Tin Whistle books for beginners

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 01:56 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 09:34 PM

Ian Anderson, no less.

Thanks for the tongue tips - it's what I (try to) do, except that in the brass band we were told to say "ku" and "tu" instead of "du" and "gu" to reduce risk of actually voicing the sounds! It definitely ain't easy keeping the puff flowing smooth through all this......

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: alison
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 05:43 PM

LOL... and I'm looking forward to checking your technique Mick... hahaha

basically you put your tongue behind your top teeth and make the following noises very quietly:-

single = te or de
double = te-ge, or de-ge
triple = te-ge-te, or de-ge-de

flutter is more difficult basically you make a noise like a telephone ringing (rrrrrrrrrr) but do it silently while blowing into the whistle..... the flute player in Jethro tull did a lot of this......

have fun

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Big Mick
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 09:15 PM

Flutter and tell, Fionn???????? I am not that kind of a guy...................LOL. But I will be looking for another lesson first chance I get.

Mick

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 03:13 PM

I wish I was in Belfast, Alison. I wouldn't mind knowing a bit more about this tongueing (of the double, triple and flutter variety). I assume triple tongueing is a la brass instruments - ta-ka-ta, ta-ka-ta. But when I do this on a whistle (much less head of pressure!) I don't get a uniform windflow. And what's flutter? Maybe you could tell me, Big Mick, if you remembered to learn anything while enjoying that session on the net with Alison?*BG*

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 01:56 PM

Many, many thanks for all your help. I'll be able to make a much more informed purchase now.

Thank you,

Ed

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: GUEST,walt
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 12:04 PM

For an absolute beginner's book....for someone with no music background, I like The Tin Whistle Book by Tom Maguire.

I believe it is also published by Ossian, though I haven't seen a copy in a while.

You can get it at amazon.com for $7.95

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: alison
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 11:42 AM

Add my vote to dirt cheap "Generations" again.. I just picked one up for £3......

I taught Mick to tongue over the 'net one night..... hahaha

I mainly slur though and use ornaments to separate notes... but single, double, triple and flutter tonguing as learnt for the flute are great for fast tunes and variation.

the Corrs use the Clarke whistles with the wooden mouthpiece....... don't like the sound much .... Sweetones are better in the conical shape......

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Noreen
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 05:17 PM

Thanks for the advice, all. I'll have to get Geraldine's book, as I've just bought a whistle each for the children, at Cropredy. Glad to hear she got it right :0) Fionn, as I remember her from way back, when we'd meet up in junior competitions at fleadhanna round the country.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: GUEST,Mike Cahill
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 04:57 PM

I would advise you not to learn penny whistle Tab, it is a dead end and will restrict you. Learn the dots or play along with your favorite CD. There is a program called slow speed CD which allows you to play a CD at 1/4 speed without changing the pitch of the music, start slow and speed up as you get the confidence. Also take every chance you get to play with others, it doesn't matter if you hit a few bum notes. Most importantly practice every day 5 to 20 min is fine, and enjoy yourself.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Big Mick
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 10:57 AM

Yep, I agree on the tongueing bit....bite me, 'Spaw...she gives it a good start in the tutor, but assumes follow up. There are also the "trilling" style which is not covered at all. THE FAIR ONE is a practitioner of this style and plays wonderfully. Apparently it is something she learned playing flute....I have other ideas for it, but that is fodder for another discussion.........LOL......Bad, Mick, very bad.....The point is, get a tutor that gives you a good understanding of basic techniques and then develope your own.

And Fionn, we will just have that jar when I get to Holyhead.

Mick

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 10:49 AM

Wow! "Post" is the one to click - did I do all those others too????

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 10:46 AM

Well I was definitely being TIC, Big Mick, if that's not an unreasonable posture. And yes,I'm on for the jar, if you give me enough notice to book passage from Holyhead.

