Well…here I am. Been playing for about 4 days. I practice 1-2 hrs. after work. And I must say…some of the sounds emanating from my whistle, drive the dog and cats, out of the room. I have a Walton Little black whistle, Clarke Sweetone, Susato Dublin. Can’t play the Susato, it seems the most difficult for me. Not sure if I like the stubby fipple. Going to stick with the Walton for now. Typical newbie.. I have problems keeping the holes covered consistently. I have a book/CD by Peter Pickow. If nothing else…I have the determination to master this instrument…my first. Funny thing is, the wife and I spawned two young men, both musicians…26 and 30. The elder teaches music in high school and band. He plays all the clarinets, and then some. The younger, turned out to be a percussionist. Both of them are classically trained. I am going to surprise them, when I can play a few tunes. The wife want to take up the classical guitar, in the near future. Which is a good thing, because I will need an accompanist.
We live about 30 miles east of Nashville, in Wilson County, TN
When I first started, the squawks and squeaks unsettled the dog and she would either ask to go outside or if the weather was bad to the farthest corner of the house. Even years later, after all those were gone, if I picked up a whistle, she’d still give me a sideways look.
What a nice surprise for your children. After you surprise them, you’ll really have to do a quartet. Have a recital.
Welcome! Another tip: pick up a slightly lower whistle or two, like maybe a Generation C or Bb. They’re no harder to play, but a lot easier on the ears. That also expands the number of keys you’ll be able to play in, obviously.
Welcome! Your kids will so pleasantly surprised, and you have stumbled on something better than any therapy out there.
As for which whistle, that’s not so important, just play what feels right and works for you, as you’re doing now. The main thing is to just play, sounds like you’re putting in a great amount of time. As you improve, you may contract the syndrome of WhOA (Whistle Obsessive Acquisition Disorder), where you feel the need to collect whistles and they seem to follow you home.
Thanks for all the tips!. The Susato has been put away…to age. We will play no whistle before it’s time. I also fly dual line kites…so I already know about Obsessive Acquisition. Don’t think I haven’t been looking. Especially at some of those “tweaked” whistles. But…the main thing is to practice with what I have. Get that foundation down…and play…perchance to dream…the sweet dreams of an uninterrupted jig…or reel…with nary a squeak. Aye…there’s the rub!
Hi Chris. I’m new too (4 days in) and already suffering from a touch of WhOA D. Luckily, it’s the budget strain. A good option if you do want a lower pitch whistle is James Becker:
I started on a Sweetone. Not a bar choice. I’d say stick with the Sweetone for a month. It’s easier to get used to the quirks of one whistle at a time. At leat until you can tell if the random squeek is instrument failure or pilot error.
Yeah, some days are just bad days! I feel the same, there are some days that you pick it up on the run just for the addiction and play wonderfully for 10 minutes…and then you have to leave! Some other days, you have hours of practise in front of you and simply can’t play a simple tune without messing it up!
The most important thing is to have fun, and coming from a totally diferent instrument (e-bass) my theory is that when those “bad” days appear…I just let it go and take a walk or watch TV. At least for me it works like that.
If you push it too much you might loose interest I guess.
Just my opinion in my (little) musical experience!
