Request for a jig, a reel and/or a hornpipe

[Rhino]

OK. I turned 60 a couple weeks ago and decided, despite my insecurities, if I was going to “learn” the tin whistle it’s time to put up or shut up. I have lurked on this wonderful message board for years but only sent in one comment. I have many faults when it comes to playing. I’m self taught and have a terrible teacher. First of all I play “songs” not tunes. Not because I hate tunes but because I know songs and their lyrics and it helps me pace myself. I graduated from playing dots to reading notes but for the life of me I can’t differentiate between a jig, a reel, or a hornpipe, let alone a double jig, slip jig or a triple jig. I am hoping for some suggestions for a simple jig that might help me naturally fall into a “jig” rhythm. The same is requested for a reel and a hornpipe.

Another question might be: How do you find a tin whistle workshop when they seem to either want students with no experience or those with experience? I know I’m somewhere in between. In the last 9 months I have practiced sporadically with two fine fellows (they play guitars) who have generously nurtured my confidence. God bless them!


A toast: To those who “hear” the music, for they have been blessed with a gift.
A blessing: To those who share their music, for they have exposed their heart.
A toast: To those who quietly listen, for they recognize a gift given.
A blessing: To those who’s eyes speak volumes, for they recognize a gift from the heart.

Thank you.
Rhino

[BigDavy]

Hi Rhino

Try The Virtual Session

Or http://www.tradlessons.com/

Brother Steve's site

David

[Rhino]

David

Thank you for leading me to the Virtual Session. The music combined with the notes will be a great help.

Rhino

[FJohnSharp]

My recommendation for selecting a workshop is if you think you are a tweener, think twice before choosing the harder one. The only thing worse than rehashing stuff you already know is being in over your head.

[Rhino]

Thank you for the good advice on which type of workshop I should attend. I don't want to get over my head.

Does anyone know if there are any workshops planned in the North Carolina area in the next year? Is there a site that might list upcoming workshops?

[DCrom]

One you'll hear a lot: listen to the music you want to play. Get to the point that you can hum it, or mouth-whistle the tune with the proper rhythm.

I've got the same problems you describe - I can read the sheet music, but it's really hard for me to really pick up a tune if I haven't heard it. I've been playing whistle for 5 or 6 years now, flute for about half that, and I'll still admit to being only a so/so player. But I enjoy myself, and I improve, however slowly.

So: all the advice I've seen so far looks good. Something that helps me a lot with new tunes is to get the tunes as MP3 files (I usually rip any new CD immediately) and play the next tunes you want to learn obsessively until you have have the tunes in your bones, even if not yet in your fingers. No matter how good you are at reading music, if you can't hear the tune in your head you can't play it as it should be played. So get the tune in your head first, then work on getting it into your fingers.

There's nothing wrong with liking songs/airs more then dance tunes, and having the lyrics in your head does make pacing a bit easier. But the good point about dance tunes is that once you've internalized the rhythm it helps you keep on track. Well . . . most of the time. But it's a skill that improves as much with practice listening as playing. So listen when you can.

Suggested tunes?

Jig: "The Blackthorn Stick"
Reel: "Rollin' In the Ryegrass"
Hornpipe: "Off to California"

You can find scores for all of these at www.thesession.org - that's my go-to place for finding sheet music.

But let me suggest something like the various "Ireland's Best xxxx" collections that Mel Bay's puts out. Get a tunebook and CD combo, then rip the CD to MP3. Rather than poking through the tunebook first, just listen to the music, identify a few tunes you like, and try to learn them solidly. Use the sheet music if you need to while learning, but the goal is to master the tunes enough to play them just as well with the book firmly closed. And once you've mastered the first tunes, find more and repeat the process.

And don't worry about your learning speed - if it takes you a few days, or even weeks, per tune, does it matter as long as you're having fun? Nor should you worry about how many tunes you know - it's better to play a handful well than triple the number badly. After all, if you keep with it, you *will* learn more tunes. And it's a *lot* more satisfying (and easier on your listener's ears) to play a couple of tunes well than to stumble through half a dozen.

[anniemcu]

I recommend total immersion. I did not have the benefit of growing up with this music surrounding me, though I did get to listen to the recordings my mom had. To make up for this deficit (at least in part), I have taken to listening to a good variety of it as often as possible, including sometimes putting it on to play while I am getting to sleep, and continuing for some time after I actually am asleep. I have had the wonderful experience of suddenly knowing a tune I never could have played before... not that I can play them well, of course, but they are now in my memory and I actually know where the next note is... it's neat!