But having re-worked my way right through Geraldine's estimable tutor in the last few days, thanks to you Catters, I do have one serious quibble. The book is definitely light on tongueing, which is a major factor in whistleplaying. Some say you should play whistles in pipering style (you don't get to use your tongue at all on pipes, unless you're some kind of deviant). But I don't see why a new-fangled invention like the pipes should influence technique on longer established instruments.

Geraldine is certainly thorough, and very clear to follow, on some other whistle specifics like ornamentation, and she strikes a good balance in accommodating those new to music theory and notation. But tongueing is also crucial, and you can get sound guidance on this by following up links at the Pennywhistle Workshop (I put the blue clicky in an earlier post.)

Now a private aside for Noreen, if no-one minds. I quote from page 30 of the said, esteemed, tutor: "This is a single reel, unlike the jig which was double. Each part is played once." Ok, she's got a lousy posture *BG*, and there was the matter of that tiny mistake, but you've got to agree, Noreen, Geraldine's spot on this time! And for good measure on p13, under "Examples of Time Signatures" I see this: "6/8 - found in Jigs and Set Tunes... 12/8 - found in slides and Single Jigs."

If anyone wants to know what this is about, go to

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Big Mick
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 09:52 AM

Well, if Fionn had been a cailín instead of a buachaill, that would have been alright. I just would have finished eating the foot in my mouth, and started on the other. But I would have also been a bit surprised as s/he would have used the feminine form of that name.

Now, buachaill, are we being just a bit picky???? I agree that posture is important to proper breath control, but I have seen some whistle wizards slouched in chairs in such a way that I wondered how in hell they got a dacent breath of air. Despite a few shortcomings, this is still the best tuition available. Hits all the important buttons. And when next I am in Ireland, let's have a jar and compare notes.

Mick

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Noreen
Date: 24 Aug 00 - 06:41 AM

Warning- thread crept!

Fionn, I'm shocked! Cross with myself for making unwarranted assumptions, and surprised that it makes a difference!
Wait a minute......[click]....change of mental image......OK, that's better.
Suppose I was thinking of Ffion, rather than Finn MacCool. Nothing to do with your style of writing at all. I'm just thinking of the look on my face if we had met up at Cropredy!! LOL! And of course, the pint is still on, whenever or wherever- Bron's in October?

And Big Mick- it serves me right for butting in on someone else's conversation! Thanks for putting me straight.

Noreen

PS Fionn, are you on the night shift?

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 09:43 PM

Whoops - the italics should have switched off after three words. Hope I haven't italicised everything else that might turn up in this thread.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 09:40 PM

You forgot, Big Mick? You just forgot? For Chrisake, Ossian should rot in hell for such a blunder. (That's Ms Cotter's publisher I'm talking about, not my buachaill.) And I've not even mentioned the woman's lousy posture (p38) - in such glaring contrast with the old-timer on the front cover!

As for you, Noreen...Boys are boys as they say in Belfast. If I'd been the fair colleen you took me for, Big Mick would have been writing my name across the sky in multi-coloured ink by now. Not much consolation I know, but I've misled a few other Catters (including Kat) with that effeminate style I get into my prose. No chance of that pint in Manchester now, I suppose.

Your rumbled servant Peter Kirker (AKA the androgynous Fionn Mac Cumhaill)

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 07:37 PM

You'll have made Fionn laugh too, Big Mick, By calling her a buachaill - or have I been wrong all these months, Fionn?!

Noreen

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Big Mick
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 06:42 PM

OK buachaill, you get the "Big Mick Guinness In the Sinus Cavity" Award for the day.......LOL. I had forgotten completely and totally about the pg. 89 error. But in spite of this, this is the book for the beginner. It will take you where you need to get to. That is, it will give you enough basics and embellishments to really start to create your own style..........Damn Fionn, what a waste of the vile, dark stuff........Hhahahahahahaha

Mick

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Big Mick
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 06:41 PM

OK buachaill, you get the "Big Mick Guinness In the Sinus Cavity" Award for the day.......LOL. I had forgotten completely and totally about the pg. 89 error. But in spite of this, this is the book for the beginner. It will take you where you need to get to. That is, it will give you enough basics and embellishments to really start to create your own style..........Damn Fionn, what a waste of the vile, dark stuff........Hhahahahahahaha

Mick

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 05:38 PM

Ed, I'll lend you my Geraldine Cotter book if you send me a PM with your details. Just watch out for the deliberate mistake in a fingering diagram on page 89! (I bet no-one plays that non-existent note between G and F sharp like Big Mick...)

