Hi, I’ve been lurking around here for a long time, and I’ve finally decided to surface. I’ve been playing the whistle for about a year and a half now. But since I’m one of those people that really needs a teacher to make me learn things, and I haven’t got a teacher, I haven’t made a lot of progress.
I am beginning to feel symptoms of WhOA, which has previously been kept at bay by the fact I had no spare money whatsoever. Any money I get my hands on goes to the support of two 1200 lb beasts, one of whom stubbornly refuses to do any work to earn her keep, and the other who has great fun trying to break my knee caps. But I digress. I had an 18th birthday a few days ago, and it seems I must be a difficult person to buy a gift for, because everyone gave me cash. In fact, my 18th birthday was so profitable I’m thinking of having another one in a month or so. As I was pondering what to do with my sudden small fortune, my thoughts inevitably turned to whistles. Bad idea, now I’m sure I’ve got a raging case of WhOA. For the record, at the moment I’ve got a Sweetone in D and a Walton’s brass C whistle. The C one is alright, but the D needs badly to be replaced. The C# is sooo out of tune, and I have a hard time getting a decent Cnat out of it too. It’s also dented and scratched, quite an eyesore. I also want to try some different keys. Ah, visions of Generations and Susatos dancing in my head…
I suppose I should ask a question here, so does anyone have any advice for the need-a-music-teacher-to-make-me-learn-to-play-decently-but-don’t-have-one problem? Any other whistlers in the Florida-Georgia area? Any whistlers who want to move to the Florida-Georgia area? Ok, now that’s just wishful thinking.
Raindrop
P.S. Excuse the multitudes of typos I make. I went to a progressive school when I was little, they didn’t teach me to spell. They didn’t teach me handwriting either, they said it would “repress my creativity”. Go figure. I could care less about my creativity, I’d just like to be able to write a legible letter!
Well - it seems no one else is going to reply to you so let me welcome you. I also have done a lot of lurking on the board for a these last couple of years although I used to post quite a lot before then.
Sounds to me like that money is just begging to be spent on some brass/nickel/aluminium confection. I have an old style Mike Burke Wide Bore Brass D and it is very nice - don’t think you could go wrong with one of Mike’s.
Oh - and happy birthday!!! Ah…18! I remember it well.
Hi there. Welcome. There’s nothing wrong with your writing, on the contrary.
About the teacher problem: Check out the whistle tutors on the web if you haven’t. Get a few CD’s, like the old Planxty and Bothy Band CDs and learn to play along. For instance, learn Si Bheag Si Mor on the the D whistle and play along with Liam O’Flynn on Planxty (the Black Album, iirc). Learn two tunes well (that means with good, steady rhythm) rather than ten so-so. Go listen to sessions and meet the musicians. Move up north a bit, join the Chiff & Fipple junior staff and get paid by the Catholic church. Maybe Dale will be available for private tutoring. Can’t beat that.
Wow, do I ever agree with Gerry…Treat yourself to a Brass or Aluminum Pro whistle from Mike Burke.
18th Birthday? No…I truly cannot remember…
Such is life.
Cheers.
Byll
Any money I get my hands on goes to the support of two 1200 lb beasts, one of whom stubbornly refuses to do any work to earn her keep, and the other who has great fun trying to break my knee caps.
Wow! Those are big cats.
Welcome to the board. I’ll leave it to the more informed to give you advice.
Wow - a fellow Gerry!! Maybe I should sign with my surname too to avoid confusion!
Pray tell G - are you of the Gerrard/Gerard persuasion?
Oh - and a further recommendation. How about a low whistle? I have just bought a Cillian O’Briain from Steve Power at Shanna Quay and it really is the business.
I am also but with a double ‘r’ - exotic eh?!! There were a few of us where I was born and raised in Scotland as well - Glasgow. Lots of Irish immigration as you can imagine.
Funny that about the expectant mother thing - my partner was one until 5 weeks ago when our baby daughter Sorcha was born! She will laugh when I tell her!
First off welcome to the board Raindrop
Second congrats on your new daughter Gerry, I still remember the day (night actually, and she hasn’t let me sleep since) mine was born. A wonderous thing indeed.
