Hey! My names John and I am a 15 year old 10th grader who enjoys music very much. Ive been playing the trumpet for 4 years now and taking lessons from a professor at a nearby college for 1 year. Theres nothing i love more. I also play the sax and bassguitar. The past two years ive been playing snare drum for a bagpipe marching band at my school and ive been very interested in irish/celtic type music. Ive heard some music and ive been quite interested in the tin whistle. Ive decided i would love to learn the tin whistle. Any advice on what kind of tin whistle to buy? I already know the notes and proper fingerings for them… Please leave all comments, tips, websites, and possibles suggestions for me as I am very anxious to learn about the tin whistle 
thanks alot for your time!
Yes also if any suggestions on a whistle to buy… also include price ranges if possible… being a 15 year old student i cant go out and spend 300$ on a whistle if thats possible. I dont really even know how much their supposed to cost. Thanks again for your help!
Good starting whistles?
For around 5 dollars a Clarke Sweetone D is hard to beat. Or Walton’s C for perhaps a dollar more. Despite being cheap, these are (usually) quite good whistles.
Or for around 15 dollars, a Dixon D (pure tone) or Serpent Brassy Polly (chiffy, “old time” sound) are real values. You can get tunable versions of both of these for 5-10 dollars more, if you need to tune to others.
In the 10-15 dollar price range, I also like the Oak D and C whistles, but they (especially the D) need rather more careful breath control.
What would I recommend? Get a Sweetone D to start with and the Clarke tinwhistle tutor (Book + CD, ~25 dollars). Then once you’ve played a while if you find you really like whistling get a couple more whistles in the 10-20 dollar range. Now I’ve had some time with it, I really like my Serpent Pollys, but they’re not for everyone - if you prefer pure tones, get a Dixon or an Oak.
Hi, John, and welcome to our board.
Advice: Hold tightly to your wallet and run away as fast as you can. There’s a highly contagious disease that goes around here called the WhOA (Whistle Obsessive Acquisition) disorder that causes sane people to go nuts buying at least 30 times as many whistles as they can play in more keys than they want to play them in.
Oh, whistle advice…
Well, as you’ve noticed, unlike trumpets and saxophones, even good whistles are dirt cheap. The finest whistle available costs less than a cheap sax. SO, it’s easy to pick up two or three and find the sound you like most.
Before you jump in, I’d strongly encourage you to click on the MAIN WEBSITE link at the top of this page and read the cheap whistle section there. The information will com in handy. Also, while no one here will intentionally mislead you, take any advice you get here (including mine) with due caution. We all have our favorites and, try as we might, we aren’t always objective.
Some good starters include:
Clarke Original. Simple conical rolled metal tube with a wooden fipple plug. Chiffy (buzzy) sound - you either love 'em or hate 'em. I hate them but respect those who disagree.
Clarke Sweetone: Similar tube, molded plastic mouthpiece. The easiest whistle to play, a pure, clear tone, easily blown. Some folks eventually decide the sound is TOO sweet or even bland. OTOH, I’ve seen them played in shows by some fine musicians.
Any of several cylindrical metal whistles with plastic mouthpieces (Generation, Clare, Feadog, Walton, Oak, Acrn, etc.). Pretty much alike, some like the Generation suffer quality control issues which is hardly surprising on something sold so cheaply.
All of the above types generally retail for less than ten bucks. A good online source is the Whistle Shop. (see the link on the main site).
All plastic whistles such as the Susato or Tony Dixon. Isially a fes bucks more but still under $20.
My favorite is the Clarke original design for the neighborhood of 10 bucks or less.
I think you can get the Ochs tutor with this whistle as well.
I’d go with the sweetone, spot on tuning, easy to play, not shrilly.
The timbre is ok, once you get into whistles a bit most people lose the taste for the sound, but I still go back to it for songs.
Best wishes.
Well, $300 doesn’t ruleout a whole lot in the whistle world. If you need to keep it as cheap as possible, I would definitely recommend the Clarke Sweetone. While the Generation has a better rep amongst the best players, it is also a very inconsistent whistle with some being real gems but many being really bad. The Clarke’s seem to be of much more consistent quality. While the Sweetone may never inspire the eternal love that an excellent Generation will (I kid you not, Whistle greats like Mary Bergin, Paddy Moloney and others will nurse a generation that might literally be decades old; while a 10 year old Sax might not be old, it is ancient in whistle terms) they are consistent instruments so are a good choice for a beginner on a tight budget.
If you can stretch a little more then I would recommend something from Susato or Dixon. While some people may not like these whistles (particularly the Susato) they also have the virtue of being consistent whistles and both whistles that are fairly easy to play. Also in the same price range (say $20-$50) is some of the tweaked Shaws, Clarke and Generations that are available (Jerry Freeman who posts to this list tweaks all of them and has received excellent reviews for his work).
Of coruse if you decide to go higher end, there is a huge range of instruments, most very good that can be had for anywhere from $50 to $300. I know $300 is alot to a 15 year old but nowhere else are you going to pretty much max out the price on an instrument at such a low price (heck I am primarily a box player and if you think $300 is alot of a whistle, consider that a decent starting B/C or C#/D button accordion is going to start around $400 and I spent $2000 for the box I currently play and accordion prices can appear downright reasonable compared to those for high end flutes and concertinas :}). That said, I see little reason to move to the high end until you have at least gotten enough time with a whistle under your belt to see if you like it or not.
Bill
I am much newer to music than you are, but I’ve done a lot of whistle research over the last two months and have bought many of the lower end whistles. The clarke comes highly recommended, but I am unhappy with mine. It is easy to play, but it doesn’t have clean sound. Very breathy sounding. The sweetone is the easiest to play, and sounds superior to my clarke, but again not the sound quality I wanted. My favorite, that I currently own, is a Feadog. Its the most difficult to play, but also the clearest sounding.