This book comes with a good collection of tunes - the slow airs are particularly useful, as these can be harder to find than jigs and reels. Unfortunately the notation is a bit basic by publishing standards - I can't begin to sight-read hornpipes when they are printed without their dotted rhythms.

As well as visiting the acclaimed C&F, anyone starting out will be interested to visit The Pennywhistle Workshop which I've mentioned in other threads. It includes tunes recorded slowly enough for beginners to play along.

Don't know Clarkes but I'd like to put a word in for Generations. Quality control is not great, so you need to find a shop that lets you try before buying. Or just buy three - they're cheap enough - and odds on, at least one will be a fine instrument for years. You can get them in a good range of keys without needing to change to another make or type, and the key is marked prominently on each whistle. (This can be critical in a smoke-filled room.) What I play most of the time is a Susato D - lovely tone, loud, tunable, just a bit temperamental in the higher octave - a veritable warhorse for less than a tenner. Seems like it's only when you get to the low-pitch instruments that normal rules start to apply - ie extra spend is definitely going to mean extra quality.

Roger,those pub-based tutorial workshops could be just what I need, especially in an ambience where I can't hear myself playing. I'll definitely be up there one of these days. BTW, what happened to that Overton?

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Big Mick
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 03:48 PM

I'm with McMoo. Geraldine Cotter's "The Irish Tin Whistle Tutor" is far and away the best of the lot. I have used several in teaching and learning. She presumes nothing in terms of what one knows, yet she allows one to move and make music at their own pace. Marvellous tutorial.

I would say that choosing the favorite whistle is very difficult. I have a bag full of them, and use different ones for different sounds. For example, the Low D. When I want a very mellow and hollow sound, I play the Shaw. It has a conical taper and is very mellow. When I want a little more edge, I play the Chieftain tunable. The Susato plastics have and almost reedy sound. The Sweetone is a marvelous whistle, but make sure it is in tune when you buy it as it is difficult to tweek. For straight up whistle playing it is hard to beat the Generation. In all these comments I presume we are discussing the lower priced whistles as opposed to the $150 to $500 whistles.

Mick

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Rex
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 11:50 AM

Regarding tin whistles, I play Clarkes, and Sweetones. But the ones I like best are made by the Cooperman Fife & Drum Co.. Yes they have a web site. They sell a cheap tapered bore tin with a wood plug. I think you can still get them for $4. I have several laying around. I think the tapered bore is what makes any of these whistles work well. That and I prefer the sound of the wood plug over the plastic mouthpiece, even the Sweetones.

Rex

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Brendy
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 06:02 AM

I personally recommend Whistle and Sing; I know the guy that wrote it, and he takes you step by step through it.
Failing that, you can browse the titles to your heart's content at Elderly's. You could get spoiled for choice, though. But whatever you decide, you wont go far wrong with what you've been recommended already.

B.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: GUEST,Fibula Mattock
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 04:53 AM

Blue clicky thing for Chiff and Fipple:

here
hope that works...

