New whistlers have loads of questions, and we old whistlers of every description have loads of answers that we are happy to share, but it seems that we are getting the same questions and giving the same answers so often now that a “New To The Whistle” sticky or FAQ is something we really should have.
That’s a great idea. In these last days we had at least 3 people who asked how to start on playing tin whistle.
It’d be very nice to have a FAQ thread fixed in the top of the forum.
I want one of the FAQ’s to be something about please tell us how things are going.
great idea would help a lot i think 
As a newcomer, I think it would be great.
When I was first on the forum I was unsure as to how to search for previous threads and issues and not confident that I knew enough to actually know what to search for. Now I have a whole months experience and have tried to interact with the forum I find that I get get my way around the forums and search for previous threads and answers.
A sticky or FAQ would give a good starting point.
Remember that the Chiff and Fipple website answers a good many questions, as well as amusing the reader.
I think many of us enjoy answering newbie questions. It makes us feel experienced and smart!
I’m just glad that we have so many new players out there! I like to be original and different, but not, sometimes, as different as whistling makes me feel.
(Our experiences in music stores shows what I mean.)
Totally agreed!
Here’s my contribution:
Q: Should I get a “cheapie” or save my pennies for a “high-ender”?
A: SSSHHHHHH! Someone might hear you!
Q: Do earplugs help prevent developing tinitus from whistle playing?
A: No, but they help keep the blood in.
Q: Should I learn to play by ear?
A: It would be a neat party trick - most people play by mouth.
Q: What’s a good book to help me learn to play the whistle?
A: “The Art of Positive Thinking”, “The Art of War”, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”.
Q: Why do music-shop folks look at me like I’m crazy when I ask about whistles?
A: Because you’re crazy.
That’s all I can think of for now - any ideas?
HAHAHAHAHAAHHA, loved this.
I gotta confess - stole that joke from the C&F Haiku section. Well worth a visit!
mention something about the left hand going on top.
Oh yes. Except when it doesn’t, of course.
I would love not to see this:
Which whistle should I buy?
THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE BECAUSE THEY’RE FAR SUPERIOR TO THE CHEAP ONES. EVEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE ARE CHEAPER THAN A FIDDLE, SO WHY > NOT > PAY $300? NO GOOD PLAYERS PLAY GENERATIONS.
Yeah, god forbid anyone learn to play like Mary Bergin. 
Actually does sound like a good idea Annie. It would also be nice though if people would take just a bit of time to look for threads, and I don’t mean going back pages and pages or doing searches. I know for example recently a couple of times I couldn’t believe that people were posting for stuff that was just asked and answered (as they say in the courtroom) or even one or two threads down on the same page. I think there was a long thread about Harpers just last week in which I was one of a bunch of posters pretty much covering Harpers in response to a question like “How about Harpers?” Then the other day the same question without reference to the recent thread.
Then someone was looking for a used Copeland D and there was a seller post for one two lines below.
Your idea is a really good one, but at the same time, people do have some responsibility to look for stuff.
Philo (grumpily sloughing off)
Hmmmm…
Yes, the left hand goes on top, except for those that do it the other way.
Which is the left hand?
Philo
In principal, I personally agree with Anniemcu’s idea. A few thoughts…
Yes, it can get a bit tedius answering the same questions. Like Philo said though, it would not be necessary many times if people would do the searches themselves. Learning how to use the search tool well is a great way to boost enjoyment of this board as well as help the newbies with their questions.
Instead of a sticky for newcummers to whistles, maybe it would be better to have a sticky written by someone who explains things simply and well, on hints on using the search function. It could be titled something like ‘hints on using the search function for newcummers’. Hopefully, whistle novices would then get their own answers and be more active participants of the boards later with an increased enjoyment of it’s functions.
Indeed. I think that if there were a “Check this out first” section (something like on the pipes forum, I believe), with FAQ’s and a quick ‘how to’ for the search feature, it would help a lot.
When I was a newbie I was too embarassed to introduce myself or ask questions.
I had the benefit of buying my first whistle and tutor at a local music store, played it for a while then stumbled on to C&F. Surfed around and read everything I could. Eventually I bought a Burk session whistle in Feb,2001, continued to lurk, bought more whistles. You know the storie!
I think Dale has alot of information about cheepies, tweeking and high end whistles on the main website. It would probably be helpful to have links to information like that on the thread. I read all that stuff when I was a newbie and I would have been embarassed to ask about that stuff. I haven’t looked at what Dale has to offer but maybe a frequently ask question section would be helpful! Maybe one already exsists.
PhilO is right. Somtimes I don’t read every post on a thread and end up answering the question twice. I am in to much of a hurry to put in my two cents. Thanks Phil, I will try to do better.
Nate
Actually a sticky that also included forum search URLs would be great because those URLs would constantly self-update. You could use the built-in Google search to create them.
Wow, I just tried playing my whistle with left hand on the bottom. So confusing! It’s like trying to do something in the mirror kinda.