# Let's talk folk wind instruments: Whistles, Irish Flutes

Category: Jam Session

## Post 1 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 30-Mar-2015 18:10:20

I've been a recorder player for years, not that good anymore because I don't practice. However, recently I've gotten into both Native American flute and six-hole systems like the Irish whistle and flute.
Since a lot of stuff online tends to be visual, especially when it comes to fingering systems, etc., I thought it might be nice to start something here where we can describe fingerings / cross fingerings, stuff like that which you can't readily observe on Youtube unless you can see it.
Just hoping for a healthy exchange of ideas. I've got a system I use for writing this stuff down which hopefully will make sense if people want it.

## Post 2 by Imprecator (The Zone's Spelling Nazi) on Monday, 30-Mar-2015 23:19:24

One of those big big recorders with the keys would be cool to have.

## Post 3 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 31-Mar-2015 15:55:03

Oh, you're talking the bass or contra? Yes, and it requires a stand to hold it while you play. The fingering is the same from what I understand, only it's got keys to open and close since there's no way you could reach that with just your hands.

## Post 4 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 05-Nov-2015 20:03:01

As for me, I've got a penny whistle and would love to get my hands on a set of Uilleann Pipes.

## Post 5 by sia fan bp (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 06-Nov-2015 12:06:29

ooo, irish whistle? those sound very good! I would like to play the flute. or
the claranet.

## Post 6 by Imprecator (The Zone's Spelling Nazi) on Friday, 13-Nov-2015 11:43:05

Although I hate the sound of bagpipes, I'm curious what they look like.

## Post 7 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Friday, 08-Jan-2016 12:29:27

Just spent a bit of money / the last of my gift card on a Generations b flat (bB) whistle. I heard it on YouTube and they sound good.
bB is good for bagpipe tunes as well as traditional American fife and drum tunes.
If you've not learned to read music, bB instruments play well in F eB, aB and dB.
That means all pipe tunes, all fife and drum music, as well as any Irish tunes you want to play in something other than the traditional Irish keys.
Now the trouble I've had with fife and drum stuff is playing in the third and sometimes 4th register, the fife uses a change in the lip. You can't do that on a fipple instrument like a penny whistle or recorder. Unlike the recorder, you have no thumb hole for octave separation so you can only achieve upper range by initial increase in wind pressure. Not just "bling harder," you use your initial "too" more like a hard "doo" with diaphragm to get it and then resume your normal wind pressure.
So I believe, though could be corrected, the fife can get notes that we can't.
Anyhow the bB is just a new approach and I'm looking forward to getting it.

## Post 8 by sia fan bp (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 08-Jan-2016 13:00:51

oh cool!

## Post 9 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Saturday, 09-Jan-2016 18:36:25

I dug up an old fingering chart. Guess what: there's a fourth register on most
whistles if you know how to get it. If not, well, R.I.P. your ears, and your
neighbors' ears too. Fear not the cross-fingerings. For me that's not usually too
much trouble, as I was once a recorder player -- still would be if I practiced
enough. All your baroque tunes are nothing but cross-fingerings on the recorder.
Anyhow you can get all the notes in the major scale up to the 4th octave from
your whistle's root note.
Sia, are you a wind player too?

## Post 10 by CrystalSapphire (Uzuri uongo ndani) on Sunday, 10-Jan-2016 9:01:16

I always wanted to learn how to play the flute, but sadly you need two hands for that. I have nerve damage in my left hand, so that prevents me with many instruments.
I have a penny whistle I'm going to learn to play when I have time, and a friend who plays the flute, and whistles wants me to look at a one handed slide whistle at some point.

## Post 11 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Sunday, 10-Jan-2016 22:17:37

The tin whistle takes two hands also. I'll have to think about it. Besides a single
hand drum I don't know of an instrument you can play with one hand.
Oh yes I do: The melodica if you have it sitting on something. It's a wind
keyboard instrument and Celtic session people are using it now.

## Post 12 by CrystalSapphire (Uzuri uongo ndani) on Monday, 11-Jan-2016 18:03:59

Leo apparently there is a new one handed slide whistle on the market now.

## Post 13 by Remy (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 11-Jan-2016 18:24:04

I use the flute samples from Native Instruments, a virtual instrument library, together with a midi keyboard. It's cheating, but it's amazing how good some of these virtual instruments can sound. I've come to the conclusion that while my skills playing instruments might not surpass low-level mediocraty, my skills in audio editing could make me a reasonally okay musician. For my part, I love many of the flutes out there, though I'm sad to admit I don't always know the names of each. I'd actually love to be better about picking out instruments in music. There are several in songs I listen to which I simply don't know the name, and would like to.

## Post 14 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 12-Jan-2016 14:53:26

Got my Generations bB whistle today. Peple who praise Generations do so for good reason, apparently. I selected brass because it's supposed to be warmer.
Now, if you get a bB for the purposes of playing with fifers or pipers, you're going to have to get comfortable playing in octaves 2, 3, and yes, 4. The further up you go, the funnier the fingering. And the easier to squeak.
The reason for starting at octave 2 when playing with pipers is you provide the octave separation. And, playing at octave 1 with pipers or a fife and drum corps, good luck hearing yourself, let alone being heard by anyone else.
Most your American tunes as well as the piper version of Irish and Scottish tunes are in Bb and are modified to exclude exceeding the octave or accidentals.
So if you've learned Scotland the Brave, for instance, listen online to how the pipers do it, and you'll learn the differences.
Also, apparently wen you play with pipers no tonguing, it's all taps, cuts and rolls only for articulation.
If you can play in Octave 1 you can playh most notes in Octace 2 right away, save a couple accidentals depending on your whistle. But once you get to Octave 3 and especially 4, the fingering gets all wonky. I don't think you can tap, cut and roll up there though I could be mistaken. That's why you want to be in Octave 2 if a piper tune requires articulation.
Also something else I learned recently. If you've read wind music before, Braille or print, you're used to seeing breath markings. Fast folk and dance tunes do breath differently. Apparently you are supposed to take in a little air in between a tap or a cut. You're not supposed to allow yourself to go low on air, but just keep taking in small amounts all the time, so you've always got plenty.
It's a different way to do it than classical or jazz phrase breathing.
Something I've only recently learned about and will be its own challenge to learn to do automatically.

