mixing pipes practice with the whistle?

[Baen]

I'm just starting off with learning to play the pipes. I'd like to continue progressing with the whistle, and wonder what the best way to practice playing both instruments?

[Bill Reeder]

Learn your tunes on the whistle, then transfer them to pipes. Works for me.

[canpiper]

I haven't been at the pipes long, but I find that I like to rotate between them. Becuase I'm still more comfortable on the whistle, I find that I like to play pipes for a which, then 'take a break' by playing some whistle tunes. After I've played 4 of 5, I'm usually hankering to give the pipes another spin, and so on.

[goldy]

I agree with Bill - It is easier to learn a tune on the whistle than it is on the pipes as you can focus on the learning without the many things that detract your focus when playing pipes (e.g. bag pressure). I have been playing the piano for 20 years so I actually pick up a tune much faster on the piano to transfer to pipes.

With regard to continuing playing the whistle, I don't see that you'll hinder your piping - although there is a difference in how you cover the tone holes with the fingers so you may have difficulty getting into the habbit of holding the chanter correctly if you keep going back to the whistle (just a theory that may not be the case). When I play my B flat whistle, I find myself holding it like my chanter due to the similar tone hole spacing, but I still hold my penny whistle the old way (I've always held my low D whistle piping style).

I haven't played my whistles much since I started piping, but the first time I went back to them after a couple of years piping, I was a much better whistler in as far as fingering, but I'd lost the good breath control that I had before.

I dunno, I reckon keep up the whistle and if you're taking a while to get the hang of holding the chanter correctly, ease off the whistle for a bit.

[SEAGULL]

I find that it is alot easier to learn songs on the pipes. I think its because I have spent more time on pipes than the whistle. I feel more comfortable with the fingering because i am used to it. I can then transfer some songs to the whistle if they would sound better, or if there is some really crazy octave changes or anything. I don't know... go with what works. Cheers!

[marcpipes]

I keep wanting to use my left thumb and do ghost notes on whistle. Trying to get a hard D is a bear on whistle too.

[Joseph E. Smith]

... popping is a bear too... isn't the best thing to subject your front teeth to.

[fallspiper2]

Relevant topic for my questions. I

've played the GHB for some time and am now getting in to the D whistle and the UP's.

How similar are the fingerings between a D whistle and a D chanter for UP's. I just ordered a practice set from David Daye, and am using the waiting period to learn tunes on an $10 D whistle. Does this make sense????

[Joseph E. Smith]

I just ordered a practice set from David Daye, and am using the waiting period to learn tunes on an $10 D whistle. Does this make sense????

Yes. There is a difference in fingering between a whistle and an Uilleann chanter, but the difference is really not much. You ought to read up on fingering for the whistle and compare it to fingering on a chanter. here is a fingering chart (Rowesome?) for the Uilleann chanter.

[steph_c]

Relevant topic for my questions. I

've played the GHB for some time and am now getting in to the D whistle and the UP's.

How similar are the fingerings between a D whistle and a D chanter for UP's. I just ordered a practice set from David Daye, and am using the waiting period to learn tunes on an $10 D whistle. Does this make sense????

The fingering is different enough, but truthfully having the tune in your head is gets you most of the way there. Once you get comfortable enough with both instruments it won't make too much difference.

It always makes sense to learn tunes, regardless of how you're getting them upstairs.

[Daniel.D]

After looking at the fingering chart and reading the FAQs just wondering if the 'only' way to reach the second octave is to close all the holes and increase bag pressure to jump the reed to the next harmonic. Is it possible whether intentional or not, to get the second octave by a sudden increase in bag pressure? Similarly to drop down into the first octave, do you need to stop the reed from vibrating or will dropping the pressure do it?

Love the sound of the UP but don't know of any players near me to ask. Any players from Melbourne, Australia?

Cheers

Daniel

[misterpatrick]

Getting second octave isn't really that big of a deal. Keeping it there on some of the higher notes can occasionally be a bear, but once you've played for a little bit you won't have a problem. You don't really need to stop and vent or anything. You'll find yourself doing that at first, buit generally you just squeeze the bag a little bit harder. Eventually you won't even notice it and you'll just think I need an f and an f shows up.

The g, a and above occasionally take a bit of effort depeneding on how your reeed is performing on any given day. Popping the chanter off the knee helps as does venting. I find closing closing or venting really helps when I loose second octave and need to get back up there quickly.