I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about a friend’s website that I am teaching a whistle module on called http://oaim.ie/ (Online Academy of Irish Music)- It was just launched last week and my first module, ‘Whistle Tricks’, is a series of twelve lessons for the intermediate whistle player. Other instruments available at the moment include the flute, bouzouki, uilleann pipes, fiddle, voice, with more to come in the next few weeks. Anyone can register on the site (for free) and view the sample whistle lesson - I would really love to hear some feedback from you on the lesson(s), and any suggestions for themes for forthcoming modules would be greatly welcomed.
The way it works is that each whistle module incorporates three months worth of lessons (each lesson lasts approx. 30 minutes), with lessons (and transcriptions) being delivered on a weekly basis (with an option for tutor feedback). Once the student has completed the three months worth of lessons, s/he will have the opportunity of signing up for the next module, which will continue on from where the previous one left off etc. The following is a synopsis of my first module ‘Whistle Tricks’.
Whistle Tricks: The aim of this course is to discover and enhance the learner’s own playing style, and increase their confidence through learning and incorporating a wide range of ornaments, variations and other advanced stylistic features such as crans, trills, slides, and tonguing in their playing. The learner will discover new ways of adding texture and colour to a carefully selected repertoire of challenging jigs, slip jigs, reels, and hornpipes which are learnt by ear (transcriptions are also provided). Importantly, the learner is given the tools to transfer these new acquired skills to tunes which they already have in their repertoire.
Also, themes for forthcoming modules include: Whistle Start - A Beginner’s Guide; Uilleann Pipes Technique on Whistle; Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced Low Whistle; A Regional Sound.
Please let me know if you would like any further information on the lessons, or have any other queries. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Hmmm, this sounds promising. I’ll have to think on this, but it looks like it would be worth the money since I’d consider myself intermediate at this point.
Hey there CurleyWurley - I’m certainly a piper - playing more of my whistles these days though if truth be told! Very perceptive of you! Are you a piper yourself?
And hello fellow Thomas - glad you like the sound of it! Have you been playing long yourself? Do you have a teacher at the minute? Where are you based? Questions, questions!
I’ve been at it about 4 years. I’m mostly back to focusing on whistle after getting side-tracked for a while with mandolin, banjo, and bouzouki. I’m completely self-taught, but have a background in saxophone which really took away the learning curve on fingerings and sight reading.
I like the look and sound of this. I’ve been playing about four years and seem to be stuck in a rut, technique-wise. This could well spur me to the next level …
Thomas: Does each module contain three months of lessons, and we are basically looking at a three-month commitment on monthly fees? Same again for the next three-month module, etc?
You’re a great player, and look like a patient teacher, so this could indeed be money well spent. Not too many Irish whistle teachers over here in Hong Kong …
Thomaston: Good stuff - if you’ve already been playing for 4 years you should find yourself coming on a great deal over the course of the first 3 months. The pace of this module is a little quicker for the more intermediate player (we’ll discuss fingering, technique, learning the melody etc.) but I suppose the beauty of it is that you can download it and watch and listen to it as many times as you like. Would be great to hear how you’re getting on anyway.
Hey Luckydog: Good to hear from you - as I mentioned above to Thomaston, if you’ve been playing whistle for four or so years the module should really bring you on quite a bit over the course of three months and beyond. You can actually subscribe on a monthly basis to the lessons as opposed to three months, and then when you’ve completed one month’s worth of lessons, you subscribe to the next set of lessons for the following month etc. There’s also the option to get additional feedback at any time from me on your playing and what you’ve been learning, finding most challenging, been improving on most etc.
Once you finish a certain module there will be a slightly more challenging set of lessons ready for you to keep you interested and learning - of course the whole teaching/learning process is is a two-way thing and I welcome feedback at anytime on what students would like to learn in the next module, what they would like to focus on etc. I hope this helps a little! Look forward to hearing from you.
I’m looking forward to it, Thomas. I do have the means to record myself, so I’d definitely be taking advantage of feedback.
I’ll probably subscribe sometime this weekend.
These last couple of days I worked my way thought the lesson and have send you a PM with my observations from a students point of view.
I really enjoyed the trial lesson and would definitely consider subscribing to them. However, the thing that would really separate your lessons from existing free online resources, is that the lessons guides you to a higher level in performing the tune and not so much on learning the notes of the tune. I hope that in the longer lessons this will be the main focus.
Many thanks for your PM and your really, really useful comments and suggestions regarding my sample lesson. It’s through feedback like this that I and the other tutors at OAIM can really raise the bar when it comes to improving online teaching and learning practices. I’ll PM you in a little while to respond to your comments specifically - but just to comment, with this particular module on OAIM, I’m hoping to do as you say and provide the student with the necessary tools for developing and honing their own whistle playing style and technique - of course learning the tune is important to this but it isn’t the central aspect of the more in depth lessons.
Is that meant to be Ogham on the music staff?
Because if so, that’s pretty cool that you guys
did that.
EDIT: According to some googlery, it is indeed
Ogham for O A I M. Well played. I thought there
may be more encoding with the key signatures,
but all I could puzzle out would be DOAIMG,
which doesn’t add anything.
A dangerous question around here, I’ll predict. But I just had a look at a couple of them, and like what I see. Competent players, good material, broken down well for learning.
Thomas, I looked at the sample lesson, and was so happy to see Salute to Baltimore, a tune Ive never learned, but always wanted to. The lesson was so well laid out, the information clear and in comprehensible bits, you are a wonderful teacher. I enjoy your playing, which is a bit different than my teachers, and I love the new perspective. A really well done job, when the new modules come out, Ill definitely be signing in for some new tunes.
I guess what Im really waiting for is a concertina module!! Any idea if that’s in the works? You guys are in West Clare, right? That gives me hope, lol.
I just watched your second video in the series and found it to be excellent. Lot’s of new skills to be learnt and practiced and a great tune (The Blackbird)!
Can’t wait for week 3…
