I want to start learning some new tunes. I end up playing the same tunes over and over again. I’m an intermediate player, but would like to start with some fairly simple tunes.
This might be useful for complete beginners as well.
So, if you had to choose:
5 Jigs (or slip jigs)
5 Reels
5 Slow Airs
They should be simple to learn, appropriate for beginner to intermediate players.
What would yours be? If you can’t think of 5 good ones, how about 3?
Thanks,
Jason
I don’t know what makes some tunes easier than others, but I expect that a combination of “falling-under-the-fingers” and having simple rhythm make some tunes easier than others.
Given that I can “play” them, I’d suggest two jigs that are probably relatively simple to play:
The Leitrim Fancy
Boys Of Ballisodare
These other jigs may be candidates for being fairly straightforward:
The Butterfly - still learning it.
Humours Of Dingle - still learning it.
I have also heard of recommendations for Whelan’s and Morrison’s
You could also take a look at the Comhaltas website in the section on music exams. In their syllabi, they do list tunes that students can select for various levels of exams. I expect that careful consideration has been taken in the tune selection for these exams.
REQUEST:
Could some of the experienced players and teachers post their recommendations for jigs, reels, etc. that they feel are appropriate for beginners - maybe in a “sticky” titled something like “Beginners Tunes”
Thanks,
Charlie
A sticky with ‘Beginner tunes’ would be lovely for us newbies to the whistle.
Maybe with an explantion of what makes a reel a reel, a jig a jig,… I’ve been looking for that, but couldn’t find out what’s the big difference between these. 
I was looking for some easy tunes also, and found the solution by buying the book: “110 Ireland’s Best Tin Whistle Tunes vol. 1”. The tunes in this book go from beginner to advanced, so I just started with the first tune and I’m working my way up by just continuing in this book. Seems to be working fine.
Hey Dragonwhistler,
I just typed a long description to help you out, but figured I shouldn’t detract from this thread too much. So, I’m going to start a new one.
Look for Irish Dance Tune Rhythm Basics.
Thanks,
Jason
I’m not sure these would be considered basic, but they’re not too hard either. These are 2 jigs I’ve really been liking lately:
Humours of Ballyloughlin
Dusty Windowsills
Trying to recall what the first ones I learned were.
Jigs (or slip jigs)
Kesh (G)
the Road to Lisdoonvarne (Em)
Off She Goes (D)
Haste to the Wedding (D)
Gary Owen (G)
Paddy Breen’s (G)
Morrisson’s (Em)
Reels
Over the Waterfall (D)
Red Wing (G)
Red Haired Boy (A) (Little Beggarman)
Love Won’t You Marry Me? (G)
Slow Airs
the Foggy, Foggy Dew (Em)
Inisheer (D)
Planxty Irwin (G)
Londonderry Aire (B) (Danny Boy)
Other
Waxies’ Dargle (G)(the Girl I left Behind Me) March
the Rose Tree (D) March
Si Bheag, Si Mohr (D)(Little Hill, Big Hill) Waltz
Seamus O’Brien (G) Waltz
Off to California (G) Hornpipe
the Boys of Blue Hill (D) Hornpipe
Danny O’Keefe’s Slide (Am) Slide
Jigs:
The Blackthorn Stick
The Woodford Jig
THe Creel of Turf
Gallaghers Frolics
I know there are “hard” tunes to play, but since I started I’ve always followed the same rule..
If I heard a tune which I really liked, I put all my efforts in learning it, although it could take me 1 or 2 weeks in doing it (I tend to learn reading the sheet music, but also hearing as many versions as I can find of that tune I want to learn).
I can remember that one of my first reels was “Cooley’s reel”. I don’t know if it’s easy or not (okey, it’s easier than “Bucks Of Oranmore” or “The Mason’s Apron”, but not easier than hundreds of other 2-3 part reels).
So, I think that if we are motivated in learning a particular tune, we can do it if we put efforts on it, regardless of the difficulty.
Just my 2 cents!
Cheers,
Martin
You make a very valid point - motivation is almost certainly very important in tune selection. My experience as a beginner, was that I felt totally overwhelmed by the sheer volume of available tunes that I had difficulty seeing the wood for the trees, so to speak. When JemTheFlute recommended The Leitrim Fancy, it was a very real help.
Given the tunes suggested by other people (including Bothrops), I think that the overwhelmed beginner would be able to chose a tune that he or she could become very motivated about, in fact, I may attempt The Kesh Jig as my newest tune, then maybe my first reel 
THANKS!
