Hi, I have just decided to try and learn the Irish whistle. I have a generation D and it really seems to go haywire on the a and g. Could be operator error but seems to me when I hold a steady stream of air on those notes it will vary greatly in pitch. I am hoping it’s the whistle and not the operator
I just ordered a Dixon trad in brass D so I am anxiously awaiting that to arrive.
I also ordered the Clarke Tinwhistle book and CD by Bill Ochs
I am not really sure where to look to find someone in my area that can teach so what would be my best set of instructions to get to help me learn at home?
It’s been awhile since I have picked up an instrument. I did take cello once upon a time and some organ .. but I better start as if I knew nothing again it’s been so long.
An instructor or tutor really helps in the beginning. However there are some online courses and tutorials that can really help. On YouTube there a few sources of tutorials. Ryan Duns is a good place to start. And there are several others who’s names escape me at the moment.
Blayne Chastaine is a C&F member and has an online whistle course that I’ve heard is excellent. The is also the Online Academy of Irish Music.
There are many other ways to learn and I’m sure you’ll get feedback from others around here. Good luck. In the end, just listen to as many tunes as you can and play a lot. You can do it.
The Dixon whistle and Bill Ochs book/CD should get you started. Take your time, follow the lessons in the book and listen to the accompanying cuts on the CD. You’ll be playing simple tunes in very short order.
I have used several of the cites from Maki’s list and found them to be quite useful. Brother Steve’s I started with and used it extensively in the beginning. I found Tradlessons and Father Dunns’ cites to be very good and both helped me to learn tunes by ear (with some visual aid). I now prefer to learn tunes by ear.
I do occasionally “peak” at the dots, and learned a good Scottish jig “Drummond Castle” from the Bill Ochs Handbook/CD. I haven’t used this resource much, yet, but I’ll probably refer to it off and on in the near future.
The Oaim cite looks to be very good. I tried the sample lesson on The Baltimore Salute and found it to be very good. Perhaps I’ll register for lessons once I get more experience.
Do try to listen as often as possible to good traditional music. I listen to Irish music every day and find that I pay attention to rhythm and variation more than I would if I wasn’t trying to learn.
Thank you very much for all the great links.
I have loads of traditional music. One of my sisters friends plays bars etc .. We went up to see them the other weekend and he was playing the whistle which is what has got me going.
I lightly sanded the windway on my generation and removed the rough plastic in the airway. Now the A and G are great and the D is off .. lol .. The Tony Dixon is on backorder so I i got impatient and ordered a Clarke Original.
I can’t have just one I guess .. I hope the Clarke holds me over better than this generation until the Trad comes.
I am surprised at how fast I am coming along.. not as fast as I like but nothing ever is lol … kind of hard with the D squeak but at least I am working my fingers and associating the brain with the fingers along with the visual on the notes.
My toughest thing so far is I am having a hang of a time with my left hand ring finger… I am picking it up when I lift my right pointing finger. So I go to play F sharp and end up playing A… This only happens when I try to go a bit faster.. but it’s getting better by the day ..
I suggest the 3 CD set. The other package is an excerpt of the bigger one. The big one rambles a bit, but it has a lot of great stuff, and Cathal introduces everything in a logical manner – clearly well thought through in terms of the sequence of teaching things.
