Regarding Key Preference

[CameronC.]

My name is Cameron, and this is my first post. I am so new to this, that I've never even handled a whistle. I have been a tin whistle fan for years and have been reading these forums for a few months now. My wife says I get 250 bucks and an empty garage to have fun with. (she realizes the importance of hobbies and men!) Of all the videos and performances I have watched (online, never in person) I think a gravitate more towards the Bb whistles than any. Would it be unwise to begin with a key other than D as a brand spankin new beginner, or would it be more fitting to go directly into say a Bb for example. Keep in mind I plan on taking this instrument VERY seriously, but I also dont plan on ever having a full out session with anyone. This is for my pleasure, and hopefully for the entertainment of friends and family. I had heard that D's played all the time around the home can be a little on the "shrillish" side. Would a Bb help in this regard aswell?
I really appreciate any advice, encouragement, or comments any of you might have regarding this subject. If you have even handled a whistle you are my senior in this craft and I respect your opinion.
thank you for your time

[MTGuru]

Hi Cameron, welcome to the Chiffboard!

Let's not do your poll. You'll understand why after you become a more experienced whistle player.

Carry on ...

[MTGuru]

My basic advice is to start with a D whistle, for many reasons. Size, tone, finger position, availability of whistle choices and instructional materials, playing along with other people and recordings. Thousands of Irish schoolkids can't be wrong.

A D whistle will set you back $10-40, a Feadóg or Generation, even a fancier whistle like a Dixon Trad or Freeman Mellow Dog, both of which are friendly for beginners. That leaves the lion's share of your budget to get whatever other keys of whistles strike your fancy.

A Bb whistle or lower is nice, but may require you to use piper's grip. You need to start by learning standard grip on a D or C.

And don't think of spending your entire budget right away on a single whistle. It's not necessary, and could actually hurt your learning progress in the long run. You'll be in a much better position to think about other keys and whistles when your playing improves and you know what to look and listen for.

Good luck!

[Fifthtry]

I had heard that D's played all the time around the home can be a little on the "shrillish" side. Would a Bb help in this regard aswell?

That's putting in kindly, my wife would say! To practice at full volume I have to go to the upper floor! However, to me a lot of whistle practice is learning the fingering, and for that if you put some masking take over whistle hole so that only half of the end closest to your mouth is open, you get a very muted sound that will still let you practice fingering without driving your wife nuts. The EveryWhistle (http://www.parkswhistles.com/Whistles/E ... fault.aspx)
has this as a built in feature but I find masking tape works fine on my whistles.

John

[CameronC.]

Rats, I really wanted to get a Bb. Teacher knows best!

[MTGuru]

Rats, I really wanted to get a Bb. Teacher knows best!

Oh, by all means get a Bb. And a D. And ...

[walrii]

I bow to MT on the D whistle but, having said that, I also play my Generation Bb quite a bit for my own pleasure. It is less shrill and not very expensive. Jerry Freeman, among others, can make you a nice tweaked Gen Bb but the whistle is pretty decent right out of the box. FWIW, I have longish fingers (size 10 gloves) and don't need a piper's grip on a Bb.

[fearfaoin]

Rats, I really wanted to get a Bb. Teacher knows best!

Oh, by all means get a Bb. And a D. And ...

Yeah, 250 is plenty of cash to bag more than one whistle.

[FJohnSharp]

A C whistle is a little less 'shrill' than a D but the finger spacing is very comparable. I sometimes practice with the C for that reason.

I wouldn't shoot the entire $250 right away. Start small and see what you like.

[pancelticpiper]

The Jerry Freeman Tweaked Feadog D isn't shrill at all, it's extremely sweet.

Get one of those and a Freeman Tweaked Generation B flat and you're good to go with a lot of money left over!

Jerry's tweaking takes all the harshness/shrillness out, leaving a more focussed civilised musical tone.

[I.D.10-t]

Any reason not to get one of those Generation sets for about $40 and decide what is your favorite key?

http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/w ... nerati.htm

From there, you still have enough left over for at least one higher end whistle.

Not I really don't play the whistle, so it is more of a general question than a suggestion.