Beginner

PogueMahone · Post by **PogueMahone** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:49 pm

Hello I just started to play the Irish Tin Whistle and im hear to ask whats the best way to learn book, video, .im into bands such as the Pogues ,Shane MacGowan and the Popes, The Dubliners,Greenland WaleFishers,and other bands ..and how long does it take to learn is it easy to pick up

Thanks Robert

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:12 pm

PogueMahone wrote:Hello I just started to play the Irish Tin Whistle and im hear to ask whats the best way to learn book, video, .im into bands such as the Pogues ,Shane MacGowan and the Popes, The Dubliners,Greenland WaleFishers,and other bands ..and how long does it take to learn is it easy to pick up

Thanks Robert

Welcome, Robert.

There are a lot of folks around here with more experience than I have, and you'll get a lot of good advice, but:

The tinwhistle is an easy instrument to learn the basics on - you should be able to play slow tunes without ornamentation within days.

At the same time, if you're at all serious about it you may still be improving after years of playing. Although the same could be said of any instrument.

I first started tinwhistle a bit over a year ago (though I've played recorder for years, and had saxophone, oboe, and a little guitar back in high school - mostly, it meant I could read music). I'd classify myself, these days, as an intermediate level player - I can play almost anything without ornamentation, I have at least some sense of the basic rhythms, and I'm starting to work on ornamentation. And pieces I struggled with a couple of months back now seem easy.

But - although non-musicians who hear me playing think I'm pretty good (I've turned a couple of coworkers on to the tinwhistle), when I play with (or listen to) good musicians I can tell how far I still have to go.

How to get started? There are a lot of decent tutors out there, but I'd recommend Bill Och's Clarke Tinwhistle Tutor - it starts with the basics, it has a CD with it, and has a pretty good assortment of tunes to learn once you've got the basics down. The Whistle Shop (www.thewhistleshop.com) and a number of other online retailers carry it - the main Chiff and Fipple site has a lot of good links.

Have fun!

jluckett · Post by **jluckett** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:22 pm

GREAT NAME!!!!!

Welcome, Robert! You'll get lots of good advice here. It's very helpful in and of itself.

Bill Ochs book is a good one to start out with, IMHO. It teaches you the very basics. And Grey Larson just released a HUGE book with 2 CD's on tin whistling. I've only had it a few days, but it looks like any question you'd have is most likely answered in this book. You can get it here: http://www.greylarsen.com/.

And someone here recommended Amazing SlowDowner when I was just getting started about a year ago. It allows you to slow down songs so you can hear the ornamentation better. That, if you're interested, can be found here: http://www.ronimusic.com/.

If you get both, well then I've just succeeded in spending about $80.00 of your money!

Of course, if you can find someone who can give you lessons, that's even better!

That's all I can think of at the moment. Have fun!

*Edited to correct a url problem*

frosty · Post by **frosty** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:23 pm

Hey PM. Welcome!

I just got my first couple of whistles recently. I have picked up pretty quick with the fingering because Ive been learning to play the highland pipes for a while now. I purchaced a book w/cd set by Bill Ochs entitled " the clarke tinwhistle". It starts out very simple then progesses from there.
Very decent book to start with. I pd abt $18 for it from the whistleshop.

People warned me that the whistle is addictive,and it is!!!! So get ready for a ride.

Happy whistling new year and... .. . . . . .OH sorry had to take a whistle break.

GOOD LUCK!!!
Ryan

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 9:28 pm

Welcome! I third, fourth, fifth...whatever...the recommendation of the Bill Ochs book. It's also important to listen, listen, listen...not only to whistle music, but it you intend to play slow airs, I recommend listening to vocal renditions as well. As others have said, one of the great things about this instrument is you can pick up the basics very quickly, but it can take years to master...which keeps things interesting.

About the name...hmmm. I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you

Redwolf

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 11:30 pm

I tried learning from a book but have found progress to be faster with a teacher. He is able to hear my weaknesses and address them.

Finding my weaknesses is, of course, nearly a full time job, but I can only afford an hour every two weeks.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:08 pm

Póg do thóin féin.

PogueMahone · Post by **PogueMahone** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 2:51 pm

Thanks for the help ,i am now on my way of being a whistle player i just made a order for a Original Clarke Tinwistle and Clarke Tinwistle handbook and cd by Bill Ochs,again thanks for the help and im sure ill be seeing alot of this fourm for info and such.

Thanks Robert

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 6:33 pm

jluckett wrote:And someone here recommended Amazing SlowDowner when I was just getting started about a year ago. It allows you to slow down songs so you can hear the ornamentation better. That, if you're interested, can be found here: http://www.ronimusic.com/.

If you get both, well then I've just succeeded in spending about $80.00 of your money!

Well, you've spent $40.00 of mine, too. I just ordered the Amazing SlowDowner. It has the best tone I've heard for that kind of software, and I can use it for guitar and mandolin music, too.

Thanks.

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