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: pastorpest
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 01:03 AM

Ed, I am a serious whistle player and have blown more than a little money on "high end" whistles. This summer I bought a another one from Pat O'Riordan who is the Stradivarius of whistle makers. I mentioned that of the inexpensive whistles, I like the Waltons/Soodlums mello D the best. Pat immediately agreed and said the mello D is the whistle he starts new players on. An endorsation by O'Riordan is the best expert opinion one can have. They are easily found, Elderly's for example. The Chiff and Fipple, sorry do not have the web site handy but search engine will find it quick enough, has reviews of all the whistles from inexpensive to very expensive. Whistles are the only instrument I know where inexpensive is often good. The Clarke Sweettone is often good also: the mouthpiece was designed by high end whistle maker, Copeland. The Sweettone is easy to learn on. The original Clarke is a lousy whistle.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Alice
Date: 23 Aug 00 - 12:05 AM

Did you check the other threads on this topic? alison and others provided alot of feedback on the whistles they prefer and why.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: GUEST,Luther
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 06:49 PM

I started with L.E. McCullough's "The Complete Tinwhistle Tutor", I really like it and would guess that anyone who is already comfortable reading music would have no problem -- it's pretty thorough, does a great job of explaining the various ornaments and techniques, and has a bunch of good tunes.

I've also seen the Clarke Bill Ochs book, it's also good, and a much better choice for someone without a prior background in music.

Generations come in a lot of keys, they're cheap, and tunable (just dunk the fipple in hot water to loosen the glue). Clarkes are cheap, sound infinitely better than Generations, but aren't tunable, and AFAIK only come in C or D.

If I were only going to have one cheap whistle (ha! far too late for that) it would be a Clarke D.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: GUEST,Burke
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 05:56 PM

I have the Ochs book, but go nuts hitting the rewind on the tape. Any hope of it coming out on CD?

I have the Complete Tin Whistle tutor & agree it jumps into cuts & rolls way too soon.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: coriander
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 05:33 PM

Another one to try is Soodlums Irish Tin Whistle Tutor - most of the tunes are really well known, and it has the fingering under the notes.

cori

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Catrin
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 05:29 PM

Robin Williamson's 'The Penny Whistle Book' is really good, beginning with very simple yet beautiful tunes, clear instructions for fingering, and really interesting histories of each tune. Check it out.

Catrin

Ed, I have a copy somewhere which I could dig out - if ever you're in the Angler... Let me know.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter T.
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:59 PM

The teen queen's big lament was (is -- just got off the phone) that it is hard to find good elementary music books to practice on for people who are just learning -- she found Mel Bay's Deluxe Tinwhistle Songbook (by Patrick Conway) to be about the best. It has pictures of the hand positions for non-music readers. She is picking through recorder books (but they are mostly in C, so have to be transposed up or down, etc.). I suppose it is good practice. But anyway, she is finding it hard to find a combination of records and the sheet music. None of the records she can find has the tunes that the books have, and vice versa.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Magpie
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:52 PM

There is also the "MEL BAY'S COMPLETE IRISH TIN WHISTLE BOOK", ISBN 0-7866-2318-7. Or you can check out their site at http://www.melbay.com. (Sorry, but I don't know how to make the blue clicky thing.) I find the book quite instructive, with some basic music theory, explanation of different grace notes, lots of tunes, and fingering charts to make it easier if you're not a whiz at reading music.

Magpie

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:30 PM

generation seems to be a dirty word at the pubs I have been to though I am not sure why (libel warning). Wish you had asked about this a couple of days ago as I was in the 'dog and partridge' last night with some knowledgable whistle players. Myself I have Feadog (£3.50ish) but haven't tried much else. Last week a guy at the pub lent me a whistle to play along and all I noticed was that it was very heavy - found out later that it was a top end of the market Copeland (over $150). Wish he had let me play it sober and somewhere that I could hear myself!

I think to start with you should buy a clarke sweetone. If your friend takes to it then whistle collect-o-mania takes over!
Last night I had my eye on Brian Howard's Low D whistle.........
Roger

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:30 PM

Peter, Jeff, et al - thank you

A 'boxed' Clarke set will be my purchase.

Thanks again

Ed

-who is a sucker for instruments involving wood...

