"Breaking In" New Tin Whistle

[MichaelK]

Hi, new here. So I just got my new Guinness Tin Whistle in the mail today. Started playing it and it was squeaky at first but it's getting better, however the C# (no holes covered) note is still squeaky for some reason. How long does it take for the whistle to sound the way it should? Thanks

[Hotblack]

It's more to do with how quickly you learn to control the whistle and that depends on how quickly you learn and how many minutes/hours a day you put in to it.

[brewerpaul]

Hi, new here. So I just got my new Guinness Tin Whistle in the mail today. Started playing it and it was squeaky at first but it's getting better, however the C# (no holes covered) note is still squeaky for some reason. How long does it take for the whistle to sound the way it should? Thanks

It takes exactly as long as it takes you to get used to the new whistle.
I don't think a plastic head whistle really changes much, if at all. You'll get used to it's quirks though.

[MTGuru]

Hi, welcome to the Board, and to the whistle!

There's no break-in required on whistle. Most likely the C# is fine, and you're simply overblowing a bit. As Hotblack and brewerpaul said, it takes time to learn control. But here are several things you can try.

1. Check the tuning. Sometimes whistle heads are not positioned properly at the factory, too sharp or too flat. This can adversely affect the tone. Play an A and check it against a piano, tuning fork, electronic tuner, online tuner, etc.

If it's close, leave it be. If the tuning is off, you'll need to move the head. The Guinness head is not glued on, so it should move fairly easily with a firm but careful twist and pull. I sometimes use latex gloves for a better grip. Once it's loose, you can remove it completely for inspection and/or reposition it for a proper in-tune A.

2. Just in case, visually inspect the inside of the whistle head for any extra bits of plastic flashing, and remove any you find. But note, the several Guinness whistles I have did not have this problem.

3. Try the easy and common "Blu-Tack tweak", which can help to smooth a scratchy whistle. I find it does improve the Guinness (the whistle, not the stout!). See the following link, and in particular the "Dear Dale" note following the end of the numbered list.

http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tweak.html

Hope that helps.

[AvienMael]

Well, above posts aside, it could just be your whistle. I've had a couple of those "Guiness" whistles, and played a few others, and only one of them was actually half-way decent to play, IMO. It's a run of the luck, $8 Waltons whistle with a Guiness sticker on it which adds about another $7 to the price. For what Guiness costs, and what those whistles cost to make, you ought to get one free with every 6 pack. Those thin aluminum tubes do sound nice with some other heads though.

[MichaelK]

Thanks for the help. The whistle seems to play correctly now. I also realized it's not really the same as playing a recorder. Because I can play the recorder very clean and smooth where as the tin whistle is a little more difficult... My notes are pretty rough right now..

[JTC111]

My notes are pretty rough right now..

Embrace the chiff.

[AvienMael]

You'll get it... one day soon, the breath control required on that whistle will just "click," and you'll have that "break-through" experience that makes any endeavor worthwhile. "The Boys of Blue Hill" was the first tune I ever learned on the whistle. I remember thinking at one point that I had finally "got it," only to look back much later and realize that I spent the better part of a year murdering that tune . Now I can bring that tune to life, and I rarely play it the same way twice. There are no substitutes for patience and practice. Skill is something you earn, but what seems like struggle now, will one day become a memory that you look back on with the fondness of amusement.

[red_menace]

I think most of us have a similar experience; sooner or later something just clicks into place with regard the breath control, and we suddenly find we can do all sorts of things that previously we found difficult. Whistles (especially cheap whistles) that we thought were rubbish all of a sudden start sounding half-decent. Whistles that we loved because they were easy to play start to show their limitations.

My tip - try blowing as gently as you possibly can to achieve the correct note. Practice economy, consistency and focus of air flow. It pays off.