Hello,
I just recently (about 2 weeks ago) started teaching myself to play the tinwhistle. The book I have is not tremendously helpful. Maybe you all could help me with a few questions I have. First, is there a correct way to hold the whistle, i.e. fingers arched or flat? Second, is there a better way to shape my mouth to produce a better tone? I have no previous musical experience and am having to learn to read music as I teach myself to play. Any advice would be great!
Thanks so much!
Hi Karen -
Welcome! You will undoubtably get more advice here than you ever wanted 
I have a question for you, which book are you using? what whistle do you have? OK, that’s two questions. 
But that info could help us in suggesting things for you to try.
Welcome Karen!! I am a fairly newby myself…playing for almost a year now!! But, I had the advantage of knowing how to play clarinet and guitar..reading music. Your best bet is to hold the whistle gently, but firmly…you will have your fingers gently arched..placing not the tips of your finger…but the fatty pads on the holes. Practice covering all the holes and lifting one at a time and covering the holes back again. Do this over and over until you are producing a good sound with your fingers covering all of the respective holes.
Your mouth..should be relaxed as well. Don’t try and bite the mouthpiece with your teeth…let your lips go on the mouthpiece..don’t pucker like you are giving someone a kiss…but your lips should be fairly firm…like a kiss. I probably am making this clear as mud!! So…I’ll let others reply to this..probably much better than I!!
Good luck..and welcome to the world of whistles. I absolutely am OBSESSED by my whistles..and my music…I love to play!!
Oh yeah..practice every day…doesn’t matter if it is only 10 minutes…you will get used to it!!
Again, Welcome!
Nancy
When I first started playing, I found that a good way of learning the distinctive little accents that make the whistle sound the way it does (cuts, taps, rolls, etc.) is by trying to introduce them into tunes you’re already familiar with. That way, you’re not concentrating on the notes AND the accents. Have some fun, there’s no tin whistle midterm to cram for.
If you can learn to play a simple tune like Frère Jacques, Old McDonald, If I Only Had A Brain, or anything along those lines with confidence early on, you can start accenting them right away, rather than having to go through the recorder-like stage with all kinds of traditional whistle melodies you don’t know. Also, songs like that sound fine when played slowly: this is important, because you have to play slowly at first, and you might be discouraged hearing yourself play a reel or jig slowly.
Hope that helps.
Thank you Avanutria, Nancymae and Doze!
The whistle that I have is a Clarke Sweetone. I was at a Scottish festival and a lady at a booth was selling them. It sounded so pretty when she played that I just had to buy one! The book is called Fun With The Tinwhistle from Mel Bay. I knew this book had issues when I got to the part explaining slurs and yet it had never explained how to tongue! I picked this book because it had the most songs that I recognized and was interested in learning. I didn’t really check it for teaching content. Oops! :roll:
I am most interested in learning to play folk music and hymns.
Thanks again for your help. I am sure I will have many more questions!
Also, Avanutria, you are from Utah! So am I! I live in Orem. Where abouts are you, if it’s not too forward to ask? Maybe you are the woman who was selling whistles at the festival! 
Karen
…I’m new at the tin whistle as well! Been playing for about a month now, and I’ve learned quite a few tunes so far…
Any instrument is gonna be a bit tricky at first, that’s a given, but if you just keep your mind focused on the fact that the more you practice the better you sound, it’ll make the pain a little easier!
What I’ve been using is a songbook entitled: Ireland’s Best Tin Whistle Tunes Volume 1. It has three sections: Beginner, Improver, and Advanced. This book is by no means a tutorial, so I’d recommend that you get at least the basic stuff down first before buying a book like this. The copy I bought includes two CD’s that have all 110 songs on it. The CD has proven invaluable to me in helping me to learn the songs. The Beginner’s section of the book includes Whistle “tab” (shapes of little whistles under the written notes that have black dots to represent the holes to be covered) which helps because I can’t read music at all! I would recommend trying to find some tutorials or songbooks that include the Whistle “tab” as you’re starting out. The later sections of the book I’m using doesn’t have the “tab”, but I’m quite familiar with the letters of the notes, so I just jot those down beneath the written notes.
Most importantly, just have fun! You may want to search around in the Forum for a topic I started called “…tips for a beginner”. Lots of folks took the time to offer their advice and suggestions, and you may find some of it helpful as well!
Hi Karen! Nope, I wasn’t at the fest, almost was but I chose to work overtime instead that saturday. but if I am thinking of the right event, a friend of mine was there representing the Salt Lake Piping Club.
I live less than an hour from you, just outside Salt Lake City. Would you like to get together sometime? I’d be happy to give you some in-person assistance, and you can try my whistles before I finish putting them all up on ebay… Drop me an email (remove the spam blocker) or a Private Message (top right of this page to get to PM section) if this is something that interests you, and we’ll chat.
–Beth
My favorite advice is this: Accuracy before speed. Learn to play well slow, then learn to speed up.
Mel Bay’s "Teach Yourself the Tin Whistle is an okay book. L.E. McCoullough’s gets too hard too fast (ie. there aren’t many easy tunes for beginners) but is otherwise very good. I’ve not seen the Och’s book.
I really like Bill Ochs; Pennywhistle Book plus CD. And my favorite freebee is a great web site – http://www.rogermillington.com. Brother Steve, that’s his name, and he has a step-by-step tutorial plus sound bites that’s really helpful. My other suggestion is to have at least one or two lessons with a seasoned player. A few minutes of watching how she/he does it will answer a multitude of your questions pronto. Good luck–whistling’s about the most fun thing I’ve ever done!!
As an absolute newbie with less than no previous experience, I have to also recommend the Bill Ochs book. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0962345628/qid=1088745816/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/103-5645767-8216603?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
Thanks so much Everyone! I have already put much of your advice to work. I can tell its helping, too! I think whistling is so much fun. I appreciate your help.
Karen