I’ve really fell in love with the whistle. I’m a begginer, but i think im ready for a slightly better cheap whistle. What should i get? :-?
Well, I think your name says it all…what are you waiting for??? ![]()
Welcome, by the way!
Robin
wow, you respond awful fast, thanks. So really, should i just keep playin what i got and stop worrien about my whistle?
yeah
i’m learning to read music, but im anxious to play. I asked in the chat room, but thye didnt know, are there any websites or places to see the fingering charts to songs for people who cant read the sheets yet?
What kind do you currently have? So long as it’s in tune with itself and doesn’t sound bad to your ear, it should be perfectly fine, unless you really want to try one of a different type.
Redwolf
Some of the songbooks have tabulatures, where they have a diagram of the hole coverings for every note. They’re usually the beginner books. Go to some of the recommended online stores to find some.
Most people recommend this book as the best to start with:
Clarke Tin Whistle Handbook and CD
By Bill Ochs, The Pennywhistler’s Press
http://www.bookch.com/music.htm#3248
Welcome aboard!
Best wishes,
Jerry
Syn.
Hoover!
Super easy to play.
pure and soft second octave.
wonderful whistle to learn and practice on! ![]()
Hail Fellow Fool ![]()
Don’t get another cheap one!
Get the whistle you want. Save up for it if necessary!
You’ll only wish you had if you buy another cheapie.
Not only that, but it’s the beginning of WHOA!
In my foolish opinion, get a Dixon (£15 ish),
or Alba Q1 (£35 ish).
Or really go for it and get an Overton (£80 ish).
Then you’ll know you have the best available.
Then you can stop worrying about the brand,
and get on with playing the music.
HTH
If you are friends with your first whistle still
Ask her who she wants for company.
If you cannot talk to her, then such love is cheap …
![]()
As another beginner, I agree–but only if your current one is really a struggle to even get a good sound out of. In that case, save the current one for when you’re more adept.
Of my first four, the two cheapest were really difficult to play (for different reasons). One (Clarke original) got pretty much tweaked to death. The other (Feadog) responded somewhat to tweaking, but replacing the Feadog mouthpiece with a Hoover Whitecap moved it from most to least difficult. Its sound also improved a thousand-fold. I think that was worth $20.
The Feadog is now easier to play than either the $27 Dixon or the $110 Burke–though the Burke isn’t terribly difficult and sounds wonderful. The modified Feadog is not very loud, but by the time you play well enough to want to be heard in a crowd of instruments, you’ll be ready for something more expensive.
The Oak is by far my favorite cheap whistle, it’s only around $10 or so.
My favorite inexpensive whistle is my Clare one piece nickel D. However, I picked it out of a batch of about 50. All of the whistles will be easier to play as you get better at playing. The most important thing is to learn right the first time. I “learned” the wrong fingering for the second octave D and now I am having a hard time “unlearning” this error. Two of my whistles will not tolerate the incorrect fingering. I believe it was Jerry that said get the Bill Ochs book. I heartily second that. I just got the book and I wish had done it when I started. BTW a good inexpensive whistle is the Jerry Tweaked Generation. You can get them from Jerry directly or from the Whistle Shop. There are some tablature sites on the web. I got some Christmas tunes from the Guitar Nuts page. I don’t have a link.
Whatever you do keep whistling
Ron
I think Mack Hoover’s Whitecaps are the way to go in this case. Inexpensive - you are likely to be able to use it on your existing whistle tube (unless you have a conical rolled bore like a Clarke or a shaw) - the price is perfect - and the tone and playability difference will amaze you. Mack is also able to custom suit the thing to play to your likings.
Look him up:
I have lots of cheap whistles and the one I pick up most is a Clarke original. It has a dent in the tin at the far end of the sound hole and a wooden fipple.
It sounds great in both octaves.
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/blackclarke/clarke.htm
I started whistling by accident with a clarke sweetone. That was pretty good too.
brian
just my two cents, but I just an Elfsong C and D and they’re really great. I definitely recommend Elfsong whistle. Sandy’s great to deal with too, really nice and quick to respond. + so many color choices!!!
another 2 cents. just been playing Danny Boy in C. The Clarke original hits that top E (third octave) with no trouble at all.
Brian
One is the grass caressing the wind
One the wind searching the leaves
One the leaves teasing the sun
One the moon sun lit
Waxing and waning
Like lovers’ One …