# penny whistles tips and tricks?

Category: Jam Session

## Post 1 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 28-Dec-2009 20:23:23

Hey,
I've heard these things over the past year since I've started listening to celtic music a bit. I just got me one with some birthday money; the fingering seems pretty straightforward except for sharps and flats. Anyone else on here play one? I got a Clarke D whistle ... any tips are welcome ... I have got hold of the fingering charts someplace and am used to weird fingerings from playing recorders of different sizes from tenor to sopranino but I seem to be making the whistle sound a bit breathy ...

## Post 2 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 28-Dec-2009 21:37:05

Well I seem to have misplaced my fingering chart and maybe it wasn't for the whistle so im looking for one; if anyone has a text-based equivalent I would appreciate. The youtube videos shoing someone playing it does do the sound, but he doesn't describe what he's doing; just provides both the video and a picture ... grrr not one to complain of accessibility but would rather learn how to do this with right fingering ... any help from you music masters is most appreciated.

## Post 3 by ArtRock1224 (move over school!) on Monday, 28-Dec-2009 22:23:57

I know Bill Brown has a course on the Penny Whistle at his music by ear website. Like the guitar by ear and piano by ear courses, you might be able to rent them for free from the National Library Service for the Blind.

## Post 4 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 28-Dec-2009 23:03:57

Hm got the fingering chart from the trusty woodwinds site I've used in the past for advanced trill fingerings for recorder ... didn't know they'd have one:
here it is:
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/tinwhistle/tw_bas_1.html
Sorry for the sloppy leaving the whole URL in as text rather than shortened but that way if you choose to copy rather than just click ...
I'll have to look this person up on the web. I read some other stuf about not tonguing as much as classical wind players are used to. Now that I have a fingering chart I can see what I'm doing wrong ... helps a lot ...

## Post 5 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 29-Dec-2009 10:48:05

The hardest thing is getting access to tunes - I mean in Braille music - because if you're learning not only how to play it but also learning the style itself, it's tricky to write it down for myself - what is ornamentation and what is part of the tune ... Very cool though, and as I said in another thread, I'm totally new to the celtic thing / wouldn't have even given it a thought a year ago ...

## Post 6 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Tuesday, 29-Dec-2009 16:17:37

I'm planning to get me a penny whistle and try Bill Brown's course at some point. So far I really like his guitar course so I think I'll continue with his courses over time.

## Post 7 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 29-Dec-2009 19:46:43

I just wish I could get some of the Irish tunes in Braille music ... anyway transcribed for myself the theme to Brave Heart and have been working on that today ... fun stuff till work begins again next week ...

## Post 8 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Friday, 01-Jan-2010 9:27:27

Are his courses free?

## Post 9 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Friday, 01-Jan-2010 9:33:55

They are if you check them out from the National Library Service for the Blind here in the US. But then you eventually do have to return them. If you get them directly from his site they're not free but they're very cheap. They're between 35 and 39 bucks depending on whether you get them on tape or CD or download. Both the tape and CD are 39 bucks and the download is 35.

## Post 10 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 03-Jan-2010 7:09:22

To the originatorof this topic, I've often wondered about accurate notation of things like folk tunes. Because they were originally passed down in the aural tradition, and not necessarilly any kind of music notation, how would one know what was accurate and what wasn't? I've heard so many melodies, for example for Wayfaring Stranger, that I was totally confused.
In adition to the Bill Brown Series, you might check out Homespun Tapes. I got their autoharp course many years ago, and was able to work with it, so it might be worth a look to see if they have anything on Penny Whistle.
Good luck,
Lou

## Post 11 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Sunday, 03-Jan-2010 9:17:59

Thanks Lou,
I had only tried to get or write notation because the style -- folk of any kind -- is new for me.

## Post 12 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Monday, 04-Jan-2010 10:27:43

So far as I said I love Bill Brown's teaching methods. Now if only he offered a course on Uilleann Pipes...but then of course I'd still have to find a set and I don't think that would come cheap.