Hi Folks,
I’m sure this question has been raised here before but I didn’t have much luck searching for it so: How much of an impact does age have on the ability to learn and play the whistle? I have come to it rather late in life (63 in 3 weeks)and would hope I have enough time left to develop some degree of proficiency. Does anyone have any idea just how many of us geezers are playing and how old the oldest are?
Thanks (I think),
Mike
I think interest and willingness to learn has a far greater impact than age. If you want to learn, go for it. 
Mike,
Its a journey not a destination
Denny
I am only 65. Not old enough to be able to comment.
Ron
I know, I know and I’m having fun but my fingers are starting to get a little stiff and sore from arthritis (not too bad yet) and I would hate to see that limit me. 
Mike
…and it might help…
Denny
Mike:
I hit 56 in November. I’ve been playing for 7 months. I’ve gotten better every month. Now I’m buying better whistles and they make me sound better too. I’m at least a geezer in training. In my 40s I started learning piano. Took lessons for several yrs. Learned to play (really badly) from fake books etc. I enjoyed the struggle and learning, but never got to the point where I could sit down and play just for pleasure. So I stopped.
The whistle is challenging too but now there are several tunes that I can play well enough that I play them just for how they sound and how playing them feels. It’s already good enough and I expect my playing to get better.
To state the obvious – keep playing as long as what you get feels better than what you pay, be it sore fingers or missed notes. When it just doesn’t seem worth it, move on.
Good luck
mark
If you didn’t pick it up by age 4, you stand no real chance of ever becoming good. Sorry to break the bad news. 
I guess there’s always the bodhran.
Mike
hmmm
Hmmm, I notice that Paddy Moloney just turned 66 and he still plays a pretty good whistle among other things.
Mike
FWIW, while I’m relatively young (43), I’ve suffered from arthritis for years. It doesn’t really limit me, except for a small degree of stiffness in my left ring finger (the G finger) when I get tired. Ibuprofen keeps it under control, and I do think that playing helps keep things limber.
With a really severe form of arthritis it might be more difficult, but if it’s just a bit of stiffness and soreness, take your anti-inflammatories and play away!
Redwolf
I think it’s Julia Cameron who tells the story of an older student who worried, “Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I finally learn how to do this?”
“Yes,” the teacher replied, “just as old as you’ll be if you don’t learn it.”
(That’s one that helps me keep practicing when I get discouraged.)
.
That’s brilliant.
I’ve played music since I was child but I still keep picking up new instruments. I know that knowing other instruments gives me a head start but the motor skills are often new, at least in some respects. I like the idea of always being a beginner on something; it certainly kills smugness and complacency.
There are some instruments I’d caution against taking up late in life, mainly those that are very difficult or that require an unusual amount of dedication. Violin and pipes certainly, perhaps keyboards, perhaps not. Whistle should be fine.
At 58, I am a veritable youngster.
Go for it.
Best.
Byll
Would ANY age be recommended for this instrument of torture?
That’s OK. If I can just get to be as good as you I’ll be happy. 
Mike
I’m another 40-something who’s had arthritis in his hands for some time. In the last few weeks I’ve had a flareup, which has limited my time on the flute; when the flute becomes painful, I switch to whistle. You don’t need to bend or move your fingers much to play a whistle. I suspect as you become more proficient, you’ll be able to relax more and the arthritis will bother you less and less.
Maybe I can convince my boss that I have to do my theraputic finger exercises several times a day!
He’d probably just tell me a keyboard would do just as well. Well there’s always carpal tunnel syndrome.
Mike
I’m 53 and I have been playing whistle for two years. I picked up the TW because I could no longer play guitar due to a left wrist injury. When I started I found a teacher and made good progress for about 1.5 years when I sort-of hit the wall. I know lots of tunes but I can’t play them at their intended speed. When I practice more than 30 minutes or try to gradually increase the speed my gimpy left wrist makes my fingers stiff as if they had been out in below freezing weather. So I play what I can and learn new tunes at my own speed. I couldn’t stand being without music making.
So I say go for it and enjoy the trip.
Mike