[Ceili_whistle_man]

I'm sorry Rhino, but if you say but for the life of me I can’t differentiate between a jig, a reel, or a hornpipe then an easy to play jig like 'the Kesh' is not going to be played 'naturally' by you if you can't differentiate between the rhythms of each style of tune. It will not magically fall into the correct rhythm because you need to know how it should be played rhythmically and stylistically in order to get anywhere.
As for the whistle workshop question, if I was you I would opt for the no experience class because it is clear from what you say that you are inexperienced in ITM.
I'm not being harsh or mean spirited here, I am basing my opinion on your comments.
Try these;
Jimmy Wards jig in G. Nice and easy tune.
Dunmore Lasses reel in Em. A nice one to play slowly or at pace. (edited for typo)
The boys of Bluehill hornpipe in D. A bouncy easy to play hornpipe.
I would suggest finding tunes you like listening to and learn them. Listen to the beat and rhythm of the particular tune. Can you pick the groups of notes being played? Can you hear the phrasing of the tune, that is an important thing happening in the tune to make it what it is. Try to figure out the time signature of the tune by ear, whether it should be 6/8 jig or 4/4 reel or 4/4 hornpipe. Listen to different versions of the same tune, can you hear the little variations in rhythm or the enphasis on certain notes from each instrument? It's all about hearing/knowing what it is that makes a particular tune sound like a reel, jig etc.
Good luck.

[squidgirl]

But let me suggest something like the various "Ireland's Best xxxx" collections that Mel Bay's puts out. Get a tunebook and CD combo, then rip the CD to MP3. Rather than poking through the tunebook first, just listen to the music, identify a few tunes you like, and try to learn them solidly. Use the sheet music if you need to while learning, but the goal is to master the tunes enough to play them just as well with the book firmly closed. And once you've mastered the first tunes, find more and repeat the process.

I'll second this suggestion. I too started out not knowing the difference between a jig and a hornpipe -- all I knew was that I liked the sound of the tin whistle. I got "Ireland's Best Tin Whistle Tunes" (vol 1, w/ 2 CDs), and it really helped me learn to identify the various tune types and which ones i liked. For example, at first all the tunes I liked turned out to be hornpipes, which was how I learned to identify a hornpipe. Next I graduated to recognizing and liking jigs, etc. The book (vol. 1, tho' not vol. 2) attempts to order the tunes in terms of difficulty, so if you start out toward the beginning you'll have a bunch of classic beginner tunes to learn.

I've found that there are lot of advantages of the tunebook + CD format, particularly when I was just starting to learn about the different types of Irish dance music. That way you don't need to worry about what jigs in general should sound like -- all you have to worry about is the one example of the jig that you've chosen from the CD as your target piece. And since you've chosen it from the CD to learn, you hopefully like it well enough to listen to over & over & over again, until it's so thoroughly drilled into your head that it feels natural to imitate it on your whistle. It also helps me when the tunes on the CDs are played on whistle, so I have a clearer idea of what I'm trying to sound like. And finally, if you have slow-downer software, you can rip the CD and play along with the slowed down tunes, which is fun and also good for keeping your rhythm steady.

[brewerpaul]

Tunes you already know:

Jig-- The Irish Washerwoman
Hornpipe-- Pop Goes The Weasel (not really a hornpipe, but it will give you a feel for that dotted note hornpipe rhythm)
Reel-- Turkey In The Straw

[benhall.1]

Sorry to be picky, but I don't think Pop Goes the Weasel does give a good feel for a dotted rhythm as it applies to hornpipes. It's a single jig rhythm, which is really quite different. I like the idea of going for something that the OP will already know, however. How about Harvest Home? (Whch is a much better tune than we give it credit for these days, IMO.)

[david_h]

I found ceili band CDs (there are some low cost compliations about) good for getting from "what sort of tune is this, pause, oh yes its a jig" to "Thats a nice jig, I wonder what its called". There is usually a drummer marking out the basic rhythm and and the phrasing tends to be more obvious (to help the dancers know where they are in the tune). 'Performance' CDs from the top bands are usually harder because they tend to do clever things with the phrasing, sometimes have a less obvious downbeat, and may mix tune types in a set. Sessions seem to be somewhere in between. Test yourself by 'guessing' the tune type and then checking the CD sleeve (NOT WHILST DRIVING !!).

[brewerpaul]

Sorry to be picky, but I don't think Pop Goes the Weasel does give a good feel for a dotted rhythm as it applies to hornpipes. It's a single jig rhythm, which is really quite different. I like the idea of going for something that the OP will already know, however. How about Harvest Home? (Whch is a much better tune than we give it credit for these days, IMO.)

Oops-- you're right of course and not picky at all. I was tired...

[PhilO]

Jig - The Munster Buttermilk

Reel - Dan Breen's Reel

Slide - Worntorn Petticoat

Hornpipe - The Boys of Bluehill

March - Battle of Aughrim

Fling - Cis Ni Lithain

Enjoy,

Philo

[Rhino]

Thank you all for some great advice. I am going to pick out a couple recommended jigs first and begin listening to them over and over. At the same time I will begin slowing learning the notes. I will keep you all posted as I progress. I also want to say I appreciate ceili-whistle-man's and everyone else's candor. The truth is what will help me move forward.

Rhino