Tin Whistle Questions

I asked before where I can buy a LOW whistle for less than $50, but you guys answered it as if I meant a high tin whistle. I really mean low? Any ideas?

Hey check out the whistleaway stor you can probably find what your looking for. A low D is the most common.

Hi, I don't know much about music, so I hope the way I explain my problem is understandable :)I recently started playing and bought a Meg whistle (D). I can hit most notes in the higher octave by blowing a little harder, but I have troubles reaching the high H. Though I blow exactly the same way as I do when doing the other notes an octave higher, the H remains in the first octave. Why is that and what can I do?

There is no H note in music, it is ABCDEFG then it repeats.

i just got a penny whistle from a toy store and im 10 years old. i instantly fell in love with it because i play recorder. i also play cello and piano and is good at reading music. is there any songs for these instruments ? i have a D whistle and cannot find any music.

Hey Olivia, look in our music section for some tune which you should be able to read.

Where can I buy a low whistle for less than $50?

Hey Emily, check on our whistle store, you can buy a whistle there for less than $20!

When playing fast, such as Irish Washer Woman, I don't seem to hit the notes clean. I get a little squawk on the interval skips. Is that due to lack of hole coverage or just over blowing? How do I correct that?

There may be several reasons for this, perhaps you are not covering the holes fully, or maybe your whitsle needs cleaned? The main reason is usually your blowing technique. You should try and maintain a constant blowing rythm, aslo dont forget to use your tongue to cut the flow of air from the whistle during intervals.

do the high notes not sound right on some tinwhistles because the tinwhistle is cheap?

Most likely it does not sound right because it is being blown too hard (or softly) or some hole(s) is not being covered with a complete air seal. Also, defective whistles are not impossible to find, if you are asking about a specfic whistle. The hole spacing could be off, or there could be some defect in the fipple, or the body might have been cut off short, or something else. Even cheap tinwhistles typically do not sound bad if played right, until you get into those litle blow-moulded plastic ones that cost less than $10.00, and are intended more as party favors than instruments. Susato, for instance, polishes the insides of their bores, which improves sound and playability some. And there are a dozen design features, such as size of the holes, shape of the holes, shape of the mouthpiece, etc. etc. that will make a $50 whistle sound or/and play better than a $20 whistle. In general, however there will not be that much difference between sound of a $20 whistle and a $50 one, if they are made from the same materials. Material the whistle is made from has a MUCH larger effect than any other design feature. Wooden fipples sound different from plastic or metal ones, and same with bodies. Steel, brass, aluminum, polymer (essentially PVC), and Blow-Moulded Pretzel Plastic will all produce different tones and volumes.

I would like to learn how to play Belfast Polka/Pennsylvania Railroad, but I can't find the notes listed anywhere. Thank you!

Check the store for a book by Phil Coulter, entitled Winters Crossing. The book also includes Steal Away and Appalachian Round-Up. Celtic Thunder is a favorite musical ensemble of mine that performs these tunes, and I love to play these on the whistle. If you want to try learning the tune by ear to be as accurate as possible, than you could try using Windows Media Player on your PC or Mac and set the playback mode to slow, so you could play along easily.

If I am a Lefty, is it proper technique to put my left hand on the bottom and the right hand on the top? Thank you.

ALWAYS PUT LEFT HAND ON TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!! I unfortunately learnt the wrong way round and so am unable to play flute/many types of bagpipe/sax clarinet the tantalizing list goes on! I teach kids whistle and it makes no difference to how they play weather they are left or right handed.

I have a Susato D whistle. How do I play a natural C in order to play tunes in the key of G? What is the fingering?

Cover the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th holes. Leave all others open.

whats the best penny whistle?

