Does anyone have any ready-made flier or pamphlet on playing the 'whistle, which could be handed out at workshops?
I’m thinking to teach a short workshop at a local pub, and sell Clarke Meg whistles at-cost ($3.50). It’d be cool to get a digital copy of a flier or pamphlet on the basics of 'whistle that I could print out and distribute.
While I’m here, does anyone have advice on good starter songs for teaching 19-40yr olds with no particular musical niche background? I’d feel pretty lame teaching them Hot Cross Buns, but Road to Lisdoonvarna is probably not a good starter song.
Any good tunes that aren’t massively unhip, but are easy to play?
If I were at a pub and interested, I’ be willing to shell out the $5.20 for the Sweetone to support working wages over the $3.50 for the Meg that doesn’t. $1.70 is hardly something most in a pub would bat an eye at.
Just a suggestion from someone in your target demographic. I think it is a great idea!
Edit: I asked the better half who is not nearly as idealistic as I am. He said he would probably go for it under $5, but wouldn’t want to break a ten. I then asked if both were offered and he was told the only difference was a living wage for someone in the UK versus a substandard wage for someone in China, what he would do. He said he would choose the Sweetone and would ask me for the change. I’d be proud enough to give it to him, too.
As a beginner myself, I can tell you I’ve enjoyed learning The Star of the County Down, The Dawning of the Day (Fainne Geal an Lae), Baidin Fheidhlimidh, and The Foggy Dew.
And Amazing Grace.
The Star of the County Down I learned from Ryan Duns’ Fordham University online videos. The others were from Clare McKenna’s book A Complete Guide to Learning the Irish Tin Whistle. (Although I think Ryan Duns also uses The Dawning of the Day.)
I also read somewhere on this forum that someone likes to play The Battle Hymn of the Republic on his tin whistle because it’s easy.
I put together a whistle workshop several years ago. I spent so much time trying to find, then figuring out how to create, whistle-tabbed music in the format that I wanted.
That grew into my website, Whistle and Squeak. I know that at least a couple of other board participants have used the sheet music for teaching and workshops. I’ve tried to put up a variety of music.
The “Instruction” page might be a good place to look, as I have some of the songs organized by difficulty, from starter tunes on up.
If there is a particular tune you’d like, but don’t see, e-mail the link that is on each page, and I’ll see what I can do. My turnaround time is a bit unreliable, btw…
there’s already a thread about this subject somewhere from about half a year ago. My first pieces when I got lessons were The Sixpenny Bit and Morrison’s Jig, both easy to play, and in need of good ornamentation. So they are quite good pieces to practice ornamentation as well.
I’ve had good success with Leitrim Fancy (nice steady jig with lots of basic shapes, e.g rocking step patterns) over the years - you can readily introduce cuts and the C nat cross fingering (oxo xxx)and D over-the- break (oxx xxx) in it as you go - and no, that isn’t too much in a starter tune for over 8s of normal range mental and physical ability, regardless of their musical background.
Assorted tips…
Do it by ear and eye (let 'em watch your hands) and explain/demonstrate the “ornaments” as articulation as they crop up, so they are part of the tune from the first shot. I’ve also found it useful to call out/semi sing note names or number of fingers as they play slowly, e.g. “GAG FAF…” or “Three two three, four two four …” etc. Teach note names/finger correlations from the start too and vary which you use to sing out. You can also easily tie this in with ABC notation.
One tune will be ample to start with. In fact, if you get the A music done and everyone playing it in a 30-40 minute session, you’ll be doing well if they’re mostly beginners. Good luck!
BTW, it makes a nice set with Humours of Dingle (Whelan’s) and Morrison’s, as below (written out without much indication of ornamentation!). Those can both introduce rolls and taps or tongueing/“glottaling”.
I say look to the incredibly well known tunes in your culture, and use one of 'em. A tune that people know already means they can focus on the mechanics of instrument handling without worrying about learning the music.
Quick story (because everyone loves a story.) I started playing in summer of 2001. I had one of those Feadog/tutorial packs from a souvenir shop in Virginia. Toward the end of summer I knew about four tunes, including Amazing Grace, and when 9/11 hit, I played the hell out of it, often with tears in my eyes.