Charlie
Hi to all,
My humble experience is to get to learn the ones that stick to the ear from the beginning to avoid disappointment. I was fortunate as a Bodhran player to find a teacher among the sessioneers and that is perhaps the way to go. Not to learn like in school, but to have some-one who knows the tricks of the trade. Like you probably I have many tutorials but fining some-one who knows the ins and outs is important. He can point out your faible points and strong points.Buying the 101 session whistle tunes is a good idea. I started later in life but like with many things its trial and error. Don’t worry, I still play the same tunes over and over again to get my fingers memorizing the tune. But my rule is, I have to bond with a tune; if you hear or play Geese in the Bog; I see the creatures finding their way to the pond and play this with a smile. All the best,
Ron
Hi
My first set of Jigs were The Rakes of Kildare/Blackthorn stick.
Both are easy to learn, play and are regular session tunes.
I agree with Bothrops that motivation is a big factor in the learning process and also learning with others brings a real FUN element to it 
Cheers
Yep, that’s more my approach, if I hear something I like I’ll work on it. Certainly some are just beyond my abilities at this point, but I’m getting closer every day.
I also agree that if you really want to learn a tune, just stick with it until you learn it.
However the motivation for this thread for me was that I really just want a few relatively simple tunes that I can pick up fairly quickly and start practicing.
There are a couple harder tunes I’d like to learn (and am slowly learning), but they’re 3-5 part tunes and I just want something simpler in the meantime. I don’t want to burn myself out working on the same difficult tunes, without something fresh filed in there as well.
Jason
For beginners I’d be inclined to recommend some nice easy slides:
Brosna
The Cat Rambles to the Child’s Saucepan
Cumberland Reel
and Polkas
Peg Ryan’s
The Waves of Tory
The Magic Slipper
My list of beginner tunes:
Jigs
Swallows Tail Jig
Kesh Jig
Road to Lisdoonvarna
Reels
Sally Gardens
Silver Spear
Road to Lisdoonvarna
Mason’s Apron
Hornpipes
Harvest Home
The Wonder Hornpipe
Sailor’s Hornpipe
Airs
Caislean Na Nor
Sliabh na mBan (Mountain of the Women)
Si Beag Si Mor
The Path you can’t see
Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)
Planxty Irwin
Other
Penny Whistle Boogie
Menuet No. 2 (J.S. Bach)
Michael
All tunes are simple if you play them slowly enough (and I mean sloooooooooowwwly). Once you have learned the tune you can then gradually bring it up to speed.
I think the best tunes to learn are the ones you like the most. Opinions will differ on this but I personally think it is good to work only on one or two tunes at a time and stick with them until you have mastered them. This seems better to me than having lots of half learned tunes in your repertoire.
Good luck!
I fully agree with the idea that it is much easier to learn tunes you like - you listen to them more, remember them better and therefore, you are more apt to be able to figure them out and recall how they go. I cannot learn a tune that doesn’t stick in my head.
I disagree that going really slow is always easy, though. It would seem so, but in reality, some tunes are just hard to get to work very slowly. I think there was some discussion on this a while back.
The whole reason I bought my first pennywhistle was to learn planxty irwin…I was going to play it on the mandolin with my boyfriend accompanying on the guitar as requested by my friend for his wedding…then I broke both of my wrists! I realized I could probably play a whistle while keeping my wrist braces on with minimal pain, so in two weeks I found one at a music store in Houston (this was the hardest part), had learned my D and G scale and the tune, and it went off great for the bride and groom to walk down the aisle to.
all that to say, I think it’s a perfect beginner tune! This is a very helpful thread, thanks for all the recommendations.
I think the reason for requesting a list of beginner’s tunes comes mainly from the vast wealth of available tunes and the perceived need to be given some direction when looking for new tunes.
When I first visited TinWhistler’s site, I was amazed at the number of tunes that he has available. In fact, it was quite daunting and sobering. I felt rather like a toddler being dumped in a playground chock-full of toys - sensory overload and all that!
Learning tunes that you really like the sound of is probably one of the best way to improve quickly, but having some direction while navigating the ocean of jigs, reels, polkas and airs is also wonderfully beneficial.
Would anyone be interested if I took the recommendations listed in this thread and condensed them into a single posting?
Charlie
Recommended tunes, that is!