Another newbie with questions

Whistle
1

Hi all, name is Trip and I’m in N. Florida. Had to give up the fiddle due to neck problems, I’d get about 5-10 minutes a day and that wasn’t enough time to progress… I wanted to try my hand at pipes, but the wife threatened me with violence (dunno why, she’s English and Scottish) So for Christmas I bought a whistle. First one was a Clarke Sweettone D after reading up around the web. Started progressing, was looking for more books and came across this http://www.amazon.com/Guinness-Irish-Black-Whistle-Instrument/dp/B004D20KW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326476885&sr=8-1 Ok, it’s a Walton in D, seen the name before and figured worst case, it could sit with my Guinness stuff in the office.

Well, completely different amount of air, MUCH less required than the Clarke. I noticed something else right off, the notes are easier to form, but it’s pitched slightly differently.

Well, I had a moment of inspiration as I was typing, but didn’t feel like deleting it in case I was wrong… I grabbed one of my auto tuners and tried both out, the Clarke hovered just a tad sharp, the Walton was off the chart. A slight adjustment brought it solidly to D, now I’m just not sure how to affix it so it doesn’t slide out of tune.

I do have a Dixon Trad on the way, not sure when it’ll get here though, yes, it took less than a month to surrender to acquisition disorder. At least these will be playable unlike the collection of violins hanging on my wall :slight_smile:

So that long read gets longer, thanks if you’re still with me. What is hte best way for a newbie to gain speed, drills, scales, just dig into some tunes or songs?

I need to go over to the Uilleann forum and thank them, after playing a bunch of youtube clips from the links there and showing her a bunch of pictures, she surrendered and conceded. I figure on waiting till I’m proficient with the whistle before trying my hand there, but that’s fine, a $10 whistle is an easy spur of the moment purchase, not so in that case :slight_smile:

Thanks!
Trip

2

Did you want to play Irish Traditional Music?

I really like Bill Ochs Tin Whistle Book and CD, it was my first and I’m still learning tunes out of it a year latter. It has a fair sampling of different genres, Scottish, Irish, Folk, even a couple of fun Apalachian fiddle tunes.
Of course, there are a huge number of free internet sources, Ryan Duns Youtube channel is very popular, Brother Steves Whistle page, The Wandering Whistler Archives, too many to name really. Google is your friend in this regard. Christmas Charols on the d whistle, yep.
These should get you started OK.
There are also face to face lessons from great teachers, skype lessons from the same folks, and something I found useful and affordable is Blayne Chastains ITEACH subscription lessons.
10-12 dollars a month, and good for beginner through expert, the first lesson is free.

There are lots of choices for the beginner.
Welcome and good whistling!

3

Indeed! Of the two halves of my heritage, I never really could get into the German side, though I enjoy my father’s accordion playing and grew up with it. Irish music on the other hand, both traditional and contemporary, just strikes a chord with me (really, no pun intended). I also firmly believe it makes the Guinness taste better :slight_smile:

I have Bill Ochs book, and have signed up on Blayne’s website. Honestly, one more round of twinkle twinkle and I’ll go mad.

Of other instruments I’ve started and succeeded with to some degree, there were always drills and exercises to run through, not just jumping into tunes. I’ve found greater success when taking that route, rather than getting frustrated at not sounding like the music I’ve heard. Is that not a traditional path with this instrument?

Unfortunately, and I don’t know where it comes from, I absolutely despise Christmas music. I love the season, the family and festivities, but the music is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Trip

4

Another newbie here, so take my advise with a grain of salt - but I found the following drills help me a lot.

  1. Playing scales (both 1 and 2 octave) and trying for clean sound, max volume, min volume, etc
  2. Playing “scales” with just 3 fingers that are so rapid the notes transition blend together a little.
  3. Playing any good sounding 3-4 note combo that jumps from 1 octave to another, or 1 hand to another.

ps: I really like the sound of Jerry Freeman’s Blackbird. It’s at the other end of the spectrum from my Clark’s original. It takes more breath control that most to keep it in the 1st octave, but it’s second octave is so responsive it’s amazing. If you’ve got an acquisition yearning, check our Jerry’s e-bay page.

5

That’s all you need. That’s the point of playing, isn’t it?

6

Hi Trip,
welcome to the C&F forum and the exciting world of whistles. :thumbsup:
FWIW there is an electronic pipe that can be played with a set of private head phones or the finest pa system around. :wink:

7

Thanks for the welcome all!

I’ll try the exercises mentioned, it sounds similar to what I started with on the piano, I actually started trying those today from memory. Also looking through the books I have for tunes I know well, hopefully knowing them well will aid in speed, being able to hear them rather than read them as I play.

Worth a flip? Tried a couple other ‘silent electric’ instruments and found it lacking. Know the maker or model?

Trip

8

Just google teconopipes heres a link to one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJJGFl3NVvM
there are several brands out there

9

Heck, just get yourself on David Daye’s waiting list and be a piper.
http://www.daye1.com/pennychanter.html
Or wait for a used set to come up, and play the whistle and learn the tunes in the mean time.

10

Please dont give up the Violin because of neck problems. I play Medievil “Rebec” -off-the-knee. This position is comfortable and easy for a violin player to convert too. Here is a video of Loreena Mckennitt’s “All Souls Night” with close-ups of this style. enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcjLAoEYhBo&feature=related

11

Interesting indeed. Honestly, after finding the whistle and having a try at it, I think I’m going to stick with it till comfortable before trying anything else. Nice to have something that you can toss in your saddlebag or vest and have on hand. It’s something for the future though indeed.

I love seeing a hurdy gurdy, it’s just a really neat instrument to see and hear and not one you see too often.

The Rebec looks interesting, if a 4 string, is it the same fingering as a violin? I bought an inexpensive mandolin, same fingering, but never really took to it.

I looked at a Viper from Mark Wood, a friend/teacher has one and I tried it out, eliminated the neck issue, but cost was a factor.

I don’t sell instruments, my vintage Fender bass turned into a gift to a friend’s son, my electric and acoustic guitars were nothing special and got sold years ago as there was little I could do with them and we fell on hard times.

I still have both violins, mandolin, full size/weight midi keyboard and some harmonicas (that I never could figure out how to play) I wonder, any/many folks play a violin in that position? I tried on my arm and to my chest, couldn’t get comfortable. That was a couple years ago.

I’m really getting into the whistle, I can pick it up during the day at work, (try to) play for a few, and not wear myself out on it.
Trip

12

Yep, you really can’t go wrong with the whistle.