So I want to learn to play the Tin Whistle...

Self explanatory title, really…

I recently moved into small quarters and got rid of my piano and guitar, but I would like to stay musical. A tin whistle can be fit in a drawer, so…

I’ve browsed around and seen some packages with whistle, book and learning DVDs. That sounds like the thing for me, but there seems to be some variations. Most of the whistles I’ve seen being played on YouTube seem to have plastic mouth-pieces, while some of the whistles I’ve shopped around for talk about having a wooden mouth-piece of some sort.

Any suggestions? I just want something with decent tone so I don’t hate myself while learning, though only time will tell that story.

Thanks in advance…

Padraig

The standard ones around here are plastic headed and in the key of D. When played by an expert the tin whistle is one of the most beautiful instruments, when played by me my dog tries to bite me! Good luck with this endeavour and post some recordings/videos when you learn a few tunes. :slight_smile:

Tin Whistle player here…

One of the great things about the tin whistle is that you don’t have to spend big money to get a good one. One of the best around is the Clarke whistle.

They make ones with a plastic mouthpiece (called the Clarke Sweetone), but the one I really like is the original whistle, which is solid metal and has a wooden plug. There are some professional whistle players who play with this whistle. I highly recommend you find a starter kit that has this whistle in it. Or you can just get the whistle alone and learn on the web (links below).

They’re only around $10-$15, probably with a book to teach you the basics, and they sound wonderful. They have a nice mellow smooth tone to them. I have a $150 wooden whistle like this from Sweetheart Whistles, and I actually enjoy playing the Clarke more.

There are differences between various whistles that are worth mentioning. Some require more air flow than others. Some are very loud, and are intended to be played with a band, while others are quiet. In the case of the $150 whistle I have, it’s made to play with a band, so it has a tunable barrel so you can tune yourself to the band, and it’s quite loud.

Start with a whistle in D, as that’s the most common key for whistle music. Then you can add more whistles later (being very cheap, it’s fun to collect them).

Here are some good Tin Whistle links for you to check out:

Brother Steve’s Tin Whistle Pages

Chiff and Fipple

Chiff and Fipple has a guide to inexpensive whistles that should be useful for you: Guide to Inexpensive Whistles. They also have an active message board where you can ask questions.

The Sessioneer

Whistle Tutor

Another great thing about the tin whistle is that so much of the traditional music played on it is in the public domain, so you can find lots of it on the internet. The links above will have lots of tutorials using authentic irish jigs and airs, including MP3s of the songs so you can hear what they sound like when played correctly. It’s a lot of fun just surfing around and picking up songs here and there and trying to match the recordings.

Hope this is useful for you.

Sam Stone, just posting to say that’s a great and informative post. Thank you!

Damn, I see a post I can answer and Sam has come in and done the hard stuff!

Chiff and Fipple is great, I’ve been going there since …98? maybe earlier.

I have owned Copelands, Weasels both water and wood, as well as a host of the inexpensive ones. The Sweetone is really really nice. I like the purity of tone (but not recorder like as the susatos are)

If you dont like the garish colours, there is the Meg which comes in a grey paint and looks quite nice. The Sweetone mouthpiece was designed by Michael Copeland as a matter of fact.

As for playing, I have a copy of L. E. McCullough’s " Learn to Play Irish TinWhistle on VHS. If you can’t find it locally , PM me and I’ll drop it in the mail. It’s a great way to learn the basics such as fingering, crnas, trills, half holing, etc.

Also get some music you like and play along. Find a local session and sit in. I have found almost all session people to be wonderful, with a couple egotistic tools thrown in here and there. Break up the songs into small parts, master them slooooooowly, and then speed up. Precise fingering of the notes is more important at the earliest levels than zipping gthruogh The Masons Apron at full steam.

Outstanding help all! Thanks so very much.

There were very nice sound samples of the different whistles in one of Sam Stone’s links. As he suggested, it’s either the Sweetone or the Original; both very pleasant, with the Original having perhaps a touch of breathiness and the Sweetone being much purer and, well, sweet. I just need to shop for the starter kit of my choice between these two and I’m off!

And thank you MikeG for the offer. I’ll keep it in mind as things progress.

P

I have a Susato High D. I like it but it is LOUD. I’d like to get a softer mellower one. I’d like to get an Overton but that is probably not going to happen for a while. I’ve heard good things about the Sweetone; I might try one of those next. But I think the Original is softer, so I am undecided right now.

What is the best next key to buy one in, since I have the D already? C?

I’m a big fan of traditional Irish music, so my wife bought me a tin whistle a couple years back, but I’ve never really put any serious effort into learning it, to my regret. I believe I will use this thread as an excuse to pick it up again and try.

Thanks for the very informative posts.

Well I went and bought a Clarke Original and a Meg. I think I got the Meg in C just to see what it’s like.

ShadowFacts, I thought it was pretty easy to pick up. Not that I am an expert but I can play a tune or two, even without any serious learning. Sam Stone’s post makes me want to put a lot more effort into it though!