I made this post on the wrong thread and didn’t know it until it was brought to my attention. Sorry about that, Cynth.
I was wondering if folks could list the top 20 tunes one should know before venturing out into the wide world of tin whistle playing. I am new to this and don’t really know what tunes are “standards” …
yea get it together man! (I’m kidding)
There’s been more than a few threads here discussing lists and back in November when I was here a couple of months I posted a thread asking what were your favorite tunes to play right now. It’s not necessarily the first 20 you should know but… I’ll go back and dredge up that post right now so it will be on this page. There was a ton of great suggestions as I remember. --mike
Okay, the thing to understand is that different places play different things. And there is a very fine line between tunes everyone knows, and tunes that have been played so often they have been completely beaten into the ground. By necessity that sort of thing is local; different tunes get overplayed in different places.
So none of this is anything like gospel; just a few suggestions if you’re talking Irish music, tunes which are on the easier side, fairly well known, and in my observation, not completely played out.
Jim Ward’s Jig (in G): a great little jig which doesn’t go too high. Recorded by classic Irish musicians like Andy McGann, as well as lots of new groups like Lunasa (in D), Calasig, and the Duhks.
The Mountain Road: Classic reel (usually played single, I believe, though I’ve got recordings both ways) by Michael Gorman. Again, limited range, and very very well known.
Road to Lisdoonvarna: There are both jig and reel versions of this tune, and they’re both approachable and fairly well known. My sense is that the jig version might be slightly on the cliched side, but at least in these parts, it doesn’t suffer nearly the abuse that Kesh and Cliffs of Moher get, so it’s probably an okay choice. (The only recording that pops to mind is Chieftains 3.)
St. Anne’s Reel: This is one of those tunes that trandcends traditions; pretty much everywhere there are reels a version of it is played, no matter whether you’re in Ireland, Quebec, or the US. Yet it definitely doesn’t seem to be overplayed in these parts.
One would need a lot more than 20, because if you wanted to play along, a session might not hit any of them because people know tunes in the hundreds. When I first started though, I found various sessions lists just by doing Internet searches. With enough of them, you start to get a sense of the landscape.But do keep in mind that tunes have many different names, so sometimes you find that what seems to be a new tune is one you know of by a different name. But really, if you want to go to a local session, you need their list, if they have one. Then you have to practice a lot. If you are lucky, there may be a “Slow Session” in your home area. They are understanding of people who are just learning and usually provide sheets (if you use em) and help.
There are various publications, often mentioned here, that claim to be the TOP 110 or 120 tunes. It’s funny how different they can be! It’s also funny, if not frustrating, that their versions aren’t necessarily that close to how people actually play them.
Good luck.
If you want to play at sessions, the best thing to do is to go to the session you want to play at, bring a music recorder and record all their tunes, then go home and learn them. That way you will be sure to learn tunes that you will get to play! Or you can go and listen to the session, and ask them the names of the tunes you like so you can learn them from other sources.
This is a better method than learning a list of standard tunes, because this way you will be learning tunes that the people in your area like to play. Good luck, 
Justine
This assumes you have a happy, functioning session in the area. A relative beginner trying this at our local session would be in a world of hurt – tunes are played too fast and tune selection is dominated by fiddles (and frequently not whistle friendly at all). And the tunes are obscure enough that anything you did manage to learn would likely not be played at any other session in the state of Michigan. (Several of us have been grumbling that we should start up another session, but it hasn’t happened yet.)
That said, of course if you want to learn how to play at a particular session, the best way to do it is to go there, listen, record, and ask questions.
ams----i don’t know enough to answer your question. But why did you apologize to me? Oh, maybe it was on the question I brought up. No need to apologize to me!
Aaahhhh, the world of tune confuison opens up.. Thanks for all your insights. Taking a recorder will help as soon as I find a session!!!
Hi - what I do is go to a new session with a whistle, lie low for a bit, and if it looks whistle-friendly I busk along, if not I get drunk and mutter about fiddlers.
Seriously, I dunno - all the advice above this posting looks good.
Aren’t they all called “The Lark In The Morning” except the Lark In The Morning, which is called the Yellow Boy?
I’ll ask Turlough at the pub, Tuesday night
Cheers
:roll:
Morrison’s Jig seems to be a very common tune that, while played quite a bit, is still popular (I could be wrong tho…).
Jimmy Ward’s and the Mountain Road are both good so I’ll second that suggestion.
Cooley’s Reel seems widely known but not over played, same thing for the Earl’s Chair. (I like Cooley’s, Earl’s Chair, and the Virginia Reel as a set).
The Blarney Pilgrim is a good one to know but it may be on the verge of being overplayed.
-Brett
In this area, Morrison’s has gone beyond being overplayed to never being played because pretty much everyone hates it at this point. Which is kind of a shame, it’s a nice enough tune.
Cooley’s Reel seems widely known but not over played, same thing for the Earl’s Chair. (I like Cooley’s, Earl’s Chair, and the Virginia Reel as a set).
Cooley’s I’m mildly down on, but this may be strictly my own prejudice, I can’t recall hearing others express disdain for it. Earl’s Chair is a fabulous choice, one of those classic tunes that is widely known but not played to death. I wouldn’t have thought of Virginia Reel – seems like I’m the only one who ever starts it around here – but it is a great tune, and reasonably well known.
The Blarney Pilgrim is a good one to know but it may be on the verge of being overplayed.
I’d say it’s a good solid choice.
I pretty much hate Morrison’s these days as well. And, in my opinion, I don’t care much for Blarney Pilgrim either. Both played to death in my neighborhood, although one should know these tunes.
Reels don’t seem to be wildly popular here for some reason. It seems like the only reels that got played around here were Drowsy Maggie and Wind That Shakes the Barley. Cooley’s isn’t overplayed yet and I’m the only one likely to start the Virginia Reel. Silver Spear is on the verge of falling victim to overplay, but that would be my fault. One of my favorite sets is Silver Spear/Temperance Reel/Earl’s Chair.
I’ve been in the exact opposite boat for most of my session life…I love to play jigs, but at most sessions I’ve played at, they’re barely given any notice.
Luckily, the newest session I’ve been playing at lately is liable to play any style: Jig, reel, hornpipe, polka, you name it…so long as it sounds good and a few folks know it. That’s the kind of session for me 