Tunes for an A whistle
- MusicalADD
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Tunes for an A whistle
Most tunes that I know on whistle are in D, Emin, and G, and I learned them on a D whistle. If I try them on my sweet, sweet brass A whistle, without changing the fingering, well... that's fine for me practicing by myself, but obviously, not appropriate for a session as that would be the wrong key as far as everyone else is concerned.
So, what tunes to folks tend to play, at session, on an A whistle?
Or do you tend to not take your A whistle to a session, as it's just not loud enough for that setting?
Here are some tunes that I've found fit nicely on my A whistle, in the correct key even. If anyone else has a similar list I'd like to see what tunes you've come up with. Or, if there's some simple methodology for "how to find good tunes for an A whistle" I'd love to hear it (but, bear in mind, my music theory is weak).
My favorite tunes for an A whistle:
Stool of Repentance (A) -- perfect. I think this one must have been written on/for an A whistle.
Humors of Glendart (D)
Calliope House (D) -- unfortunately, around here, when this comes up at session folks tend to play it in E, but I think some people play it in D
Dan Collins' Father's Favorite (D)
Kilavil (Emin) -- well, except for that one high note, but I can fudge that
And, just to prove I do occasionally play non-jigs:
The Hut on Staffin Island (D) -- a nice slower tune off an Alasdair Fraser/Natalie Haas CD
Eagle's Whistle
Glass of Beer (Bmin)
Anyone else have any choice tunes well suited for A whistles?
So, what tunes to folks tend to play, at session, on an A whistle?
Or do you tend to not take your A whistle to a session, as it's just not loud enough for that setting?
Here are some tunes that I've found fit nicely on my A whistle, in the correct key even. If anyone else has a similar list I'd like to see what tunes you've come up with. Or, if there's some simple methodology for "how to find good tunes for an A whistle" I'd love to hear it (but, bear in mind, my music theory is weak).
My favorite tunes for an A whistle:
Stool of Repentance (A) -- perfect. I think this one must have been written on/for an A whistle.
Humors of Glendart (D)
Calliope House (D) -- unfortunately, around here, when this comes up at session folks tend to play it in E, but I think some people play it in D
Dan Collins' Father's Favorite (D)
Kilavil (Emin) -- well, except for that one high note, but I can fudge that
And, just to prove I do occasionally play non-jigs:
The Hut on Staffin Island (D) -- a nice slower tune off an Alasdair Fraser/Natalie Haas CD
Eagle's Whistle
Glass of Beer (Bmin)
Anyone else have any choice tunes well suited for A whistles?
- FJohnSharp
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Re: Tunes for an A whistle
I always have an A whistle at session. The key of A is the primary key it plays in, however with only one cross finger the A whistle plays in the key D. So no need to say fingers are to short for a lowMusicalADD wrote:
So, what tunes to folks tend to play, at session, on an A whistle?
Or do you tend to not take your A whistle to a session, as it's just not loud enough for that setting?
Anyone else have any choice tunes well suited for A whistles?
D whistle.
Also by playing in the key of D on an A whistle there are some lower notes that can be reached. We play ''Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile'' with an A whistle because this version dips down to the bell note of A. The whistle I use is loud enough.
''Whistles of Wood'', cpvc and brass. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69086
- MTGuru
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Re: Tunes for an A whistle
Yes, that's right, but not because of volume. For ITM sessions you want a D whistle and a C whistle to cover the keys, and that's it. Maybe a low D for variety. In my experience, anything else is regarded as more a specialty or modern novelty, or if you want to solo while others sit out, or accompany a singer in an odd key.MusicalADD wrote:Or do you tend to not take your A whistle to a session, as it's just not loud enough for that setting?
That's not to say that it can't be fun and instructive to work out tunes on A and G whistle in standard session keys.
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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.
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Re: Tunes for an A whistle
This works well for dance tunes that have low notes too, provided they don't go too high. Examples are Mountain Road (play it in "G fingering" on your A whistle - it sounds a lot stronger in that register, and gives you the low B), Lafferty's Reel (play it as though it were in Am, ditto) and doubtless quite a few others.Tommy wrote:Also by playing in the key of D on an A whistle there are some lower notes that can be reached.
- MusicalADD
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And I just noticed that Tom Billy's jig works pretty well on an A whistle. There are a couple of low G's that I can't reach, but that's not that big a deal to work around.
And it's so much easier on my ears, playing Tom Billy's on my A, instead of on a high D. Though I suppose that in a noisy session, my A would just get drowned out...
And it's so much easier on my ears, playing Tom Billy's on my A, instead of on a high D. Though I suppose that in a noisy session, my A would just get drowned out...
- Tootler
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Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife can be played in its original key of D on the A whistle without any octave jumps.
I usually play it in G on a D flute because I think it works very well on the flute and the key suits the instrument, but if you want to play it with a fiddler, you just have to be able to play it in D
Geoff
I usually play it in G on a D flute because I think it works very well on the flute and the key suits the instrument, but if you want to play it with a fiddler, you just have to be able to play it in D
Geoff
- MusicalADD
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Other recent discoveries re: tunes that fit easily on an A whistle:
Big John McNeill's (reel)
Neilly O'Boyle (highland fling? not the reel) off Altan's first recording.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2461
And it sounds like Neilly O'Boyle's reel will work just as well, but I haven't worked my way through it yet.
Big John McNeill's (reel)
Neilly O'Boyle (highland fling? not the reel) off Altan's first recording.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2461
And it sounds like Neilly O'Boyle's reel will work just as well, but I haven't worked my way through it yet.
- riverman
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Re: Tunes for an A whistle
Which note do you start on, and which do you have to cross finger and how??Tommy wrote:I always have an A whistle at session. The key of A is the primary key it plays in, however with only one cross finger the A whistle plays in the key D. So no need to say fingers are to short for a lowMusicalADD wrote:
So, what tunes to folks tend to play, at session, on an A whistle?
Or do you tend to not take your A whistle to a session, as it's just not loud enough for that setting?
Anyone else have any choice tunes well suited for A whistles?
D whistle.
Also by playing in the key of D on an A whistle there are some lower notes that can be reached. We play ''Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile'' with an A whistle because this version dips down to the bell note of A. The whistle I use is loud enough.
Please excuse my limited intelligence)
Riverman
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- pipersgrip
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