Hello! Total newb introduction.

KatieBell · Post by **KatieBell** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:06 pm

Hello! I had the pleasure of chatting with a couple of fine people on your chiffy chat and decided to go ahead and register and introduce myself.

I have almost no music knowledge what with the obligatory childhood choir, recorder, and piano lessons long since forgotten now. I decided to learn violin along with my daughter last year. It was a great idea, until the teacher wasn't so great and my husband (who didn't go to the lessons) sounded better than me.

So I've decided to learn something of my own. I like the low whistle but am debating if I should do the pennywhistle first because of cost. When I say I am totally new, I mean just that. The introductions on the forum I've read so far are discussing various brands and styles...far past the point I'm at now. I'm just past the stage of, "so this is a low flute because it plays a lower sound, and it is twice as long and costs three times as much and requires a different finger position..."

But I'm a fast learner and am looking forward to reading through the posts here, taking advantage of the search feature, and to chatting with all of you. So hello!

Katie

Steamwalker · Post by **Steamwalker** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:16 pm

Welcome, Katie. Nice chatting with you.

jkrazy52 · Post by **jkrazy52** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:26 pm

Hi Katie -- welcome to C&F and the crazy world of whistles.

The normal suggestion is to start with a regular high D before moving to a low D. Some of the whistles I'd suggest for a first whistle ... A Sweetone, simply because it is very easy to play; a Generation because everyone needs at least 1 Gen, and a Dixon Trad, a bit more expensive (~$25) but a very satisfying whistle to play. One of the nicest, easiest to understand tutorials I've seen is "Tinwhistle, Learning to Play Like a Whistler" by Andreas Joseph, although there are a lot of other good choices.

Just my 2 cents ... everyone's opinion will vary on these points. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself!

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:33 pm

Hi, Katie, and welcome. You'll find all kinds of things here, much of which may seem out of reach to you now. Like any board, there's also some sniping, (but not much).
If you browse, you'll see lots of threads for and by new players, and lots of useful tips.

My advice would be to buy a decent but cheap high D or C whistle, (such as a Generation, Oak or Feadog). Some like the cheap conical whistles, like Sweetone or Clarke. I personally don't care for 'em. Anyway, they're so cheap, you can afford to buy a few, and decide for yourself.

Low whistles, particularly the low D, are more challenging. If you can afford it and are so inclined, then by all means go for it. Otherwise, you may want to learn some tunes on the high whistles first, and see if it seems right for you. Any way you go, you're in for a treat. Whistling is fun, challenging and rewarding. Good luck!

swizzlestick · Post by **swizzlestick** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:59 pm

Hi Katie,

Welcome! Hope you enjoy learning to whistle as much as I do.

I am extremely biased of course, but I do think the penny whistle is an excellent first instrument. Not only because you can find good instruments at low cost. I believe it is because a beginner gets positive feedback so quickly.

True, it will take time and dedication to master this instrument, just like any other. And it's not right for everyone. (Believe it or not, some consider the sound too loud and piercing. Go figure.

)

By the way, the best whistle related advice I ever received was this: After you get past the basics -- fingering, basic breath control, etc. -- spend a significant portion of your available practice time listening carefully to good musicians playing the kind of music you want to play. I am not talking background music here. Dedicated listening, maybe with a slow down device to catch the details. You need to understand your goal.

Lots and lots of online help and information here on the main page and in older posts. Plus links to all kinds of resources. You came to the right place.

Swizzlestick

KatieBell · Post by **KatieBell** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:42 am

Steamwalker: And also with you!

JKrazy: Thank you for the advice! When looking at them, my daughter announced that she wants one of those hot pink whistles.

Cost is the biggest prohibitive factor for me, making the pennywhistle more attractive in that regard. I still have to pay for the daughter's lessons and extra-curriculars, so paying $6 for an instrument for me and taking free lessons on YouTube sounds like it is almost too good to be true.

But on the other hand, I genuinely prefer the low whistle and would therefore be more motivated to play it. Selfishly, it would also be much harder for the husband or daughter to pick up and make sound good. And with spending more than I would on a tub of ice cream, the bigger investment would make me feel more motivated to play on a regular basis.

But the pennywhistle is fun and would help me build up confidence and knowledge in a shorter time, and for less money, which is also good. I dunno. I figure I'll make up my mind after reading and discussing some more, so posts like yours are really helpful. Thanks!

Crookedtune: Hello! If I go with the pennywhistle, it will be with one. By the time I buy a handful of pennywhistles, I could already be getting a cheap low whistle. I keep reading about the low D being challenging because of the finger spread, so I am going to try to get my hands on one (literally) to see if that will be a problem for me. I don't think it will be if I choose well, but I respect how many wise people have warned me and am preparing myself for the reality.

Swizzlestick: Thank you! I believe listening to music one enjoys and looking forward to the possibility of actually playing it is one of the best motivators as well. My only trick will be making sure that includes some easier tunes that I'll be able to feasibly manage as well as some more advanced ones that I can look forward to. I've already seen a number of easier recommendations floating around here, so I don't think that will be so hard. I'm really appreciative of the many basic level tutorials and recommendations and the great patience of those I've already talked to. I hope one day to be able to return the favor to someone else, and in the mean time am grateful for people like you!

plunk111 · Post by **plunk111** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:48 am

Katie:

It sounds like you're really set on playing the low whistle, so... I have some advice! (Surprise, surprise!)

