Hey everyone! I’d just picked up the whistle about 2 months back and I’ve been lurking around the forum for quite awhile. Hehe. It’s time to go public, I guess! toots her whistle wildly I was a clarinet player for 6 years, and now that I’ve stopped, I started craving for another vertically held wind instrument to toot around with… So here I am!
I’m still tinkering around with my whistles (Clarke C, Sweetones C and D) and learning stuff off the internet - tutorials, songs etc. Hope I improve in time to come cos I still sound quite raw and squawky… crosses her fingers and toes
However, I am having a quite abit of trouble with putting in ornamentations! Whenever I play the pieces from tinwhistler.com unornamented, they come out sounding all weird and unimpressive. Most of the help that I’ve gotten off whistle websites have only tried to teach the techniques in a nutshell, but they don’t really tell you when and where you should or should not add ornaments. Is there such a thing as over-ornamenting, if I just put them in wherever and whenever I fancy doing so? Should I even be talking about ornamentation when I’m still in my infantile stage of whistling?
Anyway, as you can see from the topic, I’m from Singapore, and would like to get in touch with the rest of the Singaporeans here! (Hello to you all =)) I need information regarding the procurement of whistles! Are there any shops in Singapore that actually carry whistles other than Living Strings?
On 2002-09-18 15:40, dARkChYLd wrote:
…toots her whistle wildly I was a clarinet player for 6 years, and now that I’ve stopped, I started craving for another vertically held wind instrument to toot around with… So here I am!
Why did you stop?
…Anyway, as you can see from the topic, I’m from Singapore, and would like to get in touch with the rest of the Singaporeans here! (Hello to you all =)) …
Hi, fellow Singaporean here. Eldarion, Prometheus and michaelS (Flute forum) are also from Singapore. Eldarion is THE MAN in Singapore (as far as I know), if you want advice on Irish Trad and whistle technique.
I need information regarding the procurement of whistles! Are there any shops in Singapore that actually carry whistles other than Living Strings?
I didn’t even know there was a place here that sold whistles. Where is this Living Strings? What brands does it stock? I think most of us C&Fers in Singapore bought our whistles over the internet, or got them overseas while on trips or thru holidaying friends.
Hi there! Glad to see another Singaporean whistler. Regarding your ornamenting questions and etc, what I can recommend for you is to listen to more recordings of good players. You’ll get a better idea of where ornaments can be used and are usually used. You’ll also realise that there are no hard and fast rules regarding ornamentation, as long as you don’t spoil the rhythm/swing (very important).
Different players ornament at different places and to different extents, and there isn’t really any fixed place for you to do an ornament. Ornaments are just used to bring out bits of the tune and contribute to your playing stylistically.
And try not to learn a tune with sheet music alone. There are many things that are not well notated in the sheet music, like the swing and groove of the tune, as well other stylistic matters. Hence I don’t think it is a good idea to learn tunes purely from sheet music especially if you are a beginner to Irish music. Try to have an audio recording of the tune you are learning (ie learn by ear), and just let the sheet music be a melodic guideline if you feel you need it.
So far I have gotten all my whistle from overseas mail order. I have heard that the Living Strings (at Bras Basah) stocked some Generations and Tony Dixons though.
You mentioned getting together - currently we are organising sessions at people’s homes (to get the ITM scene going in Singapore) and we’re having another session next week. Do drop an email if that interests you!
Tuaz.. don’t need to “por” me alreadi leh.. very pai seh
[ This Message was edited by: Eldarion on 2002-09-19 04:16 ]
HEy! Nice to hear from another Singaporean on the forum…its getting abit lonely wif Eldarion in NS, Tuaz & michealS at work…sighz…all…hmmz…wad happened to the other guys???
The Living Strings??? ARGH!!! there’s a shop selling whistles in SG???
Well, this Living Strings shop’s on the 3rd level of Bras Basah Complex… Near Art Friend and Swee Lee. It’s basically a small shop dealing in acoustic and classical guitars. Seems that the shop owner has a friend by the name of Derrick who holds whistle and flute classes at his ministudio there. The last 2 times I was there, I saw only Clarke Originals and Sweetones. I’ve never seen any Generations or any other brands!