## Post 15 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 12-Jan-2016 15:04:47

Keri, I have one the the slide whistles I picked up 12 years ago or so.
The metal ones, like I have, look better but the plunger is a lot stiffer. The plastic ones have a slide that moves a lot easier.
I've messed with mine but it's difficult to get half steps on it. People say the plastic ones are easier. I don't think you could go very fast on it, like fore jigs and reels, but am willing to be wrong for sure.

## Post 16 by CrystalSapphire (Uzuri uongo ndani) on Wednesday, 13-Jan-2016 20:01:02

If I get to play with a slide whistle I'll let you know.

## Post 17 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Wednesday, 27-Jan-2016 16:04:40

I pulled mine out, haven't messed with it in ten years or more. You will still have to hold the whistle with one hand and slide the slide with the other. With a new one, the plunger is stiff, so just keep playing it / working it and the slide loosens up plus you will get more precise with it. Never heard anyone use it, but will now have to check out for vids on YouTube and see what people are doing with it.

## Post 18 by CrystalSapphire (Uzuri uongo ndani) on Saturday, 30-Jan-2016 8:53:43

leo I picked up a slide whistle yesterday from a friend to borrow, and play with. I can lightly hold it with my left hand and slide it with my right, but still catch it if my hand decides to spasm. lol

## Post 19 by sia fan bp (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Monday, 01-Feb-2016 13:54:37

no, not a wind player but I've always wanted to learn how to play the flute
/tin whistle.

## Post 20 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 15-Feb-2016 18:16:39

Ok hes a trick I just learned about and deployed. I'm getting a tenor recorder
again to add to my recorder collection. But when you use a metal or plastic
instrument with a metal or plastic mouthpiece you have the problem of internal
moisture building up. Wooden instruments will absorb the moisture and of
course they require extra care.
But someone on a renaissance forum I semi-frequent / lurk at put forth a
solution that really does seem to work: put a drop or two of dish soap into the
fipple of your instrument and run some water through it. dry it thoroughly
outside but not inside.
Now, play your scale including all your cross-fingerings / sharps and flats, not
that important on a whistle I think but the more holes you have the more you
need to exercise it. Hold each note out as long as you can, and go as far up the
registers as you know how. What this does is cause the soap to spread evenly
through the windway. If it gurgles keep going. Keep going until each note
sounds clearly.
This places a film inside your instrument which will serve to absorb the moisture
as you play, so you won't get that muddied lower register and out of tune upper
register that can happen due to moisture buildup. I just tried it on my alto.
When you do this, you need to wipe off your foot joint continuously for the first
few minutes. Then, once it plays clearly, take your instrument apart at the joints
like you do to clean it, and put it in its case. The mouthpiece and its fipple really
do need to dry out for awhile after this, so let it just dry in its case.
This film is supposed to assist with absorption of moisture like oil does inside a
wooden instrument. *never* use water or soap in a wooden instrument or one
that doesn't come apart.
This trick is really only for polymer instruments like the Yamaha series of
recorders. Even my low PVC whistle doesn't have the moisture buildup problem
that polymers do.
Anyhow, I was kind of skeptical about this as a solution but it was a harmless
try and really seems to work. Of course it goes without saying you could never
use this on an instrument with Bohm-style key mechanisms and reeds, this is
just for plastic fipple instruments like the recorder.

## Post 21 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Wednesday, 17-Feb-2016 15:43:50

Soap trick seems to still be working several day slater. At least on my alto recorder. Again, only for plastic / polymer instruments. For wood, I tend to prefer to use olive oil. Extra-virgin olive oil, to be precise. It's one of the purest. And, you can safely treat the outside as well as the inside, something that does matter for wood.
Plastic / polymer doesn't need an outside treatment, save for plain old wiping it off with a damp cloth and application of joint cream.

## Post 22 by TheIrishMusician (Newborn Zoner) on Tuesday, 17-May-2016 11:30:29

I play a tin whistle, which, ,I am proud to say, I am improving! I am currently working on a tune called the Morning dew. Lots of ornamentation there,, for sure! :)

## Post 23 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 17-May-2016 12:00:04

That's a good one. I've been meaning to add that one to the repertoire.

## Post 24 by TheIrishMusician (Newborn Zoner) on Thursday, 26-May-2016 13:08:35

It's a bit difficult! But,, I'll get it! :) Leo, any other Irish bands you could maybe introduce me to? Also, what tunes would be good to add to my repertoire?

## Post 25 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Thursday, 26-May-2016 17:50:02

The Wind That Shakes the Barley ... both the ballad and the reel, they're different and they're both good to learn for different reasons.

## Post 26 by TheIrishMusician (Newborn Zoner) on Thursday, 26-May-2016 19:22:40

Do you think you could help me find a tutorial,, leo? :) I've been wanting to learn the Wind that Shakes the Barley for some time, but never got around to it!