Hello, well i have been playing the tin whistle for awhile now and i am having a problem. I bought a tin whistle with a book, and in some of the songs. It has a diagram of the notes it should the holes to cover and to leave open of each note. When i try to play a note with a “+” next to it, it just sounds the same abit louder. It says at the start of the book that you have to blow a bit louder to play it and it dosent work …
So is there a certain way to play high notes or something? o_o
I play a D tin whistle if that helps =) and also, when do i know to go onto a new tin whistle i.e start playing the other types of tin whistles? Thank you for your answers if you do help XD
If you’re located in Dublin*, I’d bet there are plenty of people around who could give you a quick lesson.
You can fill in your Location profile here, too, if you like.
Yes, the 2nd octave notes (with the +) are played by blowing harder.
Here’s my theory: You’re blowing too hard, and instead of playing what you think are the 1st octave notes, you’re actually playing the 2nd octave. So naturally, when you blow harder it’s just louder but the pitch doesn’t change - because the 3rd octave is normally not played (except for killing zombies).
Try this: Ease your breath pressure waaay down to barely a whisper, and see if the note drops an octave. If so, there you have it.
because the 3rd octave is normally not played (except for killing zombies)
Oh man…that just had me rolling.
Anyhow…welcome!!
That is exactly what I was doing when I started playing whistle. As soon as I backed off on how hard I was blowing…it went down into the 1st octave. If you have problems getting the 1st octave D (known as the bell note), work your way down to it. Start on a B (XOOOOO - So pointer finger down on the top hand and all other fingers up) and then move down until all the fingers are down like such:
XOOOOO
XXOOOO
XXXOOO
XXXXOO
XXXXXO
XXXXXX
X - Denotes finger covering hole
O - Denotes finger not covering hole
If the notes start to squak or squeak…especially as you approach the D…start to blow even softer. Eventually you will get it.
Cover all of the holes as carefully as you can and barely breath into the instrument. You should hear a quiet buzzing that is not a note, but sounds a little like wind. If you change your fingering, the buzzing does not change. Almost no air is required for that.
Slowly increase the amount of air that you are putting into the instrument until you get a steady tone. (don’t move your fingers)
Slowly increase the amount of air until the tone “flips up” into the second octave.
Keep increasing the amount of air until you hear you cant stand it any more.
Repeat this for each fingering on the whistle. Then practice making the notes. For example, make the low D, high D, then low D. Them move to the E and do the same. After you can make all of the notes somewhat reliably, then figure out a tune such as “Amazing Grace” or some other tune that you can hum to yourself without getting turned around.
Lastly, make learning tunes top priority. Techniques will come with experience. Knowing tunes will get you into a beginners session and get you the personal contacts you need to keep learning.
Agreed, Chuck. Except I’d just clarify that technique will come mostly from … working on technique.
I’ve seen beginners start out with just a handful of tunes and faulty technique. Perfectly understandable, of course. But a couple of years pass, and now they’re playing dozens and dozens of tunes - with the same faulty technique.
It doesn’t happen automatically, and magical thinking doesn’t work. Most good players I know put a lot of “invisible” work into their playing.
In fact, the steps you describe above are a good example of that sort of thing.
But repertoire is important, and learning new tunes is great. And each new tune can be an opportunity to apply and improve and extend what you know. And technique doesn’t just mean cuts and rolls and all the cool finger tricks, but clean playing, good timing, good phrasing, and lift. In short, musicality.
