Tin Whistle Basics

When playing Irish music on the flute or the whistle, it’s all about incorporating the breath into the tunes. Some players have to breathe often and this means missing out notes in the reels or jigs, which can actually add great rhythm to the tunes. Other players like to go for long seamless phrases – more like a piping style. This takes stamina and a strong set of lungs. More detailed breathing instructions are given throughout the Tin Whistle Basics course as Kirsten will recommend the best opportunities to breathe corresponding to the tunes she’s teaching.

There is no difference. A tin whistle is the more commonly used term in Ireland at least and is derived from the fact that most were made from tin in the past. In England, the instrument became known as a penny whistle due to its low-cost price but the instrument is no different.

The fingering for a tin whistle is the same for the wooden flute commonly used for playing Irish Music.

Low D is a lot lower in tone than the D tin whistle played in these lessons. D whistles are recommended for beginners.

You blow through the whistle while holding your finger over the square hole. This releases any build-up of condensation in the tin whistle which can distort the tone. Also, you can wash it through with soapy water, but make sure to rinse it very well before playing again.

There is probably a build-up of condensation, try covering the square hole and blowing hard through the mouthpiece. This will improve the tone.

The sound made when all the fingers are down covering the holes.

For the vast majority of Irish music, a whistle in the key of D will work perfectly well so this is the essential starting point. If you are playing solo, you can choose to play whatever key you want but it’s likely that this will not fly at a session. However, some other musicians (fiddle, banjo, accordion etc) may play a repertoire of tunes in “flat” keys such as G minor, F and Bb. In this case, it’s worth having a C whistle in your stash as well.

The key of C is one key below D (i.e. one note lower). So, if you play the exact same tune (i.e. same fingering) on a C whistle as on a D, the tune will be played one key lower. Playing in G minor on a D whistle is tough because of the amount of half-holing that would be required. Instead, you could play in A minor fingering on a C whistle and the tune will be produced in the lower key of G minor. The same applies for playing a tune in G major, where on a C whistle it would be produced in the lower key of F.

If it’s made of some form of metal then the simple answer is no. Just be careful where you store it as the metal is usually light (brass, nickel, tin, aluminium) and can easily be bent or dented. There are some wooden whistles which may require a little more maintenance such as oiling and temperature/sunlight is a bigger factor for these instruments too – especially in extreme climates. There are also carbon fibre whistles now being manufactured which have very low maintenance and are highly durable.

Always cover the holes with the pads of your fingers rather than the tips.

The recorder is not an instrument which has developed alongside the music tradition in Ireland. The tone of the recorder is not entirely conducive to an authentic Irish sound so the short answer is no. However, if you have experience playing the recorder you will find that you possess a distinct advantage in learning the tin whistle because the fingering is similar and you’ll have some rudiments in breath control.

More detailed questions and discussion on the course can be found in the Community Forum, available to paying members only.