Hi, newbie whistler here!

[KNQuail]

Just a little update here to say that the whistling is not going so great at the moment. It's frustrating...I keep hearing all these songs that I want to try to play, but a lingering respiratory infection has put a damper on things. I've been coughing for the better part of a month...and whistling does not help! Believe me, I've tried. It's making me sad. I had what seems to be the same thing back in the fall and if it follows the same course this time around, it ought to clear up in the next week or two, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

[squidgirl]

Sorry to hear about your lingering cough -- that can be sooo frustrating when you'd really rather be playing! One of my best friends has had a nagging cough that's hung on for almost 6 weeks, and now she's caught another cold on top of that. So do take care, and avoid catching anything new one while your immune system already depressed.

But here's a topic for the group mind: What are some good whistle-related activities that one can engage in whilst too sick to actually whistle?
- one can drill back through the archives here, reading other folks' "Hi, I'm a newbie" threads. Lots of good advice there
- one can finally read through one's Grey Larsen tome
- one can tweak recalcitrant whistles, fill in under-beak cavities, etc.
- one can watch whistling on youtube
- one can browse the whistles on ebay
- one can order whistling CDs from Ireland (though you'll probably be all better by the time they finally arrive)

What else?

[KNQuail]

Sorry to hear about your lingering cough -- that can be sooo frustrating when you'd really rather be playing! One of my best friends has had a nagging cough that's hung on for almost 6 weeks, and now she's caught another cold on top of that. So do take care, and avoid catching anything new one while your immune system already depressed.

But here's a topic for the group mind: What are some good whistle-related activities that one can engage in whilst too sick to actually whistle?
- one can drill back through the archives here, reading other folks' "Hi, I'm a newbie" threads. Lots of good advice there
- one can finally read through one's Grey Larsen tome
- one can tweak recalcitrant whistles, fill in under-beak cavities, etc.
- one can watch whistling on youtube
- one can browse the whistles on ebay
- one can order whistling CDs from Ireland (though you'll probably be all better by the time they finally arrive)

What else?

Hmmm, all great suggestions. I've already done #1, 4, and 5. Plus I ordered some CDs, but they were from Scotland, not Ireland, and they weren't exclusively whistle CDs. My dad and I were watching some of the Transatlantic Sessions 3 videos on YouTube and he commented that he'd love to have the songs on CD...his birthday is March 31, so I ordered the CDs for him. (and maybe for me too...I'm sure as soon as he listens to them I'll swipe them and upload them to my iPod...I love the whistling on the TS, especially on the Julie Fowlis songs) I really ought to do #3...my Oak D isn't sounding too hot these days, and I think that would help. Of course, for $10.95 I was just gonna get a new one since I'm not too knowledgeable on repairing whistles, but I could muck around with it.

[anniemcu]

'roslin castle' is a tune I enjoyed playing as a near-beginner.

http://www.kitchenmusician.net/giftunes/roslin.gif

One of my very favorites.

Welcome to the mad world of whistling, KN, and I hope that your cough is a thing of the past in the very near future!

[rap4th]

Oh... I feel your pain. For basically the whole month of December and the first week of the new year....I was sidelined with an upper respiratory infection with a horrible cough. What really bummed me out is that we went to Maine for Christmas and I was hoping to play some Christmas tunes but alas, the darn infection persisted and ruined my Christmas, birthday (Dec. 28) and New Years.

I did do a lot of reading on these forums, watched a lot of youtube whistle videos, did some cybershopping on possible whistle purchases.

Hang in there...you will be belting out some tunes soon.

Rob

[KNQuail]

Thanks all! Rob, sorry to hear illness sidelined your Christmas plans. I was working on a few Christmas tunes myself but didn't feel I knew them well enough to play in front of everyone yet. Maybe by next Christmas I will.

I am recovering, slowly but surely. At least I've gone from hacking up tons of green crud to a mostly dry cough. I was even well enough to run through a few tunes this morning...only had trouble when I got to the high end of the whistle's range. A little too strenuous yet, but shouldn't be too long now before I'm back to usual. Once I'm 100% well I really want to buckle down and learn a good handful of tunes so I won't make a complete fool of myself at the whistle workshop at the local Irish Festival this summer. I've never been to it as I didn't start playing til after the festival last year, but I don't know what skill level they cater to so I don't want to go in knowing nothing!

[KNQuail]

Six shiny new whistles came in the mail today. YAY! Still a little wheezy but I sucked it up and gave each one a test drive. Got a Feadog and Feadog Pro, both in D, and to be honest, I prefer the sound of my Oak but they're OK. Then the Generations...the G is about the whistle equivalent of a clown car! Definitely weird playing something that small, but it sounded OK once I got used to the air requitements for it compared to the D's I usually play. I don't really see myself playing it much, but the little girl I babysit (she's 5) has been asking me to teach her the whistle so I may pass it along to her. I do like the sound of the F, and the Bb is easier to play than I thought it would be. Takes a bit more breath than my sickly lungs can manage for more than a few minutes, but it's not bad. The size of the holes and the distance between it makes playing the Bb a little awkward, but I think I'm really going to like it once I get used to it. Last but not least, the Dixon Trad in D. I really like the way it feels, but I'm not totally sold on the sound yet which surprised me because I'm in love with the Dixon Trad in Eb. Maybe it's the difference between brass and nickel? Anyways, it's still a good whistle, just not quite what I expected. So that's that. I know it's a crappy review, but I don't understand all those technical terms the rest of you use to describe your whistles, so that'll have to do for now. I'll comment further once I've had the chance to pley them all a bit more.