Please keep in mind that I am new and do not have your musical skills, but I will give my wishlist below in order of my favorite first. Coincidentally this is also ordered by most costly to cheapest. I’ll be purchasing several of these over the next year myself.
$85.00 Silkstone
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/highend/silkstone/silkston.htm
$30 - $40 Concert D Pennywhistle by Erik
http://www.eriktheflutemaker.com/?pageid=7402
$29euro O’Briain ‘Improved’ Nickel Whistle in D
http://tools.addme.com/servlet/iStore?id=110763S&cat=Whistles
Additionally I have one other marked that I’ll be purchasing as soon as I can afford it. I have not heard the sound, but I have been told it is quiet good and its appearance is gorgeous. http://www.busmanwhistles.com Last I heard he has a cocobolo that will be ready to ship soon, but it may be accounted for already. These run just over $200 with shipping.
Wow I never thought there could be such a variety. I really appreciate all of your help and advice. I think I’m going to start out with a Clarke Sweetone to learn on being the easiest to play.
As I continue with my playing I would like to get one that sounds better for old irish jigs and pirate type music hehe.
I really appreciate all of the advice and help given to me thanks a lot guys!
This a VERY helpful website for the new whistler. Brother](http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/%22%3EBrother) Steve’s site
And welcome to the boards!
Welcome! I agree with the Sweetone recommendation. You’ll eventually try different ones and figure out which you like, or be like me and have many you like and can’t play just one . . . Enjoy!
Welcome! Warning…these little instruments can be addictive! I was right around your age when I started to play…I’m now 42, and haven’t gotten over the urge yet!
I second (third? fourth? fifth?) the Sweetone as a good beginners instrument. While I personally prefer the sound of a Generation (that being what I learned to play on…the only one available at the time), I readily admit that they are not at all consistent, and you’re more likely to enjoy your early forays into whistle music on a Sweetone. If you have a little extra money to spend, however, it’s not a bad idea to get a couple of different whistles for comparison…perhaps a Sweetone (conical), a Generation, Oak or Feadog (cylindrical) and a Susato or Dixon (plastic). You could get one of each of the above without breaking the budget.
The beauty of this instrument is that the cheapies can be really, really good. There’s really no need to go out and break the bank on a tin whistle…some of the best players out there never play anything fancier than a Generation! Those of us who buy the pricier, handmade whistles (and, as someone else pointed out, even those are cheaper than a decent beginner’s sax) generally do so because we cherish the idea of having something special, not because we need them to sound good (bottom line, if you can’t get a good sound out of a Sweetone, you’re not likely to get one out of a Busman or an Elfsong either. Both are wonderful, rewarding whistles for the advanced or intermediate player, but not at all required, and probably not even a good idea for a beginner. In fact, I can just about guarantee you that most beginners would find my Busman discouraging, even though I think it’s absolutely fantastic!).
I’m so glad to see other young people taking up this lovely little instrument!
Redwolf
Well I made my purchase today of a Clarke Sweetone D. Ive played nearly all day and I am quite pleased with my choice. Thank you all for your extended advice and help! It is much appreciated =).
That comment strikes me as kind of odd, because I love my Feadog (it’s the whistle I carry around everywhere so I can practice when I’m left alone for a moment, or hit a red light in traffic), and I find it one of the easiest to play. (This is in comparison to a Walton’s D (both a brass one, and a guiness), a Gen D, and Oak D, Clarke original unpainted and an Acorn. The only thing easier is my D Sweetone.)
As for the original topic, I would obviously recommend the Feadog as a first whistle. It’s cheap (same price as the Acorn around here) and has a great irish sound to it. But, really, just buy whatever whistles you can find at the local store, as long as it’s not an Acorn.
My tips on whistles and …
Folks above have advised on various whistles and even as tastes vary from player to player, all wish to play well. I like Dixons, Burkes, Overtons, and several others. Perhaps we go through so many of these bits of tubing with holes because we seek to find the instrument that allows us to play well. We hope to find the whistle that speaks a language that connects with us and that we find easy to converse in. So use the advice to help you explore your whistles for various timbres and tones that resonate with you.
As important as it is to explore the instruments to find whistles that are truely yours, you also need to explore the music to find the music that connects. In exploring the music, you will find that which is in you that seeks to get out, that which is in you that is more than words. The only way I know to find your whistle is to also find your music, and the only way to find the music is to play it. When whistle and music are well played, the essence inside us connects with whistle and tune, the playing resonates and re-affirms that connection. Just as we explore whistle and tune we also explore that which is within us, our essence. Whistle, tune, and heart, explore one another.
In a previous post, I wrote the following words as an attempt to describe what playing well is and how to go about it. I repost them here because they remind me of the center of my music, that which I return to, again and again.
Play Well
The music played well,
when words fail,
says all that needs said,
to any who need to hear.
Play?
Play the heart of it.
Play joy, sorrow, longing, and mystery.
Play impish, snippish, mischievous, prankish.
Play hope, dread, confusion, and consternation.
Play rage, regret, worry, and wonder.
Play the sunrise, moonrise, and the first cup of coffee in the morning.
Play the babes first step, the bridal dance, and the last step to grave.
Play the seaside, the canyon, the rapids, and the falls.
Play the thunderstorm, the mist, the first sunny day of spring,
. the gentle breeze of the last leaf falling,
. the snowflake caressing the window pane.
Just play.
All these things I aspire to; but, above all I strive to enjoy my music.
I hope this entices you to further …
I’ll second that. My first whistle that I could actually play was a Clarke Original and I still use it regularly. Sweet quiet and forgiving. Ideal for a beginner.
Jetboy
Weston whistles UK