Hello!

Whistle
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(Those who can’t be bothered to read my long and dreary grandmother’s story can read the first paragraph and skip to the second last one [at least] and at least say ‘Hi’ on your way out.)

Thanks to some help rendered by a very helpful and friendly member, I can now post what I have been wanting to say:

Hello! I am James and I live in Singapore (South-east Asia). I am 17 years old and I’ve just graduated from Secondary school and I’m waiting for my GCE Ordinary level results (hello fellow Englishmen [who have not done GCSE]) and so I don’t have much to do now. I play the drum kit and I love almost all kinds of music. For music, I am very fond of jazz and classical music (especially baroque-aged ones, or Handel to be exact). I don’t listen to pop often, and I have never gotten the opportunity to listen to world music. I’m much less fond (euphemism alert) of rock and metal. I suddenly got interested in Irish trad because of influence from my mother (she has been to the British Isles and lived around there for 10 years, and she doesn’t play Irish music, so it was just the basic influences thanks to her stories).

Now that I’ve stepped into Irish music, I’ve been impressed by Youtube whistlers Ryan Duns and Tinwhistler (correct name?) . Now, I’m really resolute that I’m going to get a tin whistle. I’ve already had some musical experience other than playing the drums (euphonium in my school band. I left because I get sick every one month, and piano but I never got to Grade 1) so I’ll still take it as a challenge but I’ll know that I’ll stick to it once I get started. Almost no-one in Singapore plays Irish music (except maybe, one uilleann piper and a couple of children irish dancers) so I have not been able to find any whistle, even from the best music stores. So, I guess that thanks to Chiff & Fipple, I’ll have a good place to tap on the help and guidance even though I don’t think any one here can assist me. Thanks alot!

But anyway, I can’t get my whistles now since I have to work for it. But since that I’ll be having a job and working for it instead of eating my parents’ cash I’ll be at the liberty to buy whatever I want (within a limit of 415 U.S. dollars. Thank you Google calculator), which means that I think I’ll be heading straight for a Burke’s high D. In my own opinion think it will be a worthwhile investment to buy a high-end whistle for myself (don’t worry, I can take the expense). But I’ll also want a high C and a low D (to keep on ice until I improve on my basics [after I get started, that is]) so for those, I’ll stick to the good-old Generations and Susato. However, I start work in January and get my pay in February, so no cookies for me until then. Anyway, can any one tell me the waiting list of Burke’s so I can roughly estimate the time when I get my prize. Thanks! In the meantime, I’m practising on my cheap Yamaha recorder which I won’t go into great detail (because I guess that any discussion related to that thing is generally frowned upon here?).

Any way, thank you very much! I’m very certain that through you guys I’m definitely going to a-chiff great results when I get on with the instrument!

(wait: can someone please tell me how to pronounce ‘chiff’?)

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‘ch’ like chocolate, and ‘iff’ like cliff


Welcome!!

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Excellent idea on the choice of a Burke, optakeover. If I were in the market for another whistle, I think that would be my choice. But I’m not…my musical interests have taken me elsewhere as of late (in other words, I’m absolutely in love with my fiddle).

Welcome again…I’m glad you found a “home” for your introductory post! :slight_smile:

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Tricky. No grandmother even mentioned.

For high whistles you might just fit yourself out with a set of Blackbirds for less than a single Burke. I have a Burke Session Pro D brass (old tip), but have just received a D & Eb Blackbird from tweaker Jerry Freeman (on the forums here). and am quite satisfied.

For Jazz/Rock drumming, how about Italy’s FURIO CHIRICO from the group ARTI E MESTIERI ?
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGGgf22uVzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWSbD2li860
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER01hsgntEs

BTW, that Singapore u.piper is a pretty good resource.

Welcome.


Kevin Krell

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http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/viewforum.php?f=20

Apparently, the moderators do not discriminate.

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Hi optakeover

Why not give Eldarion a pm (private message) and make contact with the other Singaporean chiffer, although he is into uilleann pipes rather than whistles.

David

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Thanks everybody for your warm greetings! :slight_smile:

@kkrell: In Singapore, “grandmother’s story” is what they call long-winded talk.

And nah, I think I’ll go straight for the Burke since I’ll be most able to. I want to make an investment, and to me I think its a good one. Although now you’ve mentioned it, the Blackbird (which I’ve seen on http://www.thewhistleshop.com/ [oh, so Jerry IS the guy you were talking about]) could well supplement my collection of lower-end whistles, which I’ll use when I switch from my Burke for sanity’s purpose or when I’m worried that it might get nicked.

Oh, and besides, how did I know of that lone uilleann piper? Well, there is an Irish expatriate community here and I once approached them to ask if they could find me a tin whistle. I drew a blank, with they asking me to ‘go on the internet’. But at least I know there is still a small Irish trad scene here. Hope to jump into it..

@BigDavy: Thank you. I’ll try to reach him when I can!