In what price range, and how do you define "Best". In general, a tuneable whistle made of all polymer will last longest and sound "woody", and be relatively inexpensive, with good sound (depending on your definition of "Good Sound", and are low-maintenance. Aluminum whistles with plastic fipples are low-maintenance louder and brighter than those of other materials. Low Maintenance with a Loud, bright, sound... Aluminum whistles are the best, if that is how you define "Best". Brass with plastic fipples are loud, but not quite as bright or loud as aluminum. All other factors are the same as aluminum. Brass whistles are Best, if that is how you define "Best". Stainless Steel with plastic fipples are pretty much just like brass, only they do not show fingerprints or need a periodic dose of brass polish to keep looking spiffy. Stainless Steel whistles are Best, if that is how you define "Best". All-Wood whistles... more expensive high-maintenance, but a good woody sound like polymer. More traditional than a plastic (polymer) whistle. All-Wood whistles are Best, if that is how you define "Best". Whisles made of tin, with a wooden fipple are very bad because they rust, their mouthpieces usually make them harder to play, and the wooden fipples absorb saliva, causing them to swell. They do not last, are harder to play BUT they sound okay and are very inexpensive. Whistles made from tin and wood are Best, if that is how you define "Best". You have essentially asked "How High Is A Fence", and the answer is "It all depends".

how can i tell what kind of whistle i have? It''s tin with 6 holes on the front and a green plastic mouth piece, no hole in back

may be a generation or walton generation- http://www.mally.com/images/pagephotos/zgengreend.jpg walton- http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/1/7/3/264173.jpg

How can you play an E flat on a D penny whistle?

Well, to play an E flat, you cover all the holes, only on the very last hole (lowest), you cover only half of it. Same goes for any other desired flat or sharp (but find the right hole for desired note). Hope that helps! It takes practice to get the correct tone, so keep trying!

Is there any other way to play C sharp without uncovering all the holes

Cover the 2nd and 4th holes from the top, leaving all others open.

Have just bought a penny whistle and am having problems getting used to the fingering. Should the tips of my fingers be flat or arched over the holes? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

Put your fingerprints over the holes. Rest fingers flat, sealing the holes with the pad between your fingertip and first joint. It may help to try and keep your fingers straight, with almost no arch. Not getting the all the holes completely covered and blowing too hard will be your largest problems. For the lowest register on the whistle, you practically need to sigh instead of blow, especially for the two lowest holes. Those two are also the hardest to cover well. You play in two octaves, depending on how hard you blow. It can be hard to play in the lower octave without it jumping up an octave. Breath-control is critical for that. Remain relaxed!

I am have a LOT of trouble hitting high notes on my D whistle. I am good for an octave - trying to get a not shrill tone - but when I begin the 2nd octave, my sound is shrill and unpleasant. I am just blowing harder and the whistle doesn't have the lovely mellow sound I hear on CDs. Any help? Thanks.

The best way to play high D is to cover all of the holes but the very top one, and blow slightly harder than you would in the lower range.

How do you play c. Also how do you play a high d and sharps?

To play a high C, just cover the holes A and G. To play high D, just blow every hole except B. For high E, cover every hole except B and D. For every other high note, just blow a bit Harder!

For a left handed person - should the right hand cover the top notes and the left the bottom (i.e. reverse of video) or does it matter?

Traditionally, the first three fingers of the left hand cover the top three holes, and the first three fingers of the right hand cover the bottom three holes. You can play it the opposite way, of course, but make sure you play the way most comfortable for you.

I bought a whistle made of steel, one piece. When I am playing B, A, G and F# it sounds fine but E and D squeak so badly!! And also , is a one piece whistle better than a whistle with a plastic or wooden mouthpiece??

Those two bottom holes are simply problematic, no fix for it. They will tolerate less air pressure than the others, AND they are harder to cover completely. Likely both of those are your problems, squeaking is most likely a bad seal on the 5th hole, maybe on the 6th. When it squeaks, keep holding it while you take it out of your mouth and look closely at the seal (on all sides) on both of the lowest holes. To fix: cover the holes with them pretty much under the center of your fingerprints, and be careful about covering completely. Do not arch your fingers if you can help it. Use special breath control when playing notes on those two holes, especially lower-octave "E" and "D" notes. Those will tolerate only a mere sigh to get low octave notes. Also, you often get better tone on the "D" note if you leave the topmost hole uncovered, instead of covering all six.

Can I play a G# on a D whistle? If so what is the fingering?

you can play almost any note on any whistle. But it is hard because you only cover up half the whole so most people buy another flute with a different key. but on a D wistle G# is the first 2 wholes and half of the 3rd.

