Seriously. When I first started to play whistle some 7 months ago, I bought anything I could get my hands on…including several written tutorials and also I searched the Internet.
Nowhere did I find the useful information that I have garnered here. My searches of the archives have revealed a wealth of info. Things I didn’t know like:
whistlers have more than just a high D whistle
what Irtrad is and why some hold it sacrosanct
the merits of learning to play by ear and those of learning to read music
tips on learning to play by ear
session etiquette
good tunes for beginners to tackle
good whistles for beginners
how to go about learning
tips on memorizing tunes (just got great tips from my own question)
ideas for working with children
computer stuff…websites, tutorials, and a program called SLowdowner that I would never have known about
These are just the first few topics off the top of my head……
Anyway..I am tossing the idea out there for some of you old timer experts and I know there are many of you.
I have a background writing professionally…if anyone would like to collaborate, I am good at writing and editing and bringing a beginner’s perspective to this.
I am not suggesting that material be lifted from the archives without permission of the posters of course.
You’ve done it now, Liz. Didn’t you realize that by suggesting such a project, you’d be stuck with it? Now, about your book… It might be cool to get a number of the C&F folks to each contribute a chapter or topic.
I suggest a webpage with links to existing websites. A book takes too long produce and distribute. Much of the information on the internet changes frequently… webpage updates are easier to make.
This wouldn’t be intended to compete with the C&F links page, but you might suggest to Dale & Rich to incorporate a ‘total resource’ page that would also have the newbie FAQ section included.
I agree with Tony. And I thought about the problem of compensating the sources–if someone used someone else’s posts and made money off them, someone else might not have a legal leg to stand on, but someone else might feel slighted somehow. (Lizzie, I acknowledge that you mentioned this problem in your post–I wanted to add that from experience I know that sources usually aren’t final). I think a spinoff website, organized so that learners can find what they need quickly, is the best idea. When I was a newbie to this site, the single keyword search for the archive was a problem.
The beauty of the Chiff & Fipple website is that not only is it interactive and ever evolving, it isn’t “bought.” A book couldn’t replace it. I think Lizzie is paying the ultimate compliment to this website with her suggestion–it inspired writing a book.
Lisa
[ This Message was edited by: ysgwd on 2002-03-17 11:33 ]
[ This Message was edited by: ysgwd on 2002-03-17 11:39 ]
I’ve written a fairly successful text book (writing another at the moment). If you need a hand with a proposal for a publisher, let me know. Also, I think that the editing suggestion was very sound (pun intended) and that you should gather a few ‘expert names’ and send them along with your proposal. You’re onto a winner!
I think you are better off going to a living muscian to show you the ropes. Lizzie, as you are in Toronto, seek out a teacher there, give Debbie Quigley a call. Someone like that can give you more than any book ever will.
Peter, I have already met Debbie..indeed i had my first lesson from her. I now take lessons from another fine teacher, but i see Debbie often at sessions.
I am lucky to live in a place where there are whistle teachers. I am not talking about what I need to know now…I don;t really need the book anymore, but it would have been nice to have it as a rank beginner. I think there would be many out there who do not have access to all the great info I gleaned from this site.
I have to say that Peter must have mis-read Liz’s original posting, or misunderstood it somehow.
It occurs to me that when I hear about a great new business idea it is often introduced with a phrase like…‘Bill Brown got the idea for…( a theme park giving rides on giraffes…a car that runs on water…soup that comes in a box) after he tried to buy one for his daughter, but couldn’t get one anywhere.’
Or, as Frank Zappa knew…‘Necessity is the… mother(s) of invention’.
I think Liz has come across a brilliant (and as yet, original) idea, because she needed it herself. Maybe others do too!
Hmm, interesting idea - I could have used such a book when I got started a bit over a year ago. My knowledge of all things whistles is still pretty weak but I am an accomplished technical writer who is quite used to creating order out of chaos. I’d be happy to take someone’s notes and turn them into finished text
Thanks to all for your responses..lots of food for thought. Going to toss the idea around with a few others.
to dd…I found my teacher on the Internet…i looked up irish music in Toronto and found a Toronto Celtic centre online, which had a list of people who taught various instruments in this city. Didn’t St Louis just have a big Celtic festival ?..I am sure if you contacted the organizers they could direct you to someone.
On 2002-03-18 18:22, StevePower wrote:
I have to say that Peter must have mis-read Liz’s original posting, or misunderstood it somehow.
It occurs to me that when I hear about a great new business idea it is often introduced with a phrase like…Steve
Oh no I didn’t.
But I do also think you should do your ground work, go through the motions of learning and gain some deeper insight into the matter at hand before you start compiling books.
There is a fair amount of material out there already and while I do think the list of topics Lizzie compiled could offer an informative read, I do also think a lot of the topics are not so well covered on this site, or at least not by far well enough to be offered in print.
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-03-19 03:34 ]
Peter…I never for a moment thought that I would write such a book. That would have been incredibly presumptious on my part…I said that ‘someone’ should write a book. Also I never suggested that the material on this site would provide the information for such a book. The list of topics was just a list of things I have learned here that I might never have found out about if it were not for this list.
The only role I envisioned for myself was that of editor…and that I am qualified for…and my beginner’s perspective.
And as for getting myself a teacher, I have one, and good as she is, she cannot bring me the views of many learners. What works for her may not work for me…we all have different learning styles. This is why I so value the ideas tossed about here…you see a number of suggestions and choose what you think might work for you. I would love to have seen such a book available when I started out…but then what do I know? I am just a beginner!
Now, about your book… It might be cool to get a number of the C&F folks to each contribute a chapter or topic.