You should probably start with something relatively cheap and "easy" to finger - my suggestion is one of the Susato low D's with either 1 or 2 keys. To be honest, I don't think you'll need the top key, but the bottom one is very helpful. I had a Susato for a relatively short time and went to a Burke once I found out how much I liked it. My only real complaint about the keyed Susato (and it's very minor) is that the key is actually kinda noisy. I like to record myself and play duets, etc, using a Zoom H4 and I found that the key was audible on the recording - a bit like listening to oboe recordings, actually. I've never heard any mention of this before. The only other real difference between the Susato and my Burke is in the upper octave - it is "cleaner" on the Burke.

Good luck and keep us posted...

Pat

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:56 am

Hello and Welcome!

The consesus is to start with the high D whistle. This position is voiced loudest by those who have never tried a low whistle.

I started with a low whistle and it is more demanding simply because of its size. Being larger it may seem a little awkward to hold, and yes, the distance between tone holes is greater than it's diminutive cousin; however, some makers (Chieftain and Overton) make models with the holes closer together. These models sound the same as those with the longer scale.

It sounds like you have read about the piper's grip. Have no worries. It is easy to learn and many use this techniques on high whistles as well as Irish flute.

A good compromise to get you up and running would be a Generation in Bb. It has a very agreeable tone and longer stretch between holes and sells in the $10 range.

Best of luck, Cyril.

breqwas · Post by **breqwas** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:00 am

Another inexpensive low-whistle is Tony Dixon DX003 - it is about $80. It is polymer, so it is not as heavy as metal ones. No keys, but the lowest hole is closer to others than in a chieftain I tried once. I own one, and as for me - it is perfect instrument for a newbie like me.

Playing with keys... Well, are you sure? One day you will want to move to non-keyed whistle, and you'll have to learn again.

Another good idea can be to take not low D, but smth higher - low A or low G, they are easier to play IMHO.

sbhikes · Post by **sbhikes** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:43 am

If you are seriously considering the low whistle, throw in a high whistle too. No reason not to have both. You can stow a high whistle in your purse and practice it whenever you have a spare moment. And you don't have to worry about ruining it because you could always get another.

Don't agonize too much over a $10 instrument. Just make sure it's a real penny whistle and then get started.

Also, this is folk music. It doesn't require the kind of instruction you would expect for classical music. That doesn't mean it's easy, though.

Use the online lessons. I recommend Ryan Dunn's. He's the priest. Use his tutorials to learn how to do the cuts, taps and rolls (but you can skip the rolls in the beginning.)

Get some music books that come with CDs. Acquire a program to slow the CDs way down, forget about the sheet music and learn the tunes by ear. Or do both the music and the CD if you like. The point is that it's not important to read the sheet music.

Also, it's not important that the music be written specifically for the whistle, either. In Irish music all the instruments play the same melody. I started with a fiddle book. I ignored all the stuff about bowing and with Ryan's tutorials on cuts and taps, information from the brother steve web site, and listening to real musicians I got what I needed. I'm using a flute tutorial now.

Finally, if you can, go to an Irish session and watch and listen to the musicians. Bring your instrument. You probably won't be able to play but if they're a friendly bunch they'll talk to you and provide you with some valuable information. My session lets me sit there holding my instrument. I hope it's learning something!

breqwas · Post by **breqwas** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:41 am

The point is that it's not important to read the sheet music.

Well, I'm a newbie also, and don't think my opinion is worth too much, but: I still can't get why people give such advice. Reading sheetmusic is much easier than trying to get the tune by ear, especially in the very beginning.

StevieJ · Post by **StevieJ** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:18 am

breqwas wrote:Reading sheetmusic is much easier than trying to get the tune by ear, especially in the very beginning.

It all depends what you mean by "get the tune", breqwas.

If you're talking about Irish music, in general, you just _can't_ get the tune from a transcrption, until you're experienced enough.

That's really the only reason why it's important not to learn from music, but it's a very big reason.

breqwas · Post by **breqwas** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:24 am

That's really the only reason why it's important not to learn from music, but it's a very big reason.

Still, I can't see any reason to learn _only_ from music.

FearNot · Post by **FearNot** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:28 am

sbhikes wrote:... Acquire a program to slow the CDs way down...

Can anyone suggest something to do this? I've heard they exist, but never seen one or heard the results. I assume the program slows down the speed without changing the pitch?

Thanks.

arnie · Post by **arnie** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:42 am

FearNot wrote:
sbhikes wrote:... Acquire a program to slow the CDs way down...
Can anyone suggest something to do this? I've heard they exist, but never seen one or heard the results. I assume the program slows down the speed without changing the pitch?

Thanks.

It's possible. but it's not the notes that are a concern, it's how to play them. First you have to learn notation. Then you have to listen AND watch how it is played by someone else. Tradlessons.com has videos on YouTube where a tune is played at normal speed and then at half speed. That gives you the opportunity to see what is done with the fingering.