I want to learn to play a tin whistle, but I don''t know which one to buy a C, D or G whistle... Which one do you recommend for Irish, Scottish and Indian music??

It really doesnt matter. Id recommend #1 D, #2 C. But mainly because everybody learns on a D. The only disadvantage of the G is that it is higher pitched and can sound squakier - the D/C whistles are slightly longer/larger and therefore easier to finger for a beginner (unless youve got tiny hands/fingers). FWIW - any music written in key of G can easily be played on D whistle (only one funny note).

I just bought a D whistle, and I want to play some songs with it. But many of them have notes below the low D. They just have key signature like do=f or do=g, I don''t understand about it because I can''t read notes well. How do I play the notes below the low D in Tin Whistle?

If the notes are below the lowest in the key of the whistle then you're out of luck. Transpose - play the whole piece an octave higher or else move it to G and you then have the notes below to D. Or buy an A whistle (below the one you already have).

New tin whistle player here but I play other instruments. My question is, what do whistle players do when they are actually IN d but the notes go below the bottom d? I am playing with a guitarist and a fiddler. So if we''re playing a song that goes d c d - do I use the higher c, or another note in the chord - like e? What's usual? Thanks.

It is quite common to do either. For just one note, I would probably just play a different chord note, for more than that I would likely do the whole passage up an octave. Of course, you could also consider use a lower pitched flute that has the C.

i just bought a genaration c tin whistle and it doesnt sound right ive never played the tin whistle before is it because im not blowing into it right it just sounds annoying i have no idea how to play it is it a bad whistle any tips would help i also play the guitar and harmonica.

your probably reading music for a D whistle?

I have been teaching myself how to play the tin whistle and have gotten pretty good at it. I have a Clark Original D, a Sweetone and Meg. I recently purchased a Brass Dixon High D Trad. I am having trouble with it and wonder if it is me or the whistle? I get a lot of squeaks and squawks out of it that I never have gotten out of the Clarks. I find myself very wary of playing it because I don''t want to squawk! Thanks, Karen

It's not you. I remember the time I moved from a Generation C/D to my first Overton (high C). Sounded like a banshee. Each make has a 'feel' and you just have to practice to get the hang of it. Some makes require slightly different fingering to get the holes perfectly covered. Others softer or sharper breathing. Stick with it - the Brass Dixon is a lovely whistle. GB

I am in desperate search for the tin whistle notes to Planxty''s

d g d g a b c b a g f# e d e d f# g a c b a g b c d highe d d b a a g f#e d g f# g

I am finding it very hard to find much sheet music specific to the Tin Whistle with regards to modern day tunes. Can I use flute sheet music or is there another instrument better suited to using sheet music from? Cheers!

It does not matter what instrument the music is written for as long as the notes are the range of the notes you can play on your whistle!

what is the correct fingering for the natural C? the Generation say that i should play OXX XOX

oh i got this if u have a D tin whistle which i hope this is what you are talking bout but just like high d it is the same amount of fingers just moved you put your middle finger on the 2nd hole and ur ring on the 3rd (btw to get the note u have to blow alittle bit harder) from titch

When you are playing the D Penny Whistle and you are playing the D note with all your fingers on the holes, is it possible to play an octave below that D?

The lowest "D" that a plain D whistle can play is close to "middle C". If you are getting a higher "D", you are blowing too hard!

I just got the Clarke Tin Whistle, book and Cd a month ago and think I am doing great but I am new to reading music and seem to always have to write the notes in. Is there a trick to remembering where each note is? I try to make a mental note of Every Good Boy Does Fine and FACE for spaces but always end of writing in the notes.

Whenever you play a song, pay careful attention to the fingering position you have for each note.Eventually youll remember it. Try not to write in the notes, think of them in your head intead. The only way you can possibly remember the order of the notes is with practice.

what is a good first tin whistle?

Ryan Dunn recommends a Generation Nickle in D. It is inexpensive and plays well. And he is definitely the man when it comes to Tin Whistles - Google him. I started with the Clark Sweetone in D and the Walton little black whistle in D - The Walton was breathy and needed to be modified. The Clark rocked right from the box.

