I found this fancy version of Cooley’s Reel https://youtu.be/jXAdDWWe060 and it’s SO FAST! Is this really the true expected tempo of Cooley’s Reel? I have heard several versions of this reel and this is probably twice as fast!
How does one decide what the acceptable tempo should be?
Michelle
I’ve been in sessions where it has been played that fast. There is a bit of a rushed feel to this rendition, when I listen to this. But perhaps it is just because it’s close to midnight and I ought to be asleep. 
There is a delicate balance between fast and rushed. And I don’t want to rush to judgement myself.
You certainly don’t have to play it that fast. But sometimes, in an adrenalized session surrounded by expert players you can get carried along, playing faster than you thought you could.
To me it depends on the song/tune your trying to play. If your trying to play a song that has words and stuff, heavily altering the tempo might not work (the singing will be too slow / fast). Also speed can effect mood. Like Cooleys reel for example, if you wanted to make a sad or relaxing version of the song, slow tempo would be great. For songs that I want to play with the song, my goal is the songs normal tempo.
But not everyone has the same wants and goals. Some people dont care to learn to play fast, they just want to play nice sounding slow airs. Theres nothing wrong with that. and for people who want to play fast and cant (like me lol), theres no shame in playing at a slower tempo and speeding it up as you progress.
Just my random 2 cents on the topic.
In answering the question, I’m afraid I can’t help commenting a bit negatively on that particular recording. The tempo strikes me as being about normal - certainly not particularly fast. However, it is too fast for that particular player to control. I counted*, and I made that exactly 110 bpm, which is on the steady side. It does sound rushed though, to me, but that’s the player.
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I’m afraid I can’t help commenting a bit negatively on that particular recording.
Ben is being very polite.
Yes. As I was listening to that recording it just made me feel nervous rather than invigorated. The sense of speed was more of rushing rather than joy. If it is truely at 110 bpm that is not an unusual tempo for a reel.
So did I. By timing 64 bars (128 beats) at just under 70 secs, which gives the same answer.
I did that because I’ve been told off before for just using a metronome.
Have you really, Ben? 
Strangely enough, yes. 
I believe I recognized that first flurry of notes. . .that was Luttrell´s Luge wasn´t it?
Bob
Nah. Not regular enough.
May I suggest listening and playing along with this version instead?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=502_aTAZ730
I love the tempos and swing and phrasing on this album.
They’re playing Cooley’s Reel at 112 according to the living palpable evil that is my metronome app.
BTW the tempo on the thing you linked to is 114, only slightly faster. I think yours seems too fast because of the lack of control, phrasing, and swing.
Warning: You’ll need an Eb whistle to play along with the Tribute To Joe Cooley album.
May I suggest listening and playing along with this version instead?
That’s a lovely version Richard. But this is such classic material there’s really any amount of good versions of those tunes around. The Tulla does a ny job, having a Cup of Tea before going into the Wise Maid. And I can think of other ones, a lovely duet by Paddy Canny and Vincent Griffin and I have heard thios played by many Andrew MacNamara and Mark Donnellan most recently, Mark and Brian Donellan with Charlie Harris among them. Too many to mention really.
I make them both just under 110, with the one you linked taking about 0.1 sec longer for 64 bars (whole tune twice) than the first one.
Does anyone besides myself think that it sounds like it was played on a recorder and not a whistle?
Not so much recorder, here, but I too got a strong first impression that the instrument might not be a pennywhistle - or at least in some way not a standard one (whatever that means, these days). Might’ve been the recording situation.
Oh, it’s a whistle alright. Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqkj_StUf6w
It’s just that it had all its life processed and compressed out of it.
I actually said that to my husband yesterday! Yes I think it does sound like a recorder
I think it’s recorder style playing, but on whistle.
“An instrument is merely a mechanical device. The music is in the person.”
So while we are talking about whistle tones… I made my first low whistle yesterday, and I think it came out pretty good. But. I’m worried it sounds like a recorder or a susato. It probobly doesnt but I’m used to hearing mixed low whistles with reverb on youtube (think any kerry whistles demo. He bare minimum goes into a reverberant room to demo), so hearing mine sounds different than I expected. But it probobly sounds relatively normal.
Heres my super dry mic’ed no effort demo play
https://soundcloud.com/airsoftwarrior345/whistletest/s-rMNWNQr71FL
Heres an image for anyone interested.
https://imgur.com/a/d7vPWA9
Overall I’m super happy with it, and its playability is very good. Although high second octave definitely needs some extra push. And the mouthpiece is removable so I can make more bodies for other keys until I make more mouthpieces.
tempo can be hight without sounding like a rush
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQt-lzcLmOM