A new whistler

Whistle
1

Hi!
Hello to all great people here!
I must say that reading this amazing site and forum helped me a lot to start whistling. My friend got a pennywhistle as a gift and both of us were infected with the whistling virus :slight_smile:.
We did not know anything about the pennywhistles but this site is just great (oo repeating myself :slight_smile: ).

Anyway here is the picture of a new whistler from Tel-Aviv:

2

Welcome! What style of music are you playing on your new whistle?

3

Well, for now mainly the “training” music, I learn only for a month now.
But as you can understand from the flags behind in the image, Celtic and Jewish tunes will be preferable…

4

Shalom and welcome to the forum.
Some friends of mine up in Haifa
are keen tin whistlers.

5

Hi there , Shalom and welcome to C&H…same question asked previously…what particular whistle music are you into…i’ve only been at it for 9 months but the bug seems to grow and grow…doubt it will be long before you start to look at other whistles…i feel quite unfaithful to my first whistle…ive now got over a dozen and still look at others ! Again welcome to the site…do keep in touch.Les.

6

You have already answered the question i asked, about the type of music you prefer…its just that i’m one of the thicker members of C&F…Jewish and Celtic…what a great combination…Les.

7

O! nice people here!
I realy like the Celtic music (to listen to up untill I got the whistle), right now I’m practicing in learning the easy airs and hope to advance in couple of months to the reels and jigs.
I never learned music before and can not read the notes yet, I found only one site “Digital Tradition” providing the fingering notation (very usefull) , if you know more like this I’ll be thankfull :slight_smile:. (Sorry for the not so polished english).

8

Your English is fine, Denis! It’s very clear and easily understood, and that’s all that matters.

Even if it wasn’t clear, we’d still be glad you were here. :smiley:

9

Shalom! Glad you found us… for a wealth of whistle tunes, clips and the like, try http://www.tinwhistler.com/music/- Wanderer shares loads of good tunes.

10

Welcome Denis,

Don’t worry about the written music. Folk music was meant to be learned and handed down by ear. Trust your ears and your fingers and have a good time. People who use sheet music can never play with their eyes closed. :slight_smile:

Doc

11

Good to have you Denis!

Let me be the first to defuse the the good Dr.'s post.

Learning to read music can only help you so long as you keep it in perspective. While learning music by ear is the most beneficial way to learn, reading notes will NOT hurt you in anyway. It will be very helpful for that little bit of the tune you “can’t quite figure out”.

I, personally, am a very poor music reader, I can’t play a peice by reading through it. However, I can figure out a tune if I sit down with the music for a little while. This is handy. Just don’t become dependent on it.

P.S. learning to read music has not decreased my ability to play with my eyes closed in any regard.

12

LOL… 'tain’t so! :laughing:

My kids liken me to Stevie Wonder.. sittin over here, playin’ and swayin’, eyes tight shut, with the headphones on and whatever tune I am learning playing in just my ears, with the notation or tab on the screen in case I need a reminder of just what that little note maneuver is that I’m wrestling with. I prefer a combo of listen, look and learn… helps me get the tune better and faster… also helps me hone my listening and reading skills. I vote “use whatever works for you”.
:slight_smile:

13

Thanks a lot for the advices!

Actually my learning progresses faster than I thought it would be, the whistle is a easy instrument to play and the sound is really cool! (not all of my neighbors agree with me :slight_smile: )

14

And better than that of the average U.S. college freshman.

And as for learning to read music – Yes, folk music is meant to be learned by ear, but knowing how to read music and having a little music theory under your hat can be very helpful.

I can read music, but I can’t count worth a damn, so I use the sheetmusic as a reference, but depend on what I’ve heard for the rhythm and phrasing.

And I cannot recommend playing with your eyes closed. If something is flung at you, you want to be able to see it coming.

15

as the the “bothering the neighbors” issue, gam bazeh nitapel (hebrew for: “that problem too we will solve”.
there are at least 2 very good whistles which are quiet. one is not particularly expensive, especially if you already have a tube. i might have 1 or 2 extras. we are talking a mack hoover whitecap for 30 bucks with my extra tube. let me know cause i have to send him something else and i can throw in the tube.


meir

16

Shalom, Meir!

Up to your question… I play a D whistle, right now I have 3 of them:
acorn, I like the most
walton, I bought with a learning kit and it sounds terible
sweetone, it is realy more quite but I find it more difficault to breath accuratly, espesially the higher octave tones (practice practice and practice again!)

Thanks for suggesting the hoover whitecap, but I will pass for now, 3 is enough for the begining :slight_smile:

I do would like your CD’s recomendations, if it is uilleann pipes then even better! A new sound is allways welcomed at my small appartement :laughing: .

17

Shalom! I was in your country in March. Fascinating place! Welcome to whistling, too. You can learn a lot here at Chiff and Fipple.