Grey Larsen Books - wich one

Whistle
1

Hi
I want to start again to play the Penny Whistle.
I did play a year, many years ago, but now i have forgotten nearly all i learned.
I have to refresh what i did know and than of course i want to learn more and more …
I did use the Clarke Book from Bill Ochs but i cant find it anymore , but it is somewhere and i dont want to buy it again

So i want to get a Book From Grey Larsen as a learning source this time.
But wich one should i choose?
The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle
or
The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox

Here https://greylarsen.com/webstore/books/#differences i found some information

First one is three times as large.
Its about Irish flute and tin whistle.
Do i want to play Flute? Not now, maybe much later.
The second one is about Whistle only,… enough for me now
One + for both

The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle
covers ornamentation exhaustively and includes 49 exercises for practicing ornamentation.

Thats cool, isnt it?

The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox covers … not the more advanced ornamentation.

Hmmm, so the other one is the right one for me?

  • 1 for the first one - its 2:1 now

The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle is far more than an instructional book.

Ok do i need it? Why not its maybe interesting
So far so good i take the Big one 3:1

BUT

The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox focuses more narrowly on playing.

Does this mean, its more or less or the same much about playing than the big one?

While The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle contains quite a bit of material for beginning flute and whistle players, The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox expands this material for the beginning whistler, with an additional chapter, “Getting Comfortable with Fingering”, and more beginner’s exercises.

So untill now the Flute and Whistle book had more content but now the whistle only book has something the otrher onde dont have, right?
Sounds usefull but is it? I AM comfortable with fingering and i am not a complete beginner anymore, so i think i get the Bigger Book.
What would you, if you know those books recomend for a little advanced beginner who want to start again?
Help is apreciated

2

I own both, having acquired the whistle-only book last June and then getting the whistle + flute book last month. So yes: I think the larger volume is worthwhile. While I only play tin whistle at the moment, I do have a flute on order. But even if I didn’t, I’d want to have the chapters on advanced ornamentation, the additional exercises, and the analyses and transcriptions of the classic recordings.

I still have a huge amount I can learn from the shorter work—I don’t want to give the impression that I’ve moved beyond it after only 6 months. But the more complete book will be keeping me busy for the rest of my life, and that is good!

Having purchased several hundred music instruction books over the 4+ decades that I’ve been playing various instruments, I’ve come across none as helpful and well written as these. Grey is a superb technical writer, explaining techniques in detail and with remarkable clarity. Great stuff.

3

Thank you, that helps. I think i will get the larger Book.
There is only one more Question i have.

What about those parts wich are only in the smaler book?
Ah … never mind, i get the lager book now and thats it.
Ill get the e-book and start right now :slight_smile:

4

As far as I remember there’s some material you can download from the website. And I hope you have checked that you like Grey Larsen’s way of explaining and describing things? I do, but I’ve read reviews from players who don’t.

5

I got the E-Book of the bigger one and am happy with the decision.

For everybody else interested in it.
You can save 30% …
if you go to Grey Larsens website and click on buy ebook, this will lead you to the melbay site, add the book to the cart and than you will be asked if you have a promotion code. Just google this and you find a code for saving 30% (this is in january 2019 - this may change)

6

If you want to play in an authentic Irish traditional style, then your best bet is to learn from the Online Academy of Irish Music - https://www.oaim.ie/

And if you insist on learning from a book, then the best option is Mary Bergin - http://maryberginwhistle.com/tutor.html

7

I have the larger one. Got it years ago. For me it’s just a larger resource. You don’t have to use anything but what you want to out of it, but the more the merrier. Kind of like taking a jacket with you when you go out in case it’s gets too cold. You don’t have to wear it, but if you need to you have it. But if you don’t have it you can’t wear it.
Although I’m pretty much convinced now that these days anything I would need is online for free. So to each his own.

8

Sorry. I have no idea how I posted this twice. Can’t seem to delete it so just have to write the “excuse me” in here.

I have the larger one. Got it years ago. For me it’s just a larger resource. You don’t have to use anything but what you want to out of it, but the more the merrier. Kind of like taking a jacket with you when you go out in case it’s gets too cold. You don’t have to wear it, but if you need to you have it. But if you don’t have it you can’t wear it.
Although I’m pretty much convinced now that these days, when it comes to self instruction, anything I would need is online for free. So to each his own.