Hi all

Killaloe · Post by **Killaloe** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:02 pm

Newbie here

I have played an alto saxaphone nearly my entire life (mostly jaz). I just ordered 2 Irish tin whistles a Feadog High D and a Dixon Trad in Eb. The Feadog arrived today.

A few questions, the fingerings look fairly similar do you think it will be a easy transition?

I am finding out that you don't need to blow as hard with these instruments as you do with a sax. This maybe the hardest issue I have. I am going to start from scratch and hope for the best!

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:14 pm

Do you mean the fingering of a whistle compaired to the sax, or the whistles compaired to each other?
The fingering is the same for whistles in any key, it's just the key that will be different. If you play a tune in D on the D whistle, switch to the Eb and it will come out in Eb, it's that simple.
I don't know how they are compaired to the sax, but these are diatonic instruments, 6 holes, couldn't be much simpler.
That's right you don't have to blow hard. Breath control is an essential part of whistle playing.

Otherwise, just remember to feed and care for them once in a while, I find that my whistles tend to prefer a nice glass of
whisky

Killaloe · Post by **Killaloe** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:25 pm

Yes very true

I think one of the hardest factors to learning a new instrument (for me) is learning the fingers and the notes each represents.

So far I can play the most of the scales that I can on my sax on the Feadog. I still squeak on low D lol. High D seems easier with 0XX XXX.

This Feadog sure sounds nice and sweet.

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:31 pm

Welcome! Yes, the diatonic fingering is nearly identical, once you convince your brain that F is really F#.

What you already know about breath control will help a lot, but keep it light, it's not hard at all. Don't swallow the mouthpiece, but keep it on the tips of the lips, with the corners of the mouth nice and relaxed.

If you're interested in ITM, then starting from scratch is the right attitude. You can make rapid progress, but keep an open mind. Don't assume that you can just adjust sax technique a bit here and there and sound good on whistle. Avoid the tendency to over-tongue. Go for a nice, steady tone, and take time to master the basic cuts, taps and rolls right from the start. Enjoy!

Killaloe · Post by **Killaloe** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:41 pm

MTGuru wrote:Welcome! Yes, the diatonic fingering is nearly identical, once you convince your brain that F is really F#. What you already know about breath control will help a lot, but keep it light, it's not hard at all. Don't swallow the mouthpiece, but keep it on the tips of the lips, with the corners of the mouth nice and relaxed.

If you're interested in ITM, then starting from scratch is the right attitude. You can make rapid progress, but keep an open mind. Don't assume that you can just adjust sax technique a bit here and there and sound good on whistle. Avoid the tendency to over-tongue. Go for a nice, steady tone, and take time to master the basic cuts, taps and rolls right from the start. Enjoy!

Thanks

I am doing my home work on cuts taps and rolls and trying to incorporate them into the scales as I play them. I can remember many a long night on the sax doing nothing but scales, nothing new here.

I can remember way back in college I tried the oboe and thought "hey I have played a sax all my life I can play the oboe. HA!, was I wrong.

Anyway, this is the most fun I have had with a whistle and I am getting the urge to purchase more whistles. My dog is looking at me funny and my wife has left me alone in my office beacuse of all the squeaking.

Just wait untill I belt out The Foggy Dew and in a few years can go down to the local pub and jam!!!

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:07 pm

A few more thoughts:

Remember that your finger pads are now interacting directly with the tone holes, not mechanical key pads. Unlike sax, the subtle geometry of the ways your fingers can cover and uncover the holes influences the sound, and can work for you or against you. Without springs and levered keys, your finger muscles themselves need to internalize the same crisp motion. But other kinds of sliding and rolling motions and fast/slow tone hole motions are now possible.

I wouldn't spend too much time on scales and chromatics outside of the basic D, G and A and related modes. Accept that as both a limitation and an opportunity. But do experiment with both cross-fingering and half-holing right from the start.

Can you tell that I started as a sax player, too?

Check out Ryan Duns' whistle lesson videos on YouTube for good examples of basic technique and ornamentation. Listen carefully to good whistlers, and get their sound in your head. Then sit back and wonder how a $10 whistle can be as fun and challenging as a Selmer Mk VI.

BTW ... I didn't know the Dixon Trad is available in Eb. Is that something new?

