Now this is not fun! I was cruising through You Tube looking at as much Concertina music as I could and constantly came across someone playing the tin (or penny) whistle. As these cost around £5 and have recorder/flute fingering, I assumed that as I can play both of these instruments, it would be easy.
I went out and bought what they had at the local music shop - a C whistle - not realising that the fingering may be the same but that the note that comes out depends on the tuning of the whistle. Hence, when I thought I was playing the low D, I was actually playing Middle C! This meant that I had to transpose the music in my mind to get the right notes. Good Old EBay - I picked up a Meg D whistle for £4.50 including postage. A D whistle plays the same as a recorder but also has the same fingering for the notes - hence playing what I think is a D, actually is a D.
The issue with a tin whistle is to get the tone right. The video that prompted me was this one on You Tube by The High Kings. The tone that he gets on what is obviously a cheap whistle is superb. If you listen to my recordings you will see that I have some way to go.
This is where I am at the moment
The Leaving Of Liverpool
I'll Tell Me Ma!
and one of my very favourite tunes - The Man On The Flying Trapeze
I shall progress. A Jesuit priest - Ryan Duns has some good instructional videos so I will keep on with them and I will post the videos into the Chiff and Fipple forums - Chiff and Fipple is a web site dedicated to the tin whistle.
More on this as I go.
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