Hi, I have some issue playing the F nat : when you have to half cover the hole. When I try to play faster I often end up with shrilling sound. Which half part of the hole do you cover for the most convenient result? (top half, right half?) Thx

It takes patience and practice. I think the half notes are the pons asinorum of tin whistle playing. I find it easiest to cover the side. Which side depends on the hand - assuming left hand on top then I would cover the top 3 on the left side (i.e. the side the finger naturally covers) and vice versa for the bottom. While it takes some practice this allows you to develop a faster fingering technique in the long term and play better ornamentation. The shrill sound will disappear with practice. Best wishes GB

Any tips on how to stop my whistle frequently clogging up with saliva during a session?

Dryout your mouth by breathing through your mouth (you might say panting) before you start to play. Holding the whistle with your lips infront of your teeth (not with them) should help too. Hope that helps!

I have a high D tweeked Clarke but I''ve always wanted a lower whistle. The low D whistle intimidates me - I''m female with small fingers. Is there a lower whistle I could play?

Yes, there are plenty of smaller whistles you can play - tin whistles come in all shapes and sizes.

im looking to start playing the tin whistle but dont know where to start.what whistle should i start with and how should i learn how to play?

get the feadog original irish whistle and look for the tin whistle tutor book it helpped me loads

How do u do a high d?

all fingers down apart from the top one, and blow slightly harder than you would for the bottom octave.

I am a beginner, the notes heard from the pros are

well joseph i dont know what the pros are doing but if u have a D tin whistle it is best to get the feadog original irish whistle book it helped me loads

what key is ''the glasgow reel'' in? what key whistle shoudl i buy if i want to play that?

It is played in a few different keys. The "traditional" is D minor. It is also sometimes played first a few times in D minor and then a few times in A minor. If you are going to only play it in D minor, it works great on an F whistle. If you want to play it both ways, you can use a C whistle.

What are the three best basic cuts to practise on the tin whistle as a learner?

Try going onto You Tube, type in Tin Whistle Lesson Week One and you will find a teacher called Ryan Duns from Fordham University, he shares cuts and hits in week 4/5 lessons. He is clear and amazingly I have learnt from scratch using his clear instructions.

Hey there, i am a complete beginner in music and i was wondering how you could play a high e (e sharp?) or low e etc etc differently if they have the same fingering?

if two notes have the same fingering to play the high notes blow harder and to play the lower notes dont blow to hard!!simple!! hope i helped(THE megsta):):):):):)

I have the D Whistle, but when I try to play the low notes, it sounds so high and shrills. How do I get the notes correct?

Dont blow so hard. You are crossing into the second octave. Also, make sure you are covering all the holes correctly and forming a perfect seal.

Is it very wrong if i play with my right hand on top?

Hi Jone!

I wouldn't say its very wrong, it really doesnt matter which hand you use as along as you feel comfortable. I think the tin whistle is traditionally taught with the left hand at the top so teachers can easily explain to their pupils how to play the notes, eg. Use the top 2 fingers on your left hand (for an A).

I want to play with a local group whos music is written in the key of G ( they play a variety of instuments but not whistles). I have a D whistle. Do I need to transpose the music as at the moment it sounds awful.

I would suggest getting a g whistle, problem solved!

How to I get a good vibrato? Is it in the fingering or breath control?

The only way ive seen is on a low whistle where you hover your finger over the next hole down from the note you are playing and quickly raising ands lowering your finger witjhout actually touching the whistle. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9rfedsCm_q4&feature=channel - the guy does this technique at the beggining of this vid. I tried this on a tin whistle and it works jst the same. hope this has helped =]

How do u play Happy Birthday on the Tin Whistle?

Thats a simple one:

The notes for happy birthday are:

'Happy Birthday': D D E D G F#, D D E D A G, D D D' B G F# E, C C B G A G

Happy Birthday!

I am playing a Clark Tin Whistle and it looks very different from the ones I see around - It is one piece, made of tin with a wooden piece in the mouth piece area. Is this really considered a tin whistle? It does not have the separate mouthpiece the others seem to have?

i have a clarke c whistle which matches your description, is it this one? http://www.clarke-tin-whistle.com/original.html this type are harder to play but i think they give a much richer tone. it defiantly counts as a tinwhistle!