Killaloe · Post by **Killaloe** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:50 pm

MTGuru wrote:A few more thoughts:

Remember that your finger pads are now interacting directly with the tone holes, not mechanical key pads. Unlike sax, the subtle geometry of the ways your fingers can cover and uncover the holes influences the sound, and can work for you or against you. Without springs and levered keys, your finger muscles themselves need to internalize the same crisp motion. But other kinds of sliding and rolling motions and fast/slow tone hole motions are now possible.

I wouldn't spend too much time on scales and chromatics outside of the basic D, G and A and related modes. Accept that as both a limitation and an opportunity. But do experiment with both cross-fingering and half-holing right from the start.

Can you tell that I started as a sax player, too?

Check out Ryan Duns' whistle lesson videos on YouTube for good examples of basic technique and ornamentation. Listen carefully to good whistlers, and get their sound in your head. Then sit back and wonder how a $10 whistle can be as fun and challenging as a Selmer Mk VI.

BTW ... I didn't know the Dixon Trad is available in Eb. Is that something new?

http://www.whistleanddrum.com/tony-dixo ... r-109.html

Dixon Trad High Eb. New? I wanted it in High D but it was out of stock.

Youtube hasnow become my scond home on the interweb lol So many whistle players out there.

CrazedHavoc · Post by **CrazedHavoc** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 5:09 pm

hehe... If you've played sax for a while, this is not nearly as hard (fingering-wise) as a sax. Actually, i play sax too. (flute, mainly, but oboe is second, then clarinet and sax).

If you've ever played a recorder, it's kind of the same, but no thumb hole and i think whistle sounds a whole lot better.

It should be an easy transition.

paals · Post by **paals** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:49 am

BTW ... I didn't know the Dixon Trad is available in Eb. Is that something new?

For some time now, there have been three keys of the Trads: D, Eb and E, both in brass and nickel. For the time being, only Tony Dixon himself seems to have them all on offer in his webshop. Some of them, however, pop up here and there every now and then.

Some time ago I kept asking about plans for other keys (C, Bb, A), but the answer was negative due to high price of brass. I'm still interested, though.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:35 am

Just posted this to another thread, would fit in here nicely too so there you go:

John Coltrane's Pennywhistle album

Killaloe · Post by **Killaloe** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:54 am

Peter Laban wrote:Just posted this to another thread, would fit in here nicely too so there you go:

John Coltrane's Pennywhistle album

hehe

A bit of a update. The Feadog is turning out to be a bit of a challenge to play, changing octaves being the biggest challenge. However it sounds the best of the two. A bit of chiff but overall very nice sounding.

The Dixon Trad in Eb sounds really sweet and is the easier of the two to play. Changes octaves easy and seems to be a bit more forgiving.

I think I need more whistles in fact I know I need more whistles.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:20 pm

I supremely love that joke!

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:06 pm

Welcome. What do you plan on doing with your whistle playing? Are you keeping one in your car and any other handy place?

Killaloe · Post by **Killaloe** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:24 am

mutepointe wrote:Welcome. What do you plan on doing with your whistle playing? Are you keeping one in your car and any other handy place?

Now how did you know I have the Feadog in the car?? I swear I don't play it while driving, I swear

In a few years I would love to be able to walk into a pub and do a sesson. I also in the past have taught music (saxaphone) so I would like to eventuallly pass ITM on to my kids.

I have been hooked on ITM for many years don't know why I didn't start playing the whistle sooner.

Ballyshannon · Post by **Ballyshannon** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:42 am

Welcome, and always feel free to ask questions. There's no such thing a stupid question because all of us have been through it. When I was first learning, my roommate wouldn't speak to me, and the cats hid under the beds for weeks.

Keep in mind you'll get all sorts of opinions about whistles and it can make your head spin, but there are many very good players on this forum who can supply some very helpful advice about technique. And as mentioned, you can find some good instructional videos on YouTube. Both Ryan Dunn and Michael Eskin have put together some very good videos.

As a sax player and teacher, I'm sure you know to just take things slow to start and don't rush it. It's tempting to try and play a tune at the same speed you hear it played on CDs or online, but that's a big mistake when first learning.

And when you get to the point where you think you're ready to sit in at your first ITM session, it's best to know how sessions work before you jump in, so please come back here first! ITM sessions are a bit different than a "jam" and there's a matter of "session etiquette" you'll have to become familiar with so the experienced players don't politely (or not so politely) ask you to "sit this one out". In fact, there are several online sources devoted just to ITM session etiquette. Many of us regularly do sessions and can be helpful when you're ready.