Can anyone come up with a tune that reflects the juggling whistler tradition? Maybe we need to write one.
E
How about the Gold ring(s).I once played a 7/8 Baltic version of whisky in the jar in a minor key for a laugh…juggling 5 five balls is probably easier!
Mike
Juggling is something that is probably easier in reality than most non-juggling people think it is. I have taught people to juggle in the past, and most people with average co-ordination pick it up almost straight away. If you are prepared to practice regularly, then I don’t see why just about anyone could not master a solid 5 ball cascade.
However, above that level it is different - the difficulty rises exponentially with the number of objects. Anyone who can do a seven or more ball cascade is a talented juggler - most people would not be able to do it, regardless of how much they practiced.
How about whistling? I have no special musical talent, but I think I have progressed quite well over the 3 months since I started learning. Do you think there is an easily defined ‘line’ beyond which the average (not in anyway ‘gifted’) person will not be able to progress? Anyone care to suggest tunes or techniques that fall either side of this ‘line’?
–
Keith
[ This Message was edited by: keiths on 2001-11-03 10:04 ]
I don’t know that I can answer your question Keith, but I do agree with you about basic juggling (3 or 4 ball and 6-7 club passing) being relatively easy. Personally I’ve found learning to play the flute and whistle well is much more of a challenge.
I’d say, for me, getting to the point where I can play a tune REALLY well, is about as difficult as trying to master the 5 ball cascade, where I’ve only been able to manage runs of about 10 or 12 catches. I’ve never had the time or energy to practice five enough to get it solid, and I’m starting to feel that way about tunes as well: It’s not so hard to learn the basic tune structure and get it under your fingers, but making the jump from there, to playing the tune as well as a really good player…well, that’s the tough part - at least for me.
Very interesting subject…
Anyone else care to comment on this?
Loren
It’s said that juggling is usefull in bringing into balance left/right brain function as it requires one to train his or her weak side and a really competant juggler would most likely be ambidextras.Someone pointed out recently that while Seamus Eagan plays right handed flute, he is a lefty whistle player…secret juggler?Although I feel the purpose in juggling is simply to juggle the benefits it brings to whistle playing are perhaps significant enough for non juggling whistle players to check this out and its interesting that so many of us here have this in common.Toys-r-us have very good and inexpensive juggling balls if anyone is interested.Peace, Mike 
Mike,
I wouldn’t agree that competant Jugglers are ambidextrous. Most cannot do things like write well, or bat opposite handed just because they’ve learned to juggle well. In fact, even highly skilled jugglers tend to have one hand that causes them significantly more misses than the other - usually due to a bad throw rather than a bad catch.
It appears that no reasonable amount of effort can make a right or left handed person truly ambidexterous - at least not in the sense of being able to pick up a new physical skill as easily with one hand or foot as the other. Rigorously working your “weak” side with various physical skills drills can bring it closer in ability to your “Strong” side, and eventually you can become almost equal in a given specific skill, from one side to the other, but the amount of practice required to get your weak side close to your strong is unproportional. Then, when you switch to a different skill than the one you’ve been practicing, you’re weak side will still lag significantly behind the strong side.
I’ve tried for over 20 years (as a professional Martial Arts Instructor) to become ambidextrous, and while I can fight, fence and juggle well both right and left handed, my right side is side is still more co-ordinated, faster, and stronger than my left. I still can’t throw a ball or frisbee well with my left hand. Writing lefthanded is out of the question, and if I try to play a whistle with my hands swapped like Egan, I can’t play a tune to save my life. Now I haven’t really worked at practicing these things lefthanded as I did with Martial Arts, Fencing, and Juggling, but that’s my point: More than 20 years of busting my butt to develop my weak side has not made me truly ambidextrous. 
Never the less, you are right that doing things like Juggling will help strengthen your weak hand and improve co-ordination, I just don’t think people will really notice much of a difference. Personally I’ve seen no cross over benefit to playing whistle or flute.
Maybe others have had a different experience?
Loren
I have always had great respect for Jonglures because I have never been able to master even the basics. If you need an instrument to compliment your talent(s) you might consider…
Tabor](http://www.taborers.co.uk/wells.html%22%3ETabor) Pipes
Here is one played with a string drum
this guy is having trouble with his application
Silly](http://www.taborers.co.uk/bosch.html%22%3ESilly) piper!
I personaly like the one-handed Recorders(can I say that here?)by Dolmetsch.
One](http://www.be-blood.demon.co.uk/goldpage.htm%22%3EOne) Handed Recorders 
[ This Message was edited by: Thomas-Hastay on 2001-11-03 14:35 ]
Wanted to respond to a couple of Loren’s earlier comments which I agree with. I’m of the belief that juggling tends to show people just how much they are not ambidextrous. After working for years on improving the dexterity of my left hand, it still lagged dramatically compared to my right. This can actually be useful, in some regards. Did you know that if you work a trick with your left hand first, the right often learns it with little or no practice (it really works!!).
Loren, your other comment is true, also. We tend to work on tunes/tricks, only to a point. There are probably a number of reasons for this, but one of the greatest is there is rarely a “goal”. We play music because we enjoy it. Rarely do we have to learn a piece so complicated as to rival Ms. Bergin in its technical exactness. So we tend to stop when it’s comfortalbe. One other reason is we often work alone when learning. Most folks in this thread mention solo juggling. Most folks tend to practice intstruments alone. It’s always easier to practice with others, and it’s always more inspiring to have others to “bounce off” of, all pun intended.
One last comment, since it’s slow at work, is a response the a great juggling tune. Years ago (shameless name-dropping warning), I did a show with the Flying Karamazov Brothers called “Comedy of Errors”. There was a piece called “BP 2” (short for Big Production Number 2). It’s a fairly complicated piece when you see it on paper; it’s on 20/8 time. However, when you juggle to it, or play it, it makes complete and total sense. It was written by Thaddius Spae, it’s a beautiful piece, and a kick to juggle to.
I’m going back to work now.
All the best,
Mark Sackett
[ This Message was edited by: mark02 on 2001-11-05 20:25 ]
If anyone is interested check out this on becoming ambidextrous http://traevoli.com/ambidex.php3 its fascinating…this guy writes left handed,right side to left in a mirror image of normal writing!Mike