Chiff and Fipple Forums

Don't waste your time trying to figure out how to play from a book. Your best option, by far, is to sign up for subscription with the Online Academy of Irish Music and start working through their amazing whistle lessons. If you learn from them, and you're persistent, you will be on the right track t...

I think one can hear differences in the tone and vibrancy between a Grinter and an Olwell by listening very closely to the pro's who play and record with them. It's also very telling to hear them play live versus recorded. I think most of what you're hearing in this case is the differences between ...

I was fortunate enough to attend the Cruinniu na BhFluiit in Ballyvourney last week. Here is an incomplete list of some of the tunes played in the sessions. The players playing these tunes included Conal O'Grada,Aoife Granville,Desi Wilkinson,Michael Clarkson,Paul McGrattan and Hammy Hamilton and t...

While you're at it, and if you want to go the 'session tune' book route, also check the Orange, Red and Green books by Geraldien Cotter, Matt and Bríd Cranitch(three separate volumes). Similar but arguably the better choice. http://www.waltons.ie/res/?s=MTFBT1NTLU9NQjE0MS5qcGd8cHJvZHVjdHMubWFpbnxpb...

Just buy the Comhaltas tune books and accompanying CDs. Seriously. https://comhaltas.ie/shop/detail/foinn_ ... _volume_1/

Years ago I developed a weird sort of feedback in my ears where playing in the second octave on the whistle or flute would cause a loud scratching sound in my ears. It wasn't tinnitus, I went to an ear doctor and an audiologist who concluded that a nerve was firing prematurely or something like tha...

Loren wrote: IMO, there aren't really any delrin flutes out there that are better than the Copley, although several cost more.

Agreed.

I have one much like this, but with no tuning slide, and it's fantastic.

I highly, highly suggest signing up for a subscription with the Online Academy of Irish Music. They have hundreds of very well done whistle and flute lessons from some of the most respected players in the world. http://www.oaim.ie

I definitely recommend wearing something if you are experiencing any sort of ear sensitivity. At sessions the brown paper towel stocked in most bar bathrooms works well for me. Headphones can sometimes cut it just enough for practice, and most of us have them lying about. I really recommend earplug...

Hi Jim, mine are very similar to these - http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/erme.html - but a different brand available here in Australia. The attenuators are the little removable buttons with the filters in them. With mine I have three sets of attenuators, each of which reduces the...

If you can afford it, I highly recommend custom molded musician's earplugs with swappable attenuators. Mine are super-discrete, comfortable, and help so much.

Thanks Kenny. I went ahead and bought Hamish's album. It's brilliant. Well done!

Big thumbs up for Martin Doyle's flutes. I have one just like it and I absolutely love it.

Whenever I've taught whistle I've always insisted that students learn to lilt or hum a tune in its entirety before beginning to play it on the whistle. Once it's in the head/heart it's pretty simple to transfer it over to the whistle.