Please recommend tunes that sound extra good on Bb whistles. A lot of D and G tunes are OK but not really nice. One I found was off the Cherish the Ladies ‘Threads of Time’ CD, 'Battle of Aughram/Star above the Garter" which she plays on a Bb. Danny Boy is nice on a Bb but one can only play that so many times (and I’ve already used my allotment).
Thanks
Many Breton tunes are in Bb, else C (or relative keys to these).
Remember most Scottish pipes tunes are written in “A”, played in a sort of (sharpish) Bflat when played on GHP.
Also, playing A tunes in Bb may give them some renewed appeal, just as you can “twist” D (and G-type) tunes by playing them on an Eb whistle.
‘King of the Fairies’ sounds best to me played on a Bb.
Why do you want tunes to Bb?
Why not play them in tune? 
Cause my name is sharp so it all evens out when I play it.
In general polkas, hornpipes, tunes that go a bit slower sound good on a Bb. Slow airs. The Bb key has some qualities of a high whistle and some of a low, so it’s a nice sound.
Tony
So, Tony (or anyone else that may know), do you just play the tune as written as if your whistle is in that key (ie: in key of D the D becomes Bb)? This is new to me.
The reel after the slow air in the last track of Altan’s Harvest Storm. (Track called Dobbin’s Flowery Vale). Played by Frankie Kennedy on a Bb Flute, and fun to pick out by ear. Lovely.
Knocknagow
Carol
Bless you.
Hehe.
At least you didn’t say “Who’s there?”
C
Two tunes that sound great in G minor:
The Grove
Ancients’ Song of Mourning (Shaker hymn…)
Cheers.
Byll
I’m sorry, what is ‘Carol’?
“Paddy goes to Chicago” From Deanta’s CD “Whisper a Secret” a really lovely hornpipe on a Bb whistle.
Dave.
Actually there is a song from the Beggars Opera (English 18th Century) called: Would You Have A Young Virgin that is really cool on a lower key whistle
a Scottish piece: Rhu Waternish is a beautiful waltz
Peter O’Riada’s Jig…a great version on John Skelton’s solo album, done on Bb whistle.
Steven, If I’m learning from sheet music or just switching from playing a tune I know on a D whistle over to a Bb, I just pretend I have a bigger D whistle. Playing along with Altan’s Dobbins, which I posted on Clips on a Bb (I think), you just play along and pretend anything you like. (I pretend I’m leading the band. :roll: )
Gary Humphrey makes a Bb head that fits on a Generation tube. You guys heard it at the Grand Gala San Pablo event. (And there’s a clip in the jigs section with it.) I certainly don’t know the note names that correspond to the holes on a Bb whistle. I could learn them, but I’m sure I never will.
Tony
I’ve found Knocknagow on Tinwhistler in key of G. Now how to I go about changing it for a Bflat whistle? I change all music so each whistle is played with D fingering as it is the easiest way for me to play. Do I take the music 6 notes up as in D,E,F,G,A,BFLAT?
If it’s in G, wouldn’t it already be suited for a D whistle? Just use the D whistle fingerings. Right?
In general I seem to like all kinds of tunes on my Hoover Bb, but it seems that there are a bunch of minor or modal reels that sound great that way. Examples: the Boys of the Lough’s version of Jug of Punch, the Killarney Boys of Pleasure, Toss the Feathers, etc. Deanta seems to have a number of good Bb hornpipes, something that seems somehow counter intuitive, but they sound great. One is The Wee Rabbit, in a set on Ready for the Storm (or something like that). Lunasa has a whole bunch of tunes in Bb or that sound great on Bb whistle: Inion ni Scannlain and several others on Merry Sisters of Fate. I like doing several tunes I learned off Kevin Burke and MIcheal O’ Domhnaill albums, but I forget most of their names except Bird in the Bush. Lots of airs, for sure.
Shoot, why not just try playing any song you know on Bb?
Edit:
Ha! Far From Home is one of those, the name of which I’d forgotten.
I have a book by Robin Williamson called Fiddle Tunes and it has a bunch of widely available tunes, some of which sound particularly good on Bb:
Jenny Nettles & The Mullin Dhu
Neil Gow’s Wife
Christmas Day i’da Mornin’ & Sleep Soond i’da Mornin’
The Rights of Man
Comb Your Hair and Curl It & Paschal’s & The Kid on the Mountain
The Broken Pledge
Off to California
Some of these tunes require a certain amount of half-holing and Rights of Man needs to be transposed, but it’s easy and the setting is excellent.