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:26 PM

There is a very good book by Geraldine Cotter (a former all-Ireland whistle champion) called I think "Irish Tin Whistle Tutor" and which had an accompanying cassette by Geraldine of all the tunes in the book with guitar accompaniment. It was published by Ossian Publications and may still be available. I used to have a copy but can't lay my hands on it at the moment. I may have lent it to someone and forgotten (all my books go that way). Hope this is of help.

Peace

mcmoo

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter T.
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:15 PM

you might check out www.chiffandfipple.com and related links -- everything, etc......yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Peter T.
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 04:12 PM

Recent knowledge from buying a pennywhistle and checking out books for a young teenage girl who is Riverdance mad:

Stay away from the Cathal McConnell CD book (though the longer tapes may be good). Nice to listen to, but he immediately goes beyond the capacity of the beginner. The Clarke book and tapes come recommended. They come in a box. The Clarkes cost about 15 bucks U.S. (I forget how much the box costs, not much more). You can buy others for about the same -- there are internet sites that talk about handmade whistles, but that seems daft to me. I men, the whole point is cheap, right?

The Clarke pennywhistles have a different sound than others, because they have a wooden fipple (the mouthpiece), which makes them breathier -- but less shrill than the plastic ones. You need to make sure that if you are buying one for starters that you are getting a "D" flute and not a "C" -- the "C" is the original, but most people play "D" flutes (Clarke's lesson tapes have been redesigned recently for D flutes). I guess people graduate to "C" flutes.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: jeffp
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 03:22 PM

Ed, the Clarke whistle is very easy to play. Don't let the price fool you. Clarke whistles are used by a number of professionals (so I'm told). I use one, among others. I also have a Shaw, which I like for its tone and extra volume. I also have a Sweetheart maple whistle, which has a lovely woody sound to it, but it gets shrill above A in the second octave and it doesn't seem to have the fast response that the metal ones do. Hope this helps.

jeffp

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Charcloth
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 03:08 PM

Homespun tapes has a great set by Cathall McConnell There is a 3 tape set or an abbrieviated version on C.D. Grat material well done. Either would do well. the 3 tape set would take most people a few years to cover it all. If you happen to be near the Cin. Ohio area there is a great school on Saturdays Called the Reily school of music it is in the Clifton area at an old church It is near by the University of Cin.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 03:06 PM

Sorcha, thanks for the info. I'm sure I can easily get hold of the book and tape, and Roger, thanks for the link.

I've got another question now, though...

I'm not a whistle player, although I have a cheap 'Generation' one which I sometimes mess about with. I find the intonation to be a bit rough and it's really hard to keep in tune when you try to overblow it.

The Clark page calls their whistles "The Stradivarius of tinwhistles" which given the price seems somewhat unlikely...

I play several instruments, and know how hard it can be to learn on something cheap.

So my question is, would it be worth buying my friend a bit better whistle than the cheapest ones available? And if so which and how much?

Ed

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 02:39 PM

Sounds Good
Clarke

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 01:59 PM

The Clarke book doesn't do that, and it should be available easily in UK.

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 01:55 PM

I bought some books but found that the hard way to do it
Most seem to go from a very simple tune on page 1 to hideously complicated ornamentation on page 3!
Much better if you can to find a whistle class (often in a pub)or find the nearest session(more pubs!!) where you can mention that you would love to play whistle but don't know where to start..
It is far easier to get feedback from people than from a book

Good Luck
Roger

Subject: RE: Help: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 01:47 PM

Clarke Tin Whistle Book, with cassette tape. Often comes with purchase of Clarke Whistle. by Bill Ochs, Pennywhistle Press, POBox 2473, NY,NY, 10108. ISBN 0-9623456-0-1

VERY easy format for beginners, and it does not assume learner knows how to read music. 5 stars.

Subject: Tin Whistle books for beginners
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 01:40 PM

A frind of mine wants to learn the whistle, and I'm looking for a decent book to help her get started (preferably one with an accompanying CD or tape)

There seems to be a fair choice out there. Any opinions or recommendations?

Many thanks

Ed