Like the subject says, I have been known to get frustrated very easily, and my whistle playing is no exception. I started out by playing the songs that came in the little book that I got with my whistle. Basic first instrument songs like “Old Macdonald” as well as a few Irish Drinking songs and the like. When I try to branch out into new music, I can’t find anything in my skill level and I feel like I am making no progress in any of the songs I find.
This reminds me of when I taught myself guitar. I would get frustrated, but when I did, I would play the intro to Metallica’s “One.” It is one of my favorite songs, and is very easy to play. This kept the guitar in my hands and helped me learn it.
I know my whistle playing will come together with practice, but until then, can anyone recommend some songs that are fun and easy to keep the whistle in my hands?
Maybe you’d like to try some slow tune like “South Wind” or “Planxty Irwin”. Or what about the “Kesh Jig”? You can find all these tunes on JC’s tunefinder.
Two easy tunes that got me through the stage you’re talking about are Scarborough Faire and Greensleeves. Neither are Irish, but they are very easy and might help you get through this early part of your learning.
duckrasta, you didn’t mention the name of the book you are using but perhaps you need a better book? IMO Bill Och’s “The Clarke Tinwhistle Handbook” is really good. I’m teaching myself from it (with no access to a tutor) and I find the book really well-paced. It has quite a number of beginner and intermediate tunes that might be just the right thing for you.
Be patient with yourself - it takes a great deal of time to learn anything properly. As you know, progress comes slowly. I find that I don’t progress at a steady rate; rather, I sort of progress from one plateau to the next higher one. So, at times, it seems like i’m not getting better but then all of a sudden I can hear that I am.
For example, I bought this Chieftain soprano D whistle from Phil Hardy. At first I hated it - I couldn’t get a decent note out of it, I squeeked it like crazy, and it needed a lot of air. Discouraged, I tossed it my wife’s lingerie drawer (for safe keeping) and didn’t touch it for a couple of months. Of course, I kept practising with other whistles. When I tried the Chieftain again I found that I no longer experienced some of the problems I’d had with it previously but I still wasn’t happy with it. I did this three or four times and each time I would experience less trouble than the time before. A few weeks ago, I heard a song at church that my wife really likes (set to the simple English tune “Kingsford”) and I thought, “That might sound nice on the Chieftain.” When I got home I played it and my wife said it sounded “stunning” (and now asks me to play the tune for her once every day or two). My point is that sometimes we try to run when we should be walking (or crawling).
It’s harder to play songs you don’t already know in your head. I mean to say that, if you listen to a recording of the tune until you can hum it, it’ll be easier to play by the music, because you’ll know whether or not it sounds right.
I had been using Walton’s Irish Whistle Book, which came with my whistle, but I just ordered The Complete Irish Tinwhistle Tutor by L.E. McCullough. Hopefully this will have some stuff to get me going.
On 2002-07-05 01:53, Duckrasta wrote:can anyone recommend some songs that are fun and easy to keep the whistle in my hands?
Rosin the Bow (Beau?) is easily learned from either a recording or written music, and lends itself nicely to being ‘spruced up’. Many of the versions I’ve seen are bland, but the tune really can be made snappy by playing around with the length of the notes and giving it a bit of a snap, and the high note can be drawn out, ornamented, fussed with. It used to give me a real feel of accomplishment because it was easy to make it sound good, sound different, and still be recognizable.
Amazing Grace I think is the same way. Played ‘straight’ it is gorgeous. Its the perfect tune to learn how to insert a cut here, a tap there, slow, graceful slides. And most people don’t need to see it written to know what it should sound like.
To ease into Irish music, My Darling Asleep is a VERY nice jig. The first place I ever heard it was on a Jay Unger/Molly Mason CD called Lover’s Waltz, which is probably my all time favorite CD in any genre. Listen for LE McCullough’s whistle on a few of the tracks (including Themes from Legends of the Fall which took me all of an afternoon and the patience of a very good friend to figure out). I still prefer playing this jig at Unger’s pace than the typical session tear. It taught me how the feel of a tune can change with the tempo, and how you can make a tune personal.
Learn a polka…almost any one of them. They ARE easy, jaunty, happy tunes that give a sense of accomplishment.
Try Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Again, its a tune that may be a little more difficult because it has an accidental in there, but its probably already in your head, so you don’t need score; its recognizable so your spouse/parents/children/neighbor will compliment you on your skill, and you can dress it up with a little ornamentation.
Hey! I’m a newcomer in the tin whistling, but one thing that always gets me going is to play over my favourite “whistle” tunes… like those instrumentals from “The Corrs” (Lough Erin Shore, etc). I get the song rolling and join them with my own sound… Really neat… Try that for some encouraging
Gotta agree with Walden. Once a tune’s in your head, it’s a whole lot easier to learn. Just to get the hang of the instrument, try picking out some Christmas carols. Just about every one I can think of can be played on the whistle. Don’t try to read them from a music book (they’re probably in a bad key anyway) just play around and try to find the notes. You’ll surprise yourself.
The McCullough tutor is excellent for learning ornamentation and has a fair number of tunes, so it was a decent choice. I’d also recommend L.E.'s Video tape, which is a little more basic and could help you learn some tunes very quickly.
Finally, McCullough’s 121 Favorite Irish Sessions tunes is a must if you want to learn Irish tunes.
