I’m getting to teach a beginner’s whistle class again this year at the Catoctin](http://www.smart.net/~mjb/bfms/catoctin.html%3ECatoctin) Mountain Music and Dance Weekend, October 24th-26th. I’ve gone the last three years and had a blast each time.
A great time in the mountains, playing music, sharing with folks and their families.
Last year my first tune for the folks was Hot Cross Buns and the second was Rakes of Mallow. I’d like to come up with some alternatives. Any Suggestions?
Who are those people?
The picture above is of me teaching last year’s class. They are mostly members of the Baltimore](http://www.bfms.org/%3EBaltimore) Folk Music Society. The music and dance weekend gather’s a bunch of folks, not just members. Everyone pitches in, offer’s free classes, offers to help out in the kitchen or with other chores. That keeps the price down, under $80 for a cot in an unheated cabin, meals, and snacks, and a great time We do pay the cook but every thing else is volunteer. If you click on the Catoctin](http://www.smart.net/~mjb/bfms/catoctin.html%3ECatoctin) Weekend link you see more information about weekend. Here’s a link to their Camp](http://www.smart.net/~mjb/bfms/tour/messhalloutside.html%3ECamp) Tour Photo Gallery and another link to the Sample](http://www.smart.net/~mjb/bfms/schedulejune2003.html%3ESample) class schedule from last June They have it twice a year June and October although I’ve missed the june weekends the last two years due to work related travel.
How about “Si Beg Si Mor” - melodic, pretty, requires some upper octave play, and is simple.
Second -Jay Ungar’s “Ashokan Farewell”-for the same reasons.
-Both of these sound best at unhurried tempo, perhaps of value to your students.
First tune I ever learned was “Down by the Sally Gardens” because it was slow and simple.
Another early one was “Johnny, we hardly knew ye/When Johnny come marching home again”.
Early on it was far easier to try to play familiar songs (Waxie Dargles/Girl I left behind me) that were already in my head until I started to absorb the trad tunes.
Take care,
Chris
The first song I taught myself was “Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms.” An added plus for it is that it can be used to demonstrate that some songs can be played in the key of D or the key of G. And it’s pretty.
sounds like fun
take care
The first tune I teach all my fife students is “The Bells of St. Mary’s.”
“si bheag, si mor” was one of my first tunes, as was “tabhair dom do lamh” (that’s probably spelled wrong, oh well. Supposedly means “give me your hand”).
“Simple Gifts” is pretty easy as well, as long as you don’t push the speed too much.
I have used “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” as a first tune with good success when teaching flute.
I like the idea of using something where the student is already familiar with the tune. There is so much you are having to deliberately control at first that becomes automatic later, like keeping steady breath pressure, steady beat, control of the fingers, moving more than one finger together…all of that together is quite a chunk to bite off without trying to learn how a new melody goes as well. On flute there is also the major challenge of trying to master the embouchure as well–most beginning flutists find it quite challenging just trying to get a sound out at all.
Second tune is usually “Amazing Grace,” as it also is a very simple melody, everyone knows it, and most students find learning it satisfying because of its connotations of religion and ceremony–and its long-standing association with the bagpipes as well. This also helps when they become frustrated learning new tunes later, as it’s always good to have something satisfying that you can already play reasonably well that you can go back to when you need to “recharge.”
–James
Raglan Road/Dawning of the Day
Star of the County Down
Amazing Grace
the fields of athenry
I was going to suggest Amazing Grace for the reasons given above, but I’ve been beaten to it, and possibly The Star Spangled Banner, I am led to believe that many Americans have a passing familiarity with the tune.
I wouldn’t dive into anything Irish or with an unpronounceable title in the first couple of classes.
Thanks for all your suggestions. Does any one else know an irish tune that would be recognizable and simple to play. I like the give me you hand but it is just too long. I want folks to learn to play this tune by ear. Star of County Down may be a good 2nd tune. I have a fine recording of a Slainte, doing the song that might work well.
I’m still looking for that first really really simple tune, irish or otherwise, Twinkle twinkle little star, hot cross buns, any other suggestions,
Thanks again for helping me introduce some more folks to how you …
How about
This Old Man, or Old MacDonald, or Itsy Bitsy Spider, or Scarborough Fair, or Somewhere Over the Rainbow, all pretty easy. Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony might be good for a second tune, if you can find a good timpaniest that is.
OMG! Looks like they’re all playing LBW’s!
[quote="Monster…
OMG! Looks like their all playing LBW’s![/quote]
Actually they are all playing black Megs, I give them away free to each person attending the class along with a the pocket book of whistle tunes. It starts us all out on somewhat equal footing.
Of course, I cheat, I was playing my Burke Narrow Bore Composite. I justify it as a way to assure that the teacher is heard over the students. But probably the truth is closer to helping the teacher sound as good as some of the students.
Actually they are all playing black Megs, I give them away free to each person attending the class along with a the pocket book of whistle tunes. [/quote]
Whew, I was getting worked up there for a minute! 
Just the thought of giving a beginner a LBW, well you get the picture.
The first two tunes I learned for whistle were…
1 Amazing Grace
2 Wild Colonial Boy
Good luck to your class.
Mike
I think learning a particular key to begin is a good idea.
Angeline the Baker
Buffalo Gals
Redwing
Carve dat Possum
Faded Love
Old Bored Fiddler
Smellly Beer Barrel
Hand me Down the Thingie
O’Flynn and the Hags Cat
Twopence a Pint
Scotty found Whiskey
Rubber Ducks in Distress
That should keep em happy for a while.
“London Bridge” is short, simple and well known. “Wee Falorie Man” is an Irish tune and is at the tune finder.
http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/cgi/abc/findtune
Many of the suggestions seem more suitable for someone learning on their own vs. an hour long or 90 minute in-person group beginner class. Some students may get frustrated if one of the more complex suggestions is taught. Some students will be “naturals” with a good deal of music background and proficiency with other instruments. However, some may come in with close to zero experience. One idea is to have a third song in reserve for the fast learners.