Can anyone help please/

[grahamsimpkin]

Hi Everyone.
I am starting to learn the whistle and having trouble finding a anyone in my area who teaches.
I live in Cannock in the Midlands UK.
Is there anyone living near who can perhaps give me some tips, advice or lessons please.
I have some tutor books but I feel that perhaps it would be better to have some tuition and feedback on where I am going wrong, and perhaps what I am doing right ( if anything.)
Any help or advice will be gratefully received.
I am determined to learn.
Thanks.
Gray

[Makar]

Hi

Just checked out a page that I had looked at a few months back - only this full time tutor anywhere near your area that I can see - http://www.thetutorpages.com/tutor/verity-thompson

Maybe there is somebody who does not do this for a living who would be willing to help - you've asked in the right place I suppose. No evening classes in Birmingham or surrounds? Probably not as popular a subject down your way as up here.

good luck
Stephen

[mutepointe]

Many of us learn the whistle with just the resources on the internet. And there are lots of resources out there. I hate to pay for anything that I could receive free. I've only ever seen two other people play the whistle in person. What you're planning to do with the whistle matters on how important a tutor is. Are you just playing for fun? Would you like to become a master ITM player? or something in between? Some people just learn better with a hands on method too.

[Makar]

The value of playing with other more experienced players is considerable. Evening classes give you the chance to play with others (which is pretty hard to get right - keeping up with the tune etc.), get advice from a tutor and absorb much more than you can online. Online resources can be great too of course. If you have the opportunity to do both then it must be at least tried. I am lucky in that my town has an evening class led by an excellent tutor - and he teaches Scottish traditional music style which is relevant to my musical life experiences. It is also about £4 for an hour class - hard to beat.

[MarkP]

Hi

have you tried the Lichfield branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoírí Éireann (CCE)
Contact: Mike Lancaster (Secretary ), Tel. 01543 262109
alternate Mondays, 8.30 onwards, at Horse & Jockey, Tamworth Road, Freeford, Lichfield WS14 9JE... Near the Rugby Club on the A51, if that's not out of date.

PS. whether or not you go for the 'tutor' option (or a summer school maybe?) there's no substitute for playing in the company of others well versed in the music, take the plunge

[jemtheflute]

Good suggestions all above. I'm not conveniently close to you (Wrexham) but not totally inaccessible either, if you are really stuck, and yes, I do offer private tuition. Please pm me if interested...... but I'd also suggest you go along to the session at The Boat Inn, Jackfield and/or otherwise contact the Jackfield Comhaltas branch - I don't know how active it is currently, but worth a try! I am quite sure there are other whistlers in the west Midlands! Maybe not necessarily ITM - plenty of English music/musicians around, I believe.

[Barney_Stone]

Hi Gray,

I've only been playing whistle for 3 months.

I've played guitar for years though, and found the North Staffs Folk sessions to be very friendly, with a good spread of ability. Tends to be more squeezeboxes/fiddles/guitars, but anyone can join in, as it'll be 99.9% in G Major (fine for a D whistle). No pressure on anyone to play if they just want to listen etc. I occasionally got down to 'Spittalbrook' in Stafford, which isn't too far for you, but I don't know what its like now, as that was a few years ago. Some of the other venues aren't too far north either. There's a nice one at 'The Pheasant' in Stone: run by a top bloke named John, from Co. Antrim. His missus puts nice chip butties on and of course he keeps a good pint of Guiness! .

Here's a link to the folk diary on my m8 Rick's website:

http://www.nrkarts.co.uk/diaries.html

Let us know how you go on.

BS.

[grahamsimpkin]

Thanks everyone for all the help and suggestions. I will explore all the avenues and post again with any progress I make.
I have sent for a couple of tune books with the intention of trying to learn the tunes ( I dont read music yet but thats another thing I am trying to master )
Thanks again and all the best.
Gray

[BigDavy]

Hi Gray

Have a look here - these are the midlands region branches of CCE.
http://comhaltas.ie/locations/detail/midland_region/

All of them should be able to give whistle tuition.

David