I’ve never met him in person before, but I’ve corresponded with him via email a couple of times. Says he’s gonna hold whistle classes in community centres soon. Oh, he also mentioned something about making his own whistles…
I don’t know if he’s even on this board, but if any of you want to get into contact with him, I can give you his contacts from the namecard I got from the owner of Living Strings…
I used to play the clarinet in my school band when I was in secondary school and junior college. Then for certain personal reasons, when I got to uni 2 years ago, I just didn’t feel like playing anymore. That’s why I’m no longer a player. Partly also because my clarinet’s leaky and it’ll probably cost quite abit to get it fixed up.
Hi Dark. Yeah I’ve met with Derrick before (for a whole afternoon actually). I was kind of disappointed though, because I was expecting someone who plays Irish trad tunes well but he’s really not that. Even worse, he claims to teach “Irish flute and whistle” on his name card, but I honestly think (shhh..) he’s not qualified to even to teach Irish music at all. I was terribly disillusioned after the whole thing.
He’s an above average classical flautist though, and I’m glad he’s stocking whistles and other Irish instruments, making them more accessible. I heard in our last conversation, that he was bringing in Tony Dixon’s stuff as well - and I might be wrong about the Generations.
[ This Message was edited by: Eldarion on 2002-09-19 07:35 ]
He guys If you want to learn the whistle the best bet is to contact Bill Ochs at The Pennywistler’s Press
Get his Cd and book. It is the only source available that realy work for the beginning tin whistle player. He plays each tune and then break it down into sections, with each section having its own track. This way you can put your cd player on repeat and play the section over and over again until you get it right.
This is the closest thing you can get to having an instructor in the room with you.
As you advance in playing you can contact him and he will send you copies CD from his more advanced classes.
Bill is a teacher of IT and that is how he makes his living so he has a vested interest in the students walking away satisfied.
I am saying these nice thing about Bill because I have taken several classes with him and know how much I improved.
Eldarion: Thanks for your contribution. Well, let’s also just wait and see what other whistles Derrick might bring in. He once said that he might start ordering whistles of other brands. Depending on demand, I guess. So I delegate you to go demand that he orders new whistles for us. Heh heh. Kidding.
Wizzer: Hrm yeah, I was trying to decide between getting Bill Och’s book, or The Complete Irish Tin Whistle by LE McCullough… Both are about the same price and have been highly recommended. But I’ve yet to save up enough to pay for the item as well as postage! angry toot
Juz recce-ed Living Strings, met Derek & Tim. Nice guys. Found another gal playing the whistle there. She goes there for sessions I think or is part of Derek’s class.
They only have Clarke Sweetones n Originals in D & C there. He might briong in the Oaks soon. Cross your fingers.
Well…we’ll hope…it might not be feasible for him to bring them in as so little people here play them. He might make losses or may have to mark up the prices.
They only have Clarke Sweetones n Originals in D & C there. He might briong in the Oaks soon. Cross your fingers.
Brgds/Wayne
I’m crossing my fingers…eventhough it’s quite a distance No Generations, eh? I was thinking of making a trip just to buy whistles I tried a golden diamond Clarkes but didn’t like it that much.
On 2002-09-21 13:15, psychih wrote:
P/S: Can I buy Peach Schnapps in Singapore? > > >
Do you mean the alcoholic kind? It would be really great if you do come down to visit your southern neighbour one of these days - we could all get together and have sessions! By the way your Cotter flute will be due in a month or so right?
You people in Singapore are sooo lucky to have like-minded people! The IrishTrad population density here in Malaysia, is like, well … psychih also knows how ‘dense’ it is here…
By the way, question to those in Singapore: any ‘slow air’ related books there?
I think Kinokuniya or Borders might have 1 or 2 slow Irish ballad/song books with a few airs in them, but I don’t think there are those really “sean nos-ish” slow air books here. I would suggest trying to learn slow airs by ear though. They aren’t too melodically complex and you can learn the nuances much better if you learn it “live” or from a recording.
I think Kino and Borders might stock LE McCullough’s tutor though.
On 2002-09-21 22:09, Eldarion wrote:
Do you mean the alcoholic kind? It would be really great if you do come down to visit your southern neighbour one of these days - we could all get together and have sessions! By the way your Cotter flute will be due in a month or so right?
Yep, German scnhapps. Pretty deadly. My flute’s already finished I’m just waiting for it to get to me…and I hope it won’t take too long.
No Generations, eh? I was thinking of making a trip just to buy whistles 
I tried a golden diamond Clarkes but didn’t like it that much.