How do 2 whistlers play together without it sounding boring?

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 11:09 am

Hi,
Through this wonderful forum, I have just
met a new friend. We want to get together
to play our whistles. But how? I don't
play a Low D?
Should we get, say, a Flute duet book?
Or maybe a Piano book with Irish songs?
Any ideas?
Lolly

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 11:17 am

You can get a C and an F whistle and play the exact same fingerings, and be in harmony.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 11:20 am

Around these parts when two or three whistles get together, we just play Irish tunes in the normal fashion. No different than if we were playing along with different instruments. Like all Irish tunes, the little variations keep things interesting. Check out the Paddy Moloney/Sean Potts _Tin Whistles_ album for lots of great examples.

Okay, we do usually make one concession to having only D whistles -- generally speaking on high parts someone will drop down to the lower octave. Just to avoid having both people blasting away at the top of the instrument's range, which can sound a bit nasty.

When possible, we like to use Bb or F whistles for this sort of thing, because it sounds nicer. It's great fun.

ndjr · Post by **ndjr** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 11:20 am

A "D" and a "B" will do the same, generally. Some notes may have to be tweaked to sound good if the "third" interval between the whistles isn't right for the music.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 11:54 am

Er, Neil, did you mean "Bb" instead of "B"? (Or maybe "G", which would be a perfect match to the "C" to "F" example?)

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 11:57 am

The same way one person plays without sounding boring - well.
Chris

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:06 pm

Are either of you a decent harmony singer? If so, that person can practice "singing" a harmony line, then transfer it to the whistle while the other plays the "lead" line.

If that doesn't work for you, try listening to vocal versions, if any exist, of the songs you want to play, then try playing along with the lead vocal and one of the harmony vocals. It would probably then be best for the weaker player to play the harmony part, as it usually requires fewer changes and covers a narrower range of the scale.

Of course the C/F "same fingering" idea sounds good as well, but keep in mind that at some points the C whistler will have to cross-finger a B flat.

ndjr · Post by **ndjr** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:33 pm

On 2002-07-01 13:54, colomon wrote:

Er, Neil, did you mean "Bb" instead of "B"? (Or maybe "G", which would be a perfect match to the "C" to "F" example?)

No, I meant "B", which is a perfect third down from "D". I have both, and have tried it. It works.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:45 pm

On 2002-07-01 13:57, ChrisLaughlin wrote:
The same way one person plays without sounding boring - well.
Chris

You're really on a...roll....today aren't you Laughlin?

Never the less, I agree with Chris: Pick up the Laurence Nugent "Windy Gap" CD and listen to Larry and Kevin Henry play The Ash Plant/The Merry Harriers/Galway Rambler together (both on flute). Man oh man, it doesn't get much more exciting than that!!

Okay, all together now: One, Two....

Loren

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:54 pm

Seriously - listen to almost any Irish traditional CD with more than one instrument playing at once. What do they play? They same thing as eachother in the same key. How does it sound? Great! It works the same way in sessions. Everyone plays the same tune and it (usually) sounds awesome.

Raymond · Post by **Raymond** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:59 pm

Okay, Neil...so I'm nitpicking here, but to set the record straight, there is no such thing as a perfect third. The only perfect intervals are 4ths, fifths and tritones. What you mean is that B is a minor third down from D. Bb is a major third down from D.

ndjr · Post by **ndjr** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 1:24 pm

On 2002-07-01 14:59, Raymond wrote:

Okay, Neil...so I'm nitpicking here, but to set the record straight, there is no such thing as a perfect third. The only perfect intervals are 4ths, fifths and tritones. What you mean is that B is a minor third down from D. Bb is a major third down from D.

Thanks, Raymond, for fixing that. The devil is in the details, and I used the wrong word.

ysgwd · Post by **ysgwd** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 1:24 pm

If two of the same instruments play ever so slightly out of tune with each other, by playing the exact same line they can produce a beautiful chorusing effect--like if you don't tune the double courses of a mando or twelve string guitar exactly perfectly....or what that electronic effect gadget called a chorus can do.
It is a matter of being just enough out of tune with each other to sound better, not terrible....
Lisa

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 1:42 pm

How, you ask?

First, pour yourself a draught. Now, make sure your whistles are at least a quarter tone off-pitch. Start the tune and play rolls in different places and stay about 1/64th off rhythm with the other player except for the occasional end of phrase. Start the tape recorder and make sure its plenty chiffy. Play kinda fast and use a lot of sliding ornaments.

Now you sound just like the great ones!

( : ( :

But seriously, if we must, you can take turns on phrases. Once in a while you can play a harmony or octave note, especially at cadences. In hornpipes, you can play harmony and meander around more than jigs and reels.

Play it with love and it won't be boring!!

Raymond · Post by **Raymond** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 1:45 pm

Another duet idea is the 'round- robin' thingy (now it's someone else's turn to correct MY termiage) like what you used to do with Row, Row, Row Your Boat as a kid. It's pretty neat...I've never done it with two whistles, but with other combinations of instruments. Some tunes work better than others...I've tried Legacy Jig this way with a whistle & fiddle; it was fun.