Last night I heard a piece of music played on a whistle (no idea what it was, but I liked it), and I decided there and then that I had to learn to play. Being the middle of the night of course I couldn’t just nip out to the shops and get one.
But I did today.
Impulse purchase FTW!
Now I have my very own (cheap) whistle to play around with and I’ve spent the last few hours trawling the net and reading threads on this forum between screeches (my little whistle is sat right by my side at this very moment).
I don’t have any questions yet, as I know that any problems I have at the moment will probably be because I need to practice more. However I would like to thank the people here, as I have been using the search function and come across some great posts already.
I began about a year ago with a similar impulse: I was helping my fiance’s brother with some draft artwork for a CD. Among other things he’s a whistle player and as a result of my online noodling I realized that the tin whistle could be a reasonably priced vehicle to expand my interest in “things celtic” and to merely to bring some music into my world on my own terms and pace. (I’m not very musical I’m afraid!)
Anyway, sometimes these impulses are good ones, and I hope your journey brings you a lot of happiness. Enjoy it!
Just as hearing a whistle being played got you started, it’s listening to tunes that keep me going.
For every tune I start learning, I look for version of it on Grooveshark.com or Spotify. It easy, free, fully legal and they have vast catalogues.
A lot of fun to hear different version to a tune and once in a while you will find one that is great to play along to.
I started after hearing a low whistle. I had messed a little with harmonica and ocarina before but never got anywhere. The whistle (with the help of this site, and many generous musicians) is taking me on a marvelous journey… good to have you along.
Welcome!!
You will like it here; lots of friends and good advice.
You are at the start of a fun road! Whistles are easy to start with (sounding “Irish” takes longer). And they’re immensely portable!
I drove my wife and kids to distraction learning…and I’d do it again!
‘interesting’ certainly seems like the word to use.
I got a ‘beginner set’ with a whistle and a book.
goes to check the packaging
It says ‘Feadóg D’.
Unfortunately that warning may have done me more good before I bought the whistle. Oh well…guess I’m in trouble now.
I’ve been trawling through youtube listening to different people playing (and getting a little jealous). If I can learn to play even half as well as some of the people I’ve heard, I’ll be happy.
I play the piano (a little) and had to do recorder lessons at school (20 years ago). lol. Maybe that will help? At the very least it means I can already read music, so that’s a plus.
Fortunately I don’t have to worry about upsetting family while I’m practising…though I hope the neighbours are understanding.
PS: How bad is it that I’m already looking at other whistles?
and so the WHOAD begins… there is no turning back! welcome to the dark side!!!
welcome to the whistle and to the board… this is a great place with a lot of wonderful people ready to help us newbs… looking forward to posts of your successes.
It depends on how you look at it. It can be a wonderful thing since you get to experience all the nuances in characteristics that make each whistle different. You can find what you really like, or even different whistles that you like for different songs. I suppose that spending all your hard earned money on whistles could be considered a bad thing, but they are really pretty cheap for the most part. So just go for it!
Now sit back and listen/watch this all the way though.
oh and this one!
Just play a bit every day and you’ll get the hang of it.
Start listening to a much trad tunes and whistle playing as you can… you get the tune in your head and you are half way there.
I’m sure some here could suggest some good players and music to start collecting.
It’s just as important to know and enjoy the tunes as a listener as it is to try and learn to play them… if not more.
Your Feadóg is just fine.
I own a few rather expensive whistles and I’ll be damn if I don’t go back to my old Oak and Generations. As you mature in your playing you’ll find one or a type you like best. I would suggest you stick to just one for a little while and get to know it while you are learning the basics.
Folks do tend to go though a massive whistle buying frenzy and I think it’s perhaps good to see how they all play but I had a drawer full of what were absolutely awful whistles and when I went back to them a few years later I found out they must have improved with age… not unlike a good bottle of wine I suppose. Not sure how that happened.
welcome to the forum, i am a newbie and i use this site on an hourly basis, the guys on here are as mad as a box of frogs, but boy do they know their stuff, you have come to the right place, good luck with your whistling
Yeah, it’s Aanvil his own self, after a year on the whistle, note too that he uses
a humble $10 Oak whistle. I’m no great judge of ITM, but I’d say it ROCKS!
I prefer “Crazier than a snake’s armpit”. So long as we aren’t as stupid as a box of hammers we might be okay.
Feadogs are fine. (Not as good as my own, of course… )
Oh well…guess I’m in trouble now. 
)