Hi folks, just occurred to me to mention that the new Rafferty tune book is also for whistle players. When I began my lessons I could not play the music or the flute at all, and learned from scratch on the whistle. Please though remember to tape record your tune and learn from the tape. Here is the thread, over the flute forum.
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=36505&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Thank you and now back to regularly scheduled whistling.
Huh?
To avoid learning from the dots. 
The tunebook is excellent. Lesl rocks.
–James
Ah, because it’s so much better to learn from a tape of sight-reading sheet music that by just reading the sheet music? The only thing sillier I can imagine is carefully transcribing a recording so you can learn from the dots…
Wait, no, I’ve got it. You could start with the sheet music, recording yourself playing it before you’ve learned it, through away the sheet music, then transcribe your new recording and learn from the new dots. Gives your own personal touch to the music, you know!
That’s the spirit. This one obviously calls for some lateral thinking. I wonder how many transcriptions it would take for the Kesh Jig to morph into Out On the Ocean.
I learn tunes exclusively by ear, and up until this book anyway, used to write them down* after I had them in a lesson, and file them away. (*prior to the book, now don’t have time..)
But if someone handed me a sheet of a tune I did not have a recording of but wanted to learn, I would indeed play the tune off the sheet into the computer and learn off the recording.
However as pointed out, if someone unfamiliar with the Music does this, there could be a .. problem.. the solution being to listen more and read less..
Uh oh, this is perfectly clear, right? 
Actually it does make sense, Lesl. I just couldn’t resist pulling your chain just a tiny bit.
–James
Hey if I worked in sales I’d be fired. You can pull my wooden leg as much as you wish. Didn’t I too just say get this book but don’t use it.
“oi” 
1st mate eliza.
I knew we were interpreting you unsympathetically but, on a quick reading, I honestly couldn’t figure out what you meant.
Still, makes for fun and serves to bump the thread.
This is one of the best resources currently out there, a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man who could be considered a living legend, and if you have ever listened to “Speed 78” you will quickly see what I mean. His stories are enchanting.
Mary
Just an update - there is now a page of errata and some additional notes on the tunes from research by Paul de Grae in Co. Kerry. While pondering how to get these to everybody, Brad Hurley came to my rescue and put up a web page for the book. Its here:
http://www.firescribble.net/rafferty
PS Rereading my posts here, I still think routinely recording stuff out of tunebooks to learn is a little weird, though I admit I’ve been tempted to do it in one or two special cases recently.
But, much more importantly, having now seen this tunebook and learned some tunes from Mike Rafferty, I wouldn’t hesitate to highly recommend this book. It’s loaded with cool tunes.
quite a few of the tunes, maybe 1/4, are available in versions close to or identical to these, on Mike Rafferty’s albums. The BEST way to learn them would be to listen to him play them and consult the dots to fill in the voids.
This is a great book and I find myself consulting it frequently after finding a new gem on one of Mike and Mary’s albums. Even if you don’t get the book, get the CD’s – he’s one of the best.