After just starting to play the whislte and getting along ok with it, I was wondering how long did it take you to play your first jig?
Hi Panda,
I didn’t actually start irish music first on a whistle, so it’s probably not a fair measure, but maybe a few weeks.
Polkas are slightly easier (fewer notes to learn). Are you listening to Cds of Irish Jigs?
I got 2 jigs in week 3 or 4 of my lessons. Blackthornstick and My Darling Asleep.
Kesh jig is another one that people learn early.
I’ve been playing for a little over 8 months, and I still haven’t played my first jig–and I probably won’t, ever.
So far I have been doing a couple slow pieces, Frere Jacques (hardly exciting 
), Amazing Grace and Twinkle Twinkle little star lol. My next piece I am looking into is Picard’s Air or the Skye Boat song, similar but I noticed ones faster than the other.
I have listened to a few Jigs from Clips & Snips and it all sounds quite complicated. I have heard for these you do things called rolls and slides, I havent come accross these yet. Im just learning from Sheet Music at present.
What about Merrily Kiss the Quaker?
Dear Panda Bean: It took me about 30 days after taking up the instrument. I figure I got a head-start because I’m 75 years old but have been Irish-French (3/4 the 1st, 1/4 the 2nd) all my life & have been playing a variety of instruments for 68 years. I’ve actually been a guitarist for 68 years & learned to read & write music at 7.
Your Scotch blood should help a lot (up the Celts!) & my advice is to get Clarke’s or better PWs & stick with easy Jigs for awhile. Not many Americans in this part of my country play PW’s but they should. A variety of popular Hispanic dance tunes sound great on PW’s. I have both a “D” & “C” & will probably get at least 2 more. I’m also taking up the Tenor Recorder, which has identical fingering.
Happy whistling! 
Dan (Rio Rancho, NM - close to Albuquerque)
That’s a slide (12/8 ), not a jig (6/8 ). I think. 
However, there is a very simple jig in the Bill Ochs tuturial called “The Quaker’s Wife” - the name fits, because it has a sort of family resemblance to “Merrily Kiss the Quaker”.
Very easy tune, BTW
I’ve heard that the real name of “Merily Kiss the Quaker” is in fact “Merily kiss the Quaker’s Wife”, but “Wife” has been removed as it’s much more fun 
As if a novice would know the diffference.. lol.
Of course, I guess the LOF version (slow, like a double jig) can fool you.
Compare that to the speed of the Chieftains on “Terry Tehan’s Favorite”, which is more in the speed of a Kerry slide (sounds vaguely hornpipey rather than jiggy).
The original name was “Merrily Kiss the Quaker’s Wife’s Sit-upon”, butt that was dropped too.
Yes it’s a slide, but a slide is sometimes considered a type of Jig, so you’re both right! Have a piece of fruit as a reward.
I started with hornpipes. I quite like hornpipes. I suppose I didn’t start learning jigs for, oh, 6 months or so after I picked up the whistle.
Speaking for meself, I think the whistle lends itself very well to the playing of hornpipes. And so does the concertina.
Fun stuff to read over breakfast, this!
My first tune, age 6, was a jig. Three Blind Mice. On the tonette, the
instrument that shaped my musical career. Years later, my first tune on
the whistle was a jig, Jerry Beaver’s Hat.
Goodmorning everyone, Lesl
Morning Lesl! Heh, so it is a schoolday then eh?
Pandabean, a lovely tune that I feel is ideal for a beginer (and you might as well) is a sweet little waltz named Innisheer(sp?). Beautiful melodly that seems to ‘haunt’ one forever.
This one?
Out of all the tunes I play, my wife says Innisheer sticks in her head the most.
Yes Gary, that’s the gem. It’s a simple tune that has mountians to offer in the expression department.