I’ve just returned to whistle lessons with my former teacher here in NYC after a five-year hiatus. A few noteworthy things to share with you after just two lessons. First, he politely said that we needed to “rein in” my soulful playing somewhat. Second, he quoted the smartest thing I’ve heard in years: “Practice doesn’t make perfect; it makes permanent.” I have to unlearn my incorrect crans and some phrasing more evocative of classical music than traditional. Finally, I had expert confirmation in my choice of whistles. That’s an extra benefit of learning from a great player; you get to, in effect, go to concerts as you learn. Anyway, teacher was most impressed with my delrin Abell soprano D, new Copeland nickel soprano D, Copeland brass low G and O’Riordan low G Traveler. OK, so I collect better than I play. Any talent should be appreciated.
Hey Phil: your teacher told me that you came in with a case filled with one of every kind of whistle over made! But seriously, he did tell me that he was very impressed with the delrin Abell.
I agree that there’s nothing like having someone to guide you along the way. Even if you can only meet once in a blue moon, a good teacher gives you the analysis of your playing you need if you’re going to continue to improve as a player.
One great thing about instruction is that you can get a giant benefit from just a little bit. First time I took box lessons, I saw a lot of bad habits I had, and I saw exactly what I needed to do instead in order to sound like I wanted to sound. Yet, a lot of this insight simply came from watching the teacher play a few tunes, up close, on the first day.
Last year I took a 5-day class and recorded the lessons (with permission, of course.) We learned 2 tunes a day, and I had them down at the end of the week. But the recordings really constitute a year’s worth of lessons on how to play. At least.