Chiff and Fipple Forums

Maddie wrote:Question #7: Do you have any St. Patrick's Day plans that include whistle?

STIMS - All twelve or so gigs were cancelled... our biggest money generators which funds go towards sponsorships for traditional musicians throughout the year. All area parades cancelled. Gaelic American Club in Fairfield, CT cancelled all activities. All area schools are closed for designated periods or indefinitely. Sports cancelled or if played no audience. Sad.

But all hope is not lost for St. Patrick's Day for any Facebook members as the local group - The Jolly Beggars will live stream 3-17-2020 at 5:00pm - 9:00pm
(check time differences in your area).



For the near future musicians could "live stream" and may be the alternative for generating some funds. Bring back the Concert Window for concerts and shows. Be well.

(If I violated C&F Rules for CP apologies and delete posting. I'm merely suggesting live streams for musicians)

Hi, long time lurker here, this seems like a good place to make a first post. Thanks, Maddie, for the thoughtful questions.

1. What did you accomplish on whistle in 2019?
Made some music friends

2. What are your whistle-related goals for 2020?
Get better at playing jigs and reels up to speed at a consistent tempo with others.
Figure out whistle storage at home and on the go.
This trick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nroOwhmhyU

3. What tunes are you learning this month, and which is your current favorite?
Mist Covered Mountain jig <-- current favorite
Kitchenpiper hornpipe

4. What whistles are on your 2020 Wish List?
Nothing in particular. Maybe a sturdy and quiet B flat for practicing if I happen across one.

5. What do you enjoy most about playing tin whistle?
The portability, I used to play a heavy brass instrument and now I play a tiny brass instrument that fits in my pocket.

6. What musical styles or genres do you typically play on tin whistle?
Traditional tunes, mostly Irish.

7. Do you have any St. Patrick's Day plans that include whistle?
Not anymore Solo practice.

kittynyc wrote:2. What are your whistle-related goals for 2020?
...
This trick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nroOwhmhyU

Welcome, kittynyc. Nice to have you join us.

What a neat trick in that video. Impossible to do while we are all social distancing, but it was still fun to see.

Referring to my post above I just wanted to mention that The Jolly Beggars concert on Facebook from home yesterday, St. Patrick's Day 3/17/2020, was very successful and enjoyed by everyone. Money was raised and ten percent (10%) will be donated to the Artist Relief Tree so this may be a way to help support musicians during the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm not a band member just a devoted fan/friend and donor. Be well.

https://artistrelieftree.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thejollybeggars/

I hope this replays.
https://www.facebook.com/thejollybeggar ... on_generic

1. What did you accomplish on whistle in 2019?
I started down this mad rabbit hole, with an Oak and 2 tutor books; Clare McKenna's and Grey Larson's.

2. What are your whistle-related goals for 2020?
I want to be able to play at least some tunes at sessions (assuming they're an option again by the end of the year), and be able to get to a point where I can at least start picking them up by ear. I'd also love to have a better sense of rhythm (especially for hornpipes) and grasp of ornamentation. For one of those, at least, it's time to break out the metronome!

3. What tunes are you learning this month, and which is your current favorite?
I jumped right from slow stuff like Foggy Dew into faster reels like the Milky Way or Maid Behind the Bar. I'm not very good at any of it, yet.
I really like playing the Road to Glountane.

4. What whistles are on your 2020 Wish List?
Killarney D, maybe something in F, if I don't get sucked into the world of flute first

5. What do you enjoy most about playing tin whistle?
It's small, portable, durable, and fun

6. What musical styles or genres do you typically play on tin whistle?
Irish and Scottish. I'm too big a Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain fan to dream of leaving their material out of my growing repertoire.

Welcome to the Forum.

TomFoolery wrote:... I started down this mad rabbit hole, with an Oak and 2 tutor books; Clare McKenna's and Grey Larson's. ...

Welcome! Is your Oak in the key of D? Have you found that it's in tune? I have an Oak in C, and the triple-nickel plating is quite nice. While I like the Oak's tone a lot, mine has some minor tuning issues.

My Oak was tunable straight out of the box. Just give the head a good twist. Or do you mean it is not in tune with itself?

Sedi wrote:Or do you mean it is not in tune with itself?

Yes. It's not in tune with itself. I've adjusted the head to the best compromise.

Flat second octave? If yes, then try tuning to the 2nd octave D not the first. Better to have the higher notes in tune than the first octave. But most of the cheap whistles have some tuning issues. I also remember Richard (pancelticpiper) once saying that the Generations (which are very similar and have the same hole size) don't have equal temperament tuning.

Sedi wrote:Flat second octave? If yes, then try tuning to the 2nd octave D not the first. Better to have the higher notes in tune than the first octave.

Good point. I'll try that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Sedi wrote:But most of the cheap whistles have some tuning issues.

For $13, it has easily exceeded my expectations. With its nice tone, it's enjoyable to play. I'm trying to look at its tuning quirks as an expression of its individual personality.

What did I accomplish on whistle in 2019: Not much, I was learning last year that I'd never be a Basel piccolo player.

My 2020 goals are to improve my ear.

Tune of the Month? I got Morganstreich down, I'm playing mostly American folk music, like Gordon Bok
My current fave tune is nearly anything that is a waltz. Or perky. Or in a minor key. Does anyone have
a suggestion of a perky minor waltz?

Whistles on my wishlist. . .I'm hoping to get Joe to make an A and F but I'm not holding my breath

The best thing for me about the whistle is the portability.

Tyghress wrote:Whistles on my wishlist. . .I'm hoping to get Joe to make an A and F but I'm not holding my breath

A and F are nice keys, but... Who is Joe?

Maddie wrote: It's not in tune with itself. I've adjusted the head to the best compromise.

What specifically does it do? If you play from Bottom D up the scale to B in the 2nd octave which notes are off, are they sharp or flat?

Over 40 years of getting cheap whistles better in tune has given me a bag of tricks.

(But Jerry Freeman is the master.)

Tyghress wrote: Does anyone have a suggestion of a perky minor waltz?

Not only do I not have a suggestion, I can't even imagine what a perky minor waltz would sound like.

Sounds like a bundle of oxymorons!

Well there's this, which fills the bill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZXEVilczdc

But in Irish traditional music, I don't know.