But I digress, since you came into a windfall Raindrop and need a teacher you might check out the mad for trad website, their whistle tutorial is excellent from what I have been told. As for whistles, try a few, get a burke for ease of play, a hoover for when people want you to be quiet and a handfull of generations and feadogs cause you just can’t beat them.
Thanks for the welcome.
When I said I got a small fortune, I was perhaps exaggerating a tad. Naturally I’d love to have a Mike Burke whistle, but I don’t think I can make my money stretch quite that far. I was thinking more along the line of a nice mid-priced whistle. Now that I’ve counted up all the cd’s and music I’d like to get, and that recorder I’ve been wanting, I’ll be lucky if I can afford an Clarke! Guess I’ll have to trim down that want-to-buy list a bit. Any suggestions for some cheaper whistles?
The tutorial at Mad for Trad does look interesting, I’ll certainly consider it. Anyone tried it and liked it, or hated it?
As to feadogs, I bought one a year or so ago, and it was totally unplayable. I’m afraid I have a grudge against them now.
I have been considering a Hoover, if I can sufficently reduce my want-list. Mostly I just want an in tune whistle that plays fairly easily and sounds nice playing slower tunes, and will sound good accompanied by guitar.
Oh, and the 1200 lb beasts aren’t cats, they’re komodo dragons.
Welcome - Now that you’re here I think that there’s a couple of forum rules that I should let you in on. I think that they’re written down somewhere - perhaps one of the C&F interns could fax them to you. Anyway, you’ve managed to break two of them right off the bat, so unless you can rectify them, I’m going to have to e-mail Dale.
First, you can’t say “Oh… they’re komodo dragons.” And then not 'splain. That’s rule 254, and I quote:
Dale’s Rules of Order and Civil Living #254
You may not say, “Oh… they’re komodo dragons” and then not explain why you have included this reference and what you are doing with two 1200 lb komodo dragons.
You see, it’s pretty clear.
Secondly, I noticed that you had prioritized a new recorder ahead of your whistle. This is NOT acceptable. Now, I’m typically one of the liberals on this forum in regard to recorder purchase and playing, but this was just too blantant to let go by. Whistle purchases must take precedence over recorder purchases. See:
Dale’s Rules of Order and Civil Living #5
Whistle purchases must take precedence over recorder purchases.
So, please do what you can to correct these egregious errors before it becomes necessary to take more precipitous actions.
What are you doing with Komodo dragons?! Aren’t they an endangered species? How did you, presumably a civilian (ie, non-zoo personnel) in USA, get hold of them when they are only found on Komodo Island?
[ This Message was edited by: tuaz on 2002-01-18 04:31 ]
I would consider a Dixon (tuneable) if you are looking for a reasonably priced (somewhere around $25 I think) good whistle. They can be purchased through the ‘Whistle Shop’ online.
Another cheap-ish option is to get a Cillian O’Briain ‘improved’ whistle from shannaquay.com
As far as I understand it these are standard feadog whistles which have been radically improved. There have been good things said about them on C&F although I don’t have one myself.
On 2002-01-18 08:52, tyghress wrote:
Raindrop, you may want to take a serious look at a Susato. Not terribly expensive, in good tune, but a bit loud and shrill, IMHO.
And in some people’s opinion, sounds rather like a recorder too. So maybe you could get one to keep within Rule #5, but still kinda get your recorder sound. Though why anyone would want a recorder sound is beyond me.
I’d go with the Dixon, it’s really nice & forgiving to play, if a little breathy for some. I like mine breathy.
Erik, I thought everyone had received a copy of the new, updated Dale’s Rules of Order and Civil Living. I will quote part of it:
Dale’s Rules of Order and Civil Living #254B
You may now purchase recorders as long as you promptly feed them to Komodo Dragons weighing 1000 pounds or more.
You must, though, refrain from asking the owner of said Komodo Dragons, “Where does a 1200 Komodo Dragon sleep?”.
If you’re dreaming of Generations AND multiple keys then try the Six-pak-o-whistles at The Whistle Shop. Six Generations in 6 keys for around 30 dollars! That’s what my wifey got me last year for Father’s Day. Every one of them was a winner!
As for the Mad for Trad Tutorial, I picked one up from someone here on the board for my birthday. I love it and would highly recommend it to anyone without a teacher!!
