A Tin Whistle Interest

**DamnthePants** · 14th January 10, 10:17 PM

Ive been havign this, Tin Whistle Urge as of late. To me it seems like a very practicle instrument. its small, easy to carry around, and has a nice sound. Also, being about 1% the cost of a set of Bag Pipes does not hurt in anyway.

I was wondering if anyone here had some experience playing a Tin Whistle. How hard is it to pick up and learn. I used to play an instument, a Tuba, for about 7 years, so I am not compleatly alien to reading music and playing.

**Heming** · 14th January 10, 11:26 PM

If not completely alien to music and playing, it'll take you 10 minutes to figure out te basic fingerings and how hard you ned to blow.

After that, it's a lifetime of practice to become really good, of course...

I find tin whistles very practical and easy, but only play a couple of tunes. And now I need to restock on whistles.

:ootd:

**DamnthePants** · 14th January 10, 11:35 PM

thanks. Im just looking for something easy to learn, that I can pick up a traditional tune or two.

You know, something I can whip out while kilted and fool around with; something that doenst get me aressted that is.

**Heming** · 14th January 10, 11:41 PM

Just a tip: If you combine a small whistle and a large sporran, you can carry one in the other.

**PEEDYC** · 15th January 10, 03:02 AM

I had a small "plastic" one which fortunatley I was able to play by ear. It got lost or broken. Recently I purchased a "proper" one and cant get on with it at all. The fingering seems to be different for some reason. In my opinion it is one of the easier instruments to play if you get your breathing right as both of your hands are doing a similar thins unlike guitar and keyboards etc. Good luck anyway. It is always good when someone play an instrument to liven up an event. I wish I had kept it up. My keyboard has been in the same position for many years ......

**Ozark Ridge Rider** · 15th January 10, 01:27 PM

Some of them seem to have a mind of their own. I have had two identical Generation whistles which didn't even come close to playing alike.

If you search the net, you can find all sorts of references to different brands and ease of playing each. Most people who play them do so by ear, and you'll probably have the most fun with it that way.

Good luck
Dan

**OC Richard** · 19th January 10, 07:00 AM

With your tuba experience, you should have little trouble getting good on the whistle fairly quickly.

The inexpensive whistles often have horrible quality control, and you might have to play through 10 or 20 Generation whistles to find one that plays well.

There are a couple options: one is to buy a Jerry Freeman's "tweaked" whistle. He buys whistles off the shelf and modifies them so that they play well, which takes the guesswork out of it. A Freeman tweaked Generation or Feadog is a good cheap way to get a great-playing whistle.

Or you can shell out the money for a high-end whistle like a Burke. Michael Burke makes wonderful whistles but they cost over ten times what a cheapo whistle will.

**CMcG** · 19th January 10, 07:54 AM

I've done a bit of cheap whistle tweaking and it simply involves loosening the plastic mouthpiece from the metal tube. Adjust how deeply the metal goes into the plastic to get the right resonance... kind of like a tuning slide on your tuba.

As far as learning goes, you can buy a book to help you with the basics and it will have sheet music for a few tunes. You can even find a whistle with book in combination for a better deal!

Two other pieces of advice: listen to lots of Celtic music to get the feel and buy a "D" whistle incase you want to play with other people because it is by far the most common key.

**Ozark Ridge Rider** · 19th January 10, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by CMcG

I've done a bit of cheap whistle tweaking and it simply involves loosening the plastic mouthpiece from the metal tube. Adjust how deeply the metal goes into the plastic to get the right resonance... kind of like a tuning slide on your tuba.

As far as learning goes, you can buy a book to help you with the basics and it will have sheet music for a few tunes. You can even find a whistle with book in combination for a better deal!

Two other pieces of advice: listen to lots of Celtic music to get the feel and buy a "D" whistle incase you want to play with other people because it is by far the most common key.

Also get a "C". You can play each of them in at least one other key very easily, as well as the associated modal (?) minors

Enjoy,
Dan