I have a clarke c whistle that I love. I bought it with a book and tape, but am struggling with these. Can anyone suggest other lessons which I could try? Maybe something which starts out some other way than mary had a little lamb or yankee doodle? I like the tape to listen how the music sounds. thanks for your help
I can totally understand that sentiment. You can find audio for tons of tunes at:
http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/newspage.htm
As for the sheet music, there are quite a few options. Someones bound to reply with the ‘121 session tunes’ book which comes with CDs. I loaned it out, and I don’t remember the title exactly. Another one I like though is this one:
http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=93819
It includes whistle tab, which is a bit friendlier than standard musical notation.
- Ben
[ This Message was edited by: tinker on 2002-11-01 11:52 ]
[ This Message was edited by: tinker on 2002-11-01 11:54 ]
Hi Jymles,
Do you want something simpler than Mary Had or something more complex? The tape goes onto other tunes, so if these are too simple for you, skip onto something you like (that’s what I did, and I have the same set). If you need something simpler, try playing tunes you already know, hymns, carols, etc, working out the fingering as you go along. It’s a great way to get to focus on the sound of your whistle and not have to have half your attention on the sheet music.
You have a C whistle, but most tutor tapes & CDs would be intended for a D whistle, so I recommend you get one of those (Clarke do one just like the C you have). Otherwise you’ll have trouble playing along with the tunes.
There are many good tutors available for all sorts of whistle music. The Clarke (Bill Ochs) book has traditional English, Irish, Scottish and American tunes, which I think gives a nice variety to start with.
Most other tutors will focus on one style (Irish being the most popular).
[ This Message was edited by: Martin Milner on 2002-11-01 10:10 ]
On 2002-11-01 03:18, tinker wrote:
I can totally understand that sentiment. You can find audio for tons of tunes at:http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/newspage.htm> .
As for the sheet music, there are quite a few options. Someones bound to reply with the ‘121 session tunes’ book which comes with CDs. I loaned it out, and I don’t remember the title exactly. Another one I like though is this one:
It includes whistle tab, which is a bit friendlier than standard musical notation.
- Ben
Ben - neither of these links work, nor the main sites either. Any clues?
There are FEW good tutors available for whistle music for a beginning musician. The Clark (Bill Ochs) book with the Cd will teach you the techniques and simple tunes, This is the only tutor out there for a beginner most if no all the other assume you are a musician picking up the whistle. Bill book is the only tutor for beginners, buy the tutor with the cd and you will never regret it.
I have had the opportunity to take classes with Bill at the Irish Arts Center in NYC and he is very helpful.
I cleaned up the links, so they should work now. The board decided a trailing period was part of the link. Sorry about that.
- Ben
Thank you all for your help.
Jim C.
If I can add one to this list, I strongly advocate Robin Williamson’s “The Penny Whistle Book” for any beginner who wants tunes that are more interesting than “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Williamson starts beginners out with simple but lovely tunes, mostly from England, Scotland and Wales, but a few from America…some examples of simple early tunes in the book include “Ramble Away” (England), “Lovely Joan” (England), “The Ash Grove” (Wales), “Shady Grove” (America), and “Shepherd’s Hey” (England). Easy tunes to pick up, but far more interesting, both musically and culturally, than the kind of stuff you find in most beginners books.
Williamson does get into more complicated music, quite a bit of which is Irish, though he includes some Scottish, Welsh and American jigs and reels in the mix. He explains ornamentation rather well, I think. Definitely a worthwhile book for a new whistler to have on hand, even if it doesn’t come with a CD.
Redwolf