Just ordered a low D tin/Irish whistle.

zepp76

I thought I’d give the Tin/Irish whistle a go as I’ve been wanting to learn to play for a long time. Anyone else play the whistle? I have a collection of high D’s but this is my first low. I guess you could call it WAS (Whistle acquisition syndrome). If anyone does play do you have any recommendations for simple songs (airs/reels/jigs) to learn please?

Rocker

I played a high D about fifty years ago! 

Some suggested tunes are:  The Chulainn [note the Davy Spillane version on the internet is much different than the usual version played in Co. Westmeath].  This version also differs from our local version but it is worth a listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WElrLUUY3Yk  Not sure how many interpretations of this tune exists but this is worth a listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDB4VjkUkOc

Hornpipes - The boys of Bluehill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaGd2qpznNA, Harvest home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIvCA9jRCTQ. 

Reels - The Sally gardens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmTphcdNgfo

I have no idea how these would sound on a low whistle but would be interested to hear the result.

Bridgehouse

Yes, play whistle a lot. 

Low D is hard - you will need to perfect span and flat finger technique. Work on good solid notes and scales before you try tunes.

It also needs quite a bit more air...

zepp76

Bridgehouse said:

Yes, play whistle a lot. 

Low D is hard - you will need to perfect span and flat finger technique. Work on good solid notes and scales before you try tunes.

It also needs quite a bit more air...

Thank you for the advice, I’ll be practicing piper’s grip with the low D. It’s a Chieftain V5 and is said to be quite good for beginners as it takes less breath to play it.

Bridgehouse

zepp76 said:

Bridgehouse said:

Yes, play whistle a lot. 

Low D is hard - you will need to perfect span and flat finger technique. Work on good solid notes and scales before you try tunes.

It also needs quite a bit more air...

Thank you for the advice, I’ll be practicing piper’s grip with the low D. It’s a Chieftain V5 and is said to be quite good for beginners as it takes less breath to play it.

I’ve played an Ormiston (still have it somewhere) which the chieftains are based on. 

Also played a Copeland - that needed ridiculous amounts of air

zepp76

Rocker said:

I played a high D about fifty years ago! 

Some suggested tunes are:  The Chulainn [note the Davy Spillane version on the internet is much different than the usual version played in Co. Westmeath].  This version also differs from our local version but it is worth a listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WElrLUUY3Yk  Not sure how many interpretations of this tune exists but this is worth a listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDB4VjkUkOc

Hornpipes - The boys of Bluehill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaGd2qpznNA, Harvest home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIvCA9jRCTQ. 

Reels - The Sally gardens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmTphcdNgfo

I have no idea how these would sound on a low whistle but would be interested to hear the result.

Great stuff thank you. I’ve only ever heard the Chullainn played on the Uilleann pipe never through a low whistle, quite inspiring.

shufflebeat

Prepare to be asked to play "the Lonesome Boatman".

zepp76

shufflebeat said:

Prepare to be asked to play "the Lonesome Boatman".

Yeah umm, err, just give me ten to twenty years to practice it!

shufflebeat

zepp76 said:

shufflebeat said:

Prepare to be asked to play "the Lonesome Boatman".

Yeah umm, err, just give me ten to twenty years to practice it!

Ah, you'll be fine. You've got 10mins.

Did I mention you're on live telly and you're first teenage crush is presenting the show?

All the best.

zepp76

shufflebeat said:

zepp76 said:

shufflebeat said:

Prepare to be asked to play "the Lonesome Boatman".

Yeah umm, err, just give me ten to twenty years to practice it!

Ah, you'll be fine. You've got 10mins.

Did I mention you're on live telly and you're first teenage crush is presenting the show?

All the best.

You’ve lost me mate??

shufflebeat

It's the kind of thing that happens when you don't have time to prepare, all of a sudden the stakes go through the roof.

I was on a gig with a throw-together band a few years ago, all good players (Irish trad & folkie stuff) but not regular band-mates. The flute player asked for a particular song which we'd not really practiced but I thought, "what the hell, it's a foreign country. Who knows us here?" I got half way through the first verse and the guy who wrote the song, a major player in that small circle, and another local folkie icon walked in the door for a few Friday night pints.

It was the longest five minutes of my life and the worst introduction to the guy I could have imagined but he seems to get over it.

maltingsaudio

zepp76 said:

shufflebeat said:

Prepare to be asked to play "the Lonesome Boatman".

Yeah umm, err, just give me ten to twenty years to practice it!

Lonesome boatman best played on a strat a la Hank Marvin!

Boulavogue and O Carolans Lament would be my starting point

shufflebeat

O'C's Lament is nice but Boulavogue is really the same short phrase repeated as nauseam, something I didn't actually realise despite having heard it a million times. It's more of a lyrical narrative than a melodic one.

maltingsaudio

shufflebeat said:

O'C's Lament is nice but Boulavogue is really the same short phrase repeated as nauseam, something I didn't actually realise despite having heard it a million times. It's more of a lyrical narrative than a melodic one.

Surely Boulavogue is two parts, the at Boulavogue bit then then then father Murphy bit? I agree it’s a lyrical narrative but a great tune

zepp76

Like a div I completely forgot it’s the Easter holidays so I won’t be seeing my whistle until Tuesday/Wednesday at the least. I’m going to have to dig out one of my high D’s and have a practice.

zepp76

These are the sorts of things I’m hoping to learn, airs and reels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1thjwTiQRZ0&feature=share


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H1P_Lam76E&feature=share

Bridgehouse

If you like the sound, check out “The Unseen Stream” by Troy Donockley - one of my favourite albums of all time. 

zepp76

Bridgehouse said:

If you like the sound, check out “The Unseen Stream” by Troy Donockley - one of my favourite albums of all time. 

@Bridgehouse I absolutely love the Uilleann pipes, I was lucky enough to attend Tradfest in Clifden Connemara in Ireland. I spent six nights there taking in the sights and sounds of some of the best traditional Irish folk musicians in the world. It was fantastic and I really look forward to going again some time. The music just moves me, it stirs something inside and I hope one day I’ll be good enough on the whistle to join in a session.

shufflebeat

maltingsaudio said:

shufflebeat said:

O'C's Lament is nice but Boulavogue is really the same short phrase repeated as nauseam, something I didn't actually realise despite having heard it a million times. It's more of a lyrical narrative than a melodic one.

Surely Boulavogue is two parts, the at Boulavogue bit then then then father Murphy bit? I agree it’s a lyrical narrative but a great tune

First three notes (by my reckoning) are different, albeit a harmony, otherwise all parts (AABA) are identical.

I fear I might have spoiled this song for some people now for which I apologise but it's a masterpiece of minimalism in work done vs impact achieved.