The title says it all really…
Seconded.
Simple guys: just buy them all, have fun with them for five minutes and then only keep the very very best in the business.
Seriously though, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. People will still ask the same questions and follow their own mind regardless.
No, I’m allergic to horses…
So you sniff horses, do you, Mike?
Yeah, Peter. I’ve considered an FAQ instead. But the simple answer wouldn’t satisfy, and any detailed answer would be challenged. Too many different backgrounds and expectations. An open sticky seems like an even thornier proposition to me.
Another problem I see more often these days is people who say they want to play the whistle but have unrealistic expectations. It seems they don’t want it to actually have the characteristics of a whistle. C naturals, louder high notes, the need for breath control and things you actually have to work on. It all comes with the territory, deal with it or buy a keyboard.
I’m trying to give it up…
Hmm. How about a sticky on web-based resources for beginners instead, including the C&F whistle guides and online tuition resources?
And a “sticky” is a???
In terms of a whistle guide, as a newbie player I just recently went through the figuring out which whistle to buy process- I used the C&F overview on whistles-very helpful, as well as doing a search on whistles at “The Session” . Lots of good info available which was helpful.
If I were looking for a Low whistle or a flute however, what I’d really need to know and don’t see readily available, is info on which of these are suitable to players with small hands. That is a gap in info that I notice- I’d have no way to know which low whistles or flutes were more amenable to a player with slim fingers and smaller hands- and not being able to just try them out would be having to post queries as to this on the list I guess. Just a thought…
A list of good whistle tutorials/tunebooks would also be great I’d guess; if people could add to them when more were published.
There are various threads that explore the issue of finger spacing on low whistles. The search engine can be very useful in that respect. Maybe a sticky for newbies with all these threads ‘collated’ into topics as links would help - it is more of a library job I suppose and would prob require regular update?
Stephen
Thread that don’t go away. Look at the top of the forums 
Joke for the day…
Q: What’s brown and sticky?
A: A stick!
I love your sense of humor.
But even though I do think there should be a sticky thread, Peter is right, there will always still be that question.
There’s another side to this.
Each of those newbies is an individual human being. This is a community.
Just looking up packaged generic answers to frequently asked questions without any human contact is a much different experience than posting a question, getting a few comments, finding out what these people on the whistle board are like.
I would be inclined not to mind the fact that people show up and ask the same questions as other people in the same position have asked before. It seems OK to me.
Best wishes,
Jerry
i fully agree and wish to add that very few “noob threads”, from what I can tell, come from someone with absolutely zero knowledge or experience. most have some experience with one cheap whistle and wish to expand or upgrade. I think a “one size fits all” thread would be somewhat of a disservice.
otherwise, we should all get Clarke originals only and be happy with em.
we should all get Clarke originals only and be happy with em.
Why Clarke? Generation is enough for anyone. I GUARANTEE IT!!11111
I hear the sentiment of ‘I am not a number’ and go with that for sure. However, as a newbie of anything you can feel a bit dumb when replies are more like retorts or a bit dismissive or have even a hint of the ‘doh’ factor. From that perspective, another forum I frequent has a ‘newbie corner’ that is mentored by any other members that wish but the emphasis is on new folk asking perhaps old questions and taking their time to relate to things in a section that they feel comfortable with. I should add that this site is very friendly and little hassle or embarrasment is caused that I have noted, apart from the odd curmudgeon now and again 
… I suppose it only takes one wrongly phrased reply to switch a new person completely off. A newbies corner just helps the joining process I think.
cheers
Stephen
When people ask Tony Bennett to croon “I left my heart in San Francisco,”…for the thousandth time…he could refer them to a sticky?
When you’re no longer a newb, it takes patience to give newbs your energy. For the thousandth time. True.
If somebody asks for info around here, and I feel like I know something about it…I often add my two cents. What a guy, eh?
I’m thankful for whistle-folk who did the same for me. STILL learning, in this forum.
(Especially when a newb’s ignorance is second only to his/her desire…a little helpful chat goes a long way.)
I am still a newb but I understand that completely. I already know enough about them to know that it doesn’t just come easy or naturally. You have to learn to play and understand how it works. I played a tuba when I was young so this is a big switch, but I’m picking it up fairly well in a short time.
As far as a sticky goes, I’d say go for it. Had there been one when I got here, I either wouldn’t have asked the question or I would’ve asked for clarification if necessary. If some people want to still ask, they can ask. But a sticky with the information that you all have probably posted 10,246 times might save some time.
As far as horse sniffing goes, you can have that. I’ve experienced more smells from horses than I care to remember. I love them but man they can mess you up.