My breath seems to be very wet- the sound of my whistle always deteriorates very quickly because there is too much liquid inside. Is there anything I can do against that?

well u could always breath in and out before u start using your tin whistle.now u have your mouth dry. by divya

I have a D whistle. How do I play the semitones? I know you said beginners should stay away from them, but I know how to play the flute and the recorder, and I would like to broaden my repertoire of playable tunes on the tin whistle.Thanks!

basicly, half cover the hole to get half a note. this is quite easy but when in a fast song can be very difficult to place the finger in the correct position.

I am looking for a good, preferanbly tunable and with a "breathy" quality to it. Currently I have taken an interest in "Dixon Traditional High D", "Dixon Polymer High D" and "Susato Kildare S series High D". After reading some reviews about these, I'm confused. Could you tell me about your experiences with these?

I cant speak for Susato, but the Dixon Trad high D is the best "cheap" whistle out there. it holds tune and tone, the upper octave sings, and the lower octave can be played very strongly (especially compared to other cheap high whistles). plus, its tunable.

Do tin whistles in different keys have the same notes?

Yeah they have the same notes, however the notes will be slightly higher or lower depending on your whistle. Also, some tunes dont sound right unless you play them on the proper scale/key.

I have a G tin whistle, can I play all notes and scales on that one?

A simple question, but one that can be complex to answer. The simple answer is you can play all the notes in the scale of G i.e from G to g and you can play many of the notes in the scale of d. Other than that you need to have a whistle in the other keys if you want to play more than that, but why bother when the key of D will see you through much of what many tin whistle players play?! As well, the whistle is a transposing instrument, so if you find something not in the key of your choice, just transpose the notes to suit your whistles key or get a whistle in that key. Generation whistles are cheap and have a variety of keys.

i just went thru the note structures and positions on the tutorial page . i want to know the shown notes corrosponds to which tune of the tin whistle?

Go to the "Musical Scales" on the online tutorial. click on the pictures of the notes on the scales and it will play the note (or click the "play note again" bock). And make sure you have your speakers turned one, lol. ^_^

I just got my D tin whistle and im having trouble keeping a solid tone, any suggestions?

A little more info would be helpful. Is it a wood fipple? Wood fipples tend to moisten the longer you use them, and I find, over time, it lowers tone. Are you cleaning the airways between each song? Moisture builds up over time in the airway, and you need to clean it out. Most people snap the whistle forward to clean it out. Dont hit it on anything, just snap it. Others just whistle really hard into it, and watch the saliva fly.

I dont know how to read music!!! Im a begginner and all i can play is twinkle twinkle little star ... foggy dew sounds amazing! Is there any books or music sheets online that show you all the fingering??

Soodlums Tin Whistle books and also Instant Tin Whistle books have all the tunes with fingering diagrams as well as notes. They will also teach you how to read sheet music if you want to learn that too. You can find those books on Amazon or ebay or source them locally. Mick

How do I keep my whistle from rusting any further? it is a little bit rusted on the outside, and I cant see in it. Please answer!

The only reason your whistle is rusting is because it is getting damp. To make sure it doesnt rust on the outside you should make sure to give it a quick rub with a dry cloth when you have finished playing.

To clean the inside of your whistle just sellotape a piece of tissue to a long stick and rub this up the inside, it will clear away any moistness and also dust!!

how do you do twinkle twinkle little star

Try the following notes on your whistle:

ddaabba ggf#f#eed

Simple!

How to keep my tin whistle properly? How to clean it inside? On my brass whistle appeared ugly stains and fingerprints. How to get rid of them?

Most brass whistles are coated in a clear laquer. You might need to remove this coating and them use a brass cleaner on the outside of the tube. Warm soapy water and an bottle cleaning brush that you would use for dish washing will help keep the inside tube clean.

What is the best book to learn the penny whistle? Daughter has had 5 years of strings , so she knows how to read music. What would be the best book for her?

The Tin Whistle Toolbox by Grey Larsen. You wont go wrong there. It will start her down the right track from the word go. Mick

What are the notes for twinkle twinkle little star on the tin whistle

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: D D A A B B A, G G F# F# E E D

How do you play a note lower than a D if you have a D whistle?

hhhrrrrrmmmmm? i dont think you can on a d whistle sorry. :((

I have a D whistle, but many of the tunes I want to play have notes below the low D. How do I play them or transpose the music?

