and steel guitar. Figure learning a new one might help keep the alzhiemers at bay as the years roll on. I haven't got my whistle yet and have never played one. What are the most important things to initially know to make music with a whistle? Thanks and I look forward to this new adventure and community. Your pal, Larry Otis
You are only gonna get one note at a time out of one a those things
I believe that spankin' is restricted to the Political Forum
Welcome,
Denny
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buddhu
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Re: Brand spankin' newbie here.
Er... that's two things. The third is - watch out for Denny... he's weirdDenny wrote:Three things Larry:Lotis wrote:Last weekend went to see a group of kids called the Cottars from Cape Breton NS. One of the gals did a solo bit on the whistle that just seemed to resonate deep down with me. So I ordered me an O'brien 3 piece D. Been playing music steadily for over 40 years...guitar, mandolin and steel guitar. Figure learning a new one might help keep the alzhiemers at bay as the years roll on. I haven't got my whistle yet and have never played one. What are the most important things to initially know to make music with a whistle? Thanks and I look forward to this new adventure and community. Your pal, Larry Otis
You are only gonna get one note at a time out of one a those things
I believe that spankin' is restricted to the Political Forum
Welcome,
Denny
Seriously: welcome!
If you're a beginner, totally go with the Ochs tutor as linked by Unseen122. It's a solid intro' to whistlin'.
You're going to have fun whether you like it or not...
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
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Kingfisher
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Hi Larry ! Hope you enjoy your stay with us. As you know from your other instruments , perfect practice makes perfect. Find tunes that you like and are familiar with and play them at a comfortable pace until you "own" them . But , most of all ......
Have a Great Day and FunWhistling !!
Have a Great Day and FunWhistling !!
Coming to you live from "The Black Hole of Whistledom"
Nature Chords
Initially, if you know the basic fingerings for all the notes, forget all about books and theories. Go to your favourite place in nature - perhaps a stony grotto by a stream and explore the wilderness with your instrument. Allow long silences to receive. Extemporise. Go slow. Delve into each note, bend it and twist it with love. Be an ersatz shakuhachi player with your whistle.Lotis wrote:.....
What are the most important things to initially know to make music with a whistle? .......
This is a good way to raise the muses in your whistle.
Maybe you might want to do this in the basement.
qui jure suo utitur neminem laedit
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Guest
Dont chew the ends off as I used do! Dont take any advice from outlanders because the dont know a f***k about it. Do it your own way and have fun as well.
BTW Did you know that Dollar General sells a C plastic TW for one dollar and its as good as a 100 dollar fancy hand made by Tootles Of Tooting & Twat Of Twatford!
BTW Did you know that Dollar General sells a C plastic TW for one dollar and its as good as a 100 dollar fancy hand made by Tootles Of Tooting & Twat Of Twatford!
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brewerpaul
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Welcome!jkrazy52 wrote:Welcome to bedlam ... er ... the Chiff, Larry.
The best way to go about learning the whistle ... enjoy the music. With your musical background, once you've learned the fingerings you'll be playing songs you already know within a week.
Have fun!
Judy
In addition to all the great advice already posted, I was going to suggest something similar: Play some tunes you already know. Once you have a tune in your head, getting it out via the whistle is a LOT easier. Movie themes, TV show tunes, commercials, folk songs, Christmas carols are all good candidates.