jimmycarbomb and the whistle

[awoodfellow]

jimmy,

i was at barleyjuice and ... i'm all ears!

i've got a couple of walton d's and an inexpensive practice chanter. i've been trying to learn the whistle for a while. and chanter just complicated things for me ..

i'm a guitarist and so after 30 odd years of pickin and grinnin', i hold my hands and wrists to fit my axe. i've found it almost painful to hold the whistle properly.
i use my finger tips to block the holes, but i see pictures of players that use the flat portion of their finger between the first and second knuckle.

are there any tricks to holding the whistle comfortably? any practice tips for correct finger placement?

thanks!

ambrose

[Miah]

I dont play whistle but from a brass players stand point that has messed with recorder teaching youngsters, I teach finger tips. The reason for me is the speed and it is more a straight up and down motion, when playing with the flat part of the finger you unconciouly push down and in just because the physics involved. so I teach Finger tips so that when they move to a brass or woodwind intsrument they have good habits and not bad ones.

But that is just froma tuba players point of view.

[seamus]

oh wow, hilarious story, speaking of which. i play a little whistle, and i brought mine to a play rehearsal once and these brass/clarinet players all wanted to try it and the first thing they did was blow it like it was a trumpet! my eardrums are still ringing. funny though...after playing the thing for a while, you dont even realize how intense the breath control is.

[Miah]

no Everytime i pick up a recorder and or whistle it takes a few trys to tone down my air streem the air flow for a Tuba is alot faster and alot more then a whistle. I wind up screatching and play'n everything a octave high or more, just overblowing the whistle.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Ambrose, I too play the guitar. In fact, when the songs aren't for the whistle, I play the banjo or the six-string. I can relate to your predicament.

Through the years, your finger tips are probably as "tainted" as mine from the strings. Trying to play the whistle with any precision is futile. Therefore, I play mine with the pads of the first bone.

It's quite easy to move them with speed after practice and exercise. As you get more familiar with the notes and the positions... you'll get REAL fast.

I learned this from the best whistler I've ever heard. "Q" Malone, from The Stone Soup Band, taught me this method, and it's made all the difference in the world.

For his talents, you can hit the CelticRadio.net site and request the Stone Soup song "Free Night In Dublin". He'll be at our gig on Friday night to sit-in with Barleyjuice while I relax on the strings.

[Jerry]

Hey Jimmy, I want to order another CD, but I really enjoy the bagpipe music, Can you tell me which cd has the most pipe music?

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Hey Jimmy, I want to order another CD, but I really enjoy the bagpipe music, Can you tell me which cd has the most pipe music?

If you're talking about Barleyjuice CDs, it's a toss-up. Most of the bagpiping people prefer the second one (Another Round) since "What's Up Yours?", "Rosin the Bow", and "Scottish Samba" are on there.