If you have sheet music, the first step is to figure out what key it is in. Look at the key signature, if you see sharps, look at the last one within the key signature, and go a half step higher. (if its a G# you are in the key of A, ect.) If you see flats, look at the second to last, and that will tell you the key. (if the last flat is an A flat, go back one, and you are in Eb). If there is only one flat, then you are in F, and if there are no sharps or flats, you are in C.

Now that you know what key you are in, every time you see that note, play a D instead, and build your scale from there. That will transpose you to the key of D. Or you can play a G, as these keys are very closely related. (The only difference is in D, you play a C# by not covering any holes, and in G, you play C natural, by covering the second and third holes with your left hand.)

That should get you started, it works for me. As far as playing below the low D, I will usually try to stick my pinky in the bottom of the whistle, and if I am lucky can get a C or C#. The downside to that is there is no speed or precision. Let me know if you learn any other ways.

Happy transposing!

~Jo

what is a A#?

It is an A sharp, which is a semitone above A and basically the same as a Bb (B flat) - strictly speaking they are slightly different sounds but everyone treats them as equivalents.

Hi, Im interested in learning the Tin whistle and the Irish flute. Ive played a standard open-holed flute for 4 years so Im about level 5. In the videos, most of the fingerings look like that of a recorder. I just want to know would this be a dramatic change?

no iv played a flute and recorder there is not alot of difference in a tin whistle and recorder apart from there is no hole in the back of the tin whistle

I just bought a tin whistle and there is no hole on the back, only 6 on the front, how can I play the higher notes?

Hi Diana,

Most tin whistles dont have a hole in the back,(maybe your thinking of a recorder) you just got to blow a little harder to get up to those high notes!

When blowing on the whistles mouthpeice should you hold it with your teeth or just use your lips?

I would say the most common method of holding the whistle is with your lips, hold it firmly and try not to think about it too much. It really doesnt matter, some whistlers use their ttech also, so I suppose, whatever you feel comfortable with as it shouldnt affect the way the tin whistle sounds.

When I listen to whistle music I sometimes hear the player slide from one note to the other. Are there rules for doing this? How is it done properly?

Slowly cover or uncover a finger hole, letting the pitch change gradually. Simple as that! Tom

I Have A Waltons D Whistle And I Was Wondering Whether You Had Some Music So I Can Pipe The Rats Away.Thanks,The Pied Piper

In my opinion, the best kind of music to get rid of any living creature is rap, if you can call that music. But to get critters to follow you away, learn a nice reel, like The Lily, or a jig, like Morrisons.

What microphone do you recommend for live performance?

This all depends on where you are performing, what type of setup you are running it through, and what whistle you are playing. Send me a message on my youtube profile, www.youtube.com/dedaluminus with the details and I will come up with an answer for you. However, in general, AKGs are inexpensive and can be really good depending on the model.

Im interested in a

Yes, a Dixon trad in brass, around the same price but with a nicer tone.

Someone asked me do i tongue or slur when I play the whistle, an anybody explain what exactly is tonguing?

Tonguing is separating a note from the one in front of it by momentarily stopping the air flow through the whistle with your tongue. You stop the air flow by very briefly and lightly saying "tuh" into the whistle at the beginning of the note.

Slurring is the absence of tonguing, so you keep a steady stream of air flowing through the whistle as move your fingers to the next note; in classical music terms this is called playing legato. Traditional Irish music uses less tonguing that other genres of music.

What is tonguing?

Tonguing is an ornamentaion technique, its basically the way most notes are played on the whistle, using your tongue to limit the amount or air which flows down the whistle. If you tut your notes your probably a tonguer

What is fingering?

Fingering is simply the way you place your fingers on the whistle to play a note. People sometimes play the same note differently in order to make it easier to play the next note.

What exactly is ornamentation in irish music?

Ornamentations are little tricks used to help the music come alive and make the melody stand out. The use of these taps, cuts, rolls, crans etc separates a good player from a great player.