[rap4th]

KNQuail,
I am glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery. I am also jealous that you are getting all these shiny new whistles. All my funds are going toward travel to different sessions, Guinness and food at the sessions, lesson fees and the occasional concert (one coming up on Apr 7th featuring Cherish the Ladies with Joanie Madden). That being said, I guess that is a good way to stave off the urge of purchasing more whistles.

Oh well, I am still happy with my Blackbird.

Rob

[KNQuail]

Oh, I hear you on the travel thing! Well, I've never been to a session (I have a looooong way to go before I'm ready for those!) but I'm hoping to visit Ireland and Scotland next year or at least some time in the next few years so most of my spending money is being put aside for that. I really wasn't planning on getting 6 this time around. All I wanted to do was replace my Oak D and try the Dixon Trad D. But then I saw the others and couldn't resist the temptation! And for less that $10 each, I don't feel too bad about it.

[MTGuru]

the Dixon Trad in D. I really like the way it feels, but I'm not totally sold on the sound yet which surprised me because I'm in love with the Dixon Trad in Eb. Maybe it's the difference between brass and nickel?

Are the D and Eb the same diameter (like Generations)? If so, just swap the heads and tubes and see what you get. As a rough rule, the head is responsible for ~66% of the overall tone.

[KNQuail]

Yep, they're the same diameter. I'm a little nervous about taking the heads off, though. Did that with my Oak D and it hasn't sounded the same since. There's probably an easy fix somewhere, but I'm not too knowledgeable on that stuff yet. But I'll give it a whirl, see if it sounds better. Thanks for the suggestion!

[KNQuail]

Well, I am dead tired from working all day but otherwise in fine form...finally feeling better! There are still a few things that cause the coughing/wheezing to rear it's ugly head, but whistling isn't one of them so all is well in my little corner of the universe. I've tinkered with all my new toys a bit more and have a few more thoughts to offer up.

The Feadog and Feadog Pro...I'm not noticing much difference between the two. The Pro seems a bit less...shrill?...I guess that's the word I'm looking for...but otherwise they sound the same to me and are pretty close to the Oak except the Oak is less shrill than both Feadogs. I like the mouthpiece on the Feadogs better though, for some reason. They look to be near identical, but the Feadog feels better to me.

The Dixon Trad...I've decided I like it. It's a very different sound from the Feadogs. It has a very mellow and more airy sound...I'd say it's closer to my Pipe Makers Union carbon fiber whistle except the PMU sounds very smooth and the Trad is a bit raspy, though I suspect that may just be a matter of mastering the air requirements for that whistle. It's also a pretty quiet whistle, which makes it ideal for me. Living with 5 other people, it's hard to find somewhere quiet to play where I won't be bothering anyone else, so a quiet whistle is good.

The Generations...I love the Bb! I'm still working on getting enough air to play the second octave well, but overall I'm getting some pretty good sounds out of it. It's pretty loud, yet still a bit mellow and airy. It took some getting used to, but I'm not having too much trouble covering the holes. Perhaps there is hope that I can move on to low whistle someday after all! I'm not too sure I'll be playing the F and G whistles much. The shrillness of them bothers my ears (though the fluid build-up in there doesn't help that one bit!). They too are LOUD and have a nice crisp, bright sound. I don't imagine I'll be playing them much, though I'm sure they'd sound great on certain tunes.

[KNQuail]

I'm baaaaaa-aaaaack! I've not played much this summer as I've been working some overtime and also just been busy doing summery-type things, but I went to an Irish festival a couple weeks ago (the same one where I bought my first whistle last summer) and the whistling bug has bitten me again. In true Kristin fashion, I came home from said festival with a new whistle...another Pipe Makers Union carbon fiber whistle, this time a low F. Sounded real nice when the seller played it...haven't managed much myself that sounds good yet, but I'm sloooooowly getting there. I'm still struggling with the air requirements and have yet to completely master the pipers grip but can at least play the first octave without much squeaking! I'm working on The Lochaber Badger which I've tried before but didn't care for on a high whistle...sounds much better to me on the low whistle!

[mutepointe]

Are you keeping whistles within easy reach? Do you have one in your car to play while you're waiting in the drive thru line? Do you keep one on the porch? Whistles are easier to play when they're within arm's reach.

[KNQuail]

OK, I don't want to start a new thread for this (probably stupid) question because of course someone much wiser than I will point out 47 million older threads than answer it, but I've used the search and failed to come up with a thread that tells me what I want to know, at least in a simple enough way for my musically challenged mind to comprehend. So, here it is...

What is the easiest way to play in the key of A major with one of the whistles I already own? I have G, F, Eb, D, C, Bb, and low F. Obviously the simple solution would be to buy an A whistle (haven't really looked for one yet, but I'm assuming Generation makes a cheap one?) but I'd rather not add yet another instrument to a collection of instruments that is largely neglected...