Chiff and Fipple Forums

If you haven't noticed from my last few threads, I am a newbie whistler, and still trying to figure out different concepts of playing the whistle. A Meg, specifically, if that helps...

Anyways, sharps and flats are unavoidable in music in most cases, so it would probably help to know how to play them. How do I make a note sharp or flat?

Well, there are two important answers (at least!) to that question. First, sharps and flats can be played on a tin whistle by the techniques of cross-fingering and/or half-hole fingering. Cross-fingering is when you play a flatted note by fingering the natural note and then closing additional holes below it. For example, on a D whistle the note B is fingered XOOOOO and the note B flat (Bb) is XOXXXX. You can also achieve the same note by fingering the B natural and then closing the hole just below it slightly (half-hole). These are rather difficult techniques to master, and are seldom used in the traditional literature.

The tin whistle is a 'diatonic' instrument. That is, it plays the do-re-mi scale without all the sharps and flats. Although a given whistle is named by a specific key, it can actually play in two major keys, but it isn't designed to play all the sharps and flats easily. The tradtional music for the whistle developed around this limitation. We only run into the problem of 'accidental' notes (that is, notes that don't naturally occur in a given scale) when we stray from the music intended for the whistle.

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend sticking with the tradtional literature first. Take it one step at a time.

Something else just dawned on me. If you're trying to play music that has lots of sharps and flats, or is written in a key other than the key of your Meg, you might want to check out the recorder. Recorders are quite similar in many respects to the tin whistle, but they are actually more advanced. The recorder is set up to play all the sharps and flats, and can play in any key within its range. If for no other reason, you might like to pick up a cheap recorder ($10) just to see how it works in comparision to the whistle. It uses a very similar fingering scheme, but includes all the sharps and flats.

Tim is right about concentrating on other aspects of playing at first, but you will need to learn a few of the more common cross fingering and/or half hole options soon.

Take a look at http://www.fullbodyburn.com/images/charts/01-D.jpg for a very comprehensive fingering chart. Don't be overwhelmed. Many accomplished players only know and use a small subset of these.

Very handy reference, however.

That's one of the best charts I've seen. Thanks Swizz!

C.W., like Swizzlestick says, don't be overwhelmed by that. When you come across a note you need, look it up and practice it. Pretty soon you'll have all the sharps and flats. But don't get hung up on that stuff. Like he said, even the most accomplished players only use a few of these, and when the need is there, they look up the fingerings.

Take it slow and have fun. The tin whistle is one of the great joys of life. Enjoy!

Tim2723 wrote:That's one of the best charts I've seen. Thanks Swizz!

C.W., like Swizzlestick says, don't be overwhelmed by that. When you come across a note you need, look it up and practice it. Pretty soon you'll have all the sharps and flats. But don't get hung up on that stuff. Like he said, even the most accomplished players only use a few of these, and when the need is there, they look up the fingerings.

Ahem! I definitely do not fall into the 'accomplished players' category but I when I play jazz on the whistle sharps and flats are used a lot. It depends what music you play as to whether you need to practise these notes. The good news is that they become very easy with practise.

The tin whistle is one of the great joys of life. Enjoy!

Never a truer word spoken!

Adrian wrote: when I play jazz on the whistle sharps and flats are used a lot.

And -- much to my surprise -- the whistle turns out to be a good blues instrument too.

Sorry Adrian! That didn't come out the way I meant it.

Of course you're right. It depends on the music and how much we practice. No harm intended. That's what I tried to say: Practice and use the tools as needed. And BTW, I'm sure that you do fall into the accomplished players category!

And just to state the obvious ... The natural D scale of the Meg includes F# and C#. So it's the F natural (uncommon) and C natural (common) that require cross or half-hole fingering.

To paraphrase Molière's gentleman, you've been playing sharps and flats all along, and never knew it.

And don't overlook tunes in A major and related modes, which are common enough in the traditional tune repertoire, and call for G#. Most whistles, including the Meg, can produce a servicable G# in both octaves. So to experiment with altered fingerings, the G# is a good one to start with.

On a D whistle, the G# is usually either cross fingered or half holed. I prefer to half hole {X=closed hole, O=open hole, half hole=|)} for both octaves:
XX |) OOX
I straighten my ring finger and lean it against the A hole, just barely touching the edge on most of my whistles.

For cross fingering:
Lower octave:
XXO XXX
Upper octave:
XXO XOX

YMMV

Tim2723 wrote:Something else just dawned on me. If you're trying to play music that has lots of sharps and flats, or is written in a key other than the key of your Meg, you might want to check out the recorder. Recorders are quite similar in many respects to the tin whistle, but they are actually more advanced. The recorder is set up to play all the sharps and flats, and can play in any key within its range. If for no other reason, you might like to pick up a cheap recorder ($10) just to see how it works in comparision to the whistle. It uses a very similar fingering scheme, but includes all the sharps and flats.

Playing recorder gives you hairy finger pads.
Don't ask how I know.

fancypiper wrote:On a D whistle, the G# is usually either cross fingered or half holed. I prefer to half hole {X=closed hole, O=open hole, half hole=|)} for both octaves:
XX |) OOX
I straighten my ring finger and lean it against the A hole, just barely touching the edge on most of my whistles.

For cross fingering:
Lower octave:
XXO XXX
Upper octave:
XXO XOX

YMMV

Just a quick question: Why do you have the bottom hole closed for all of those? Does it improve the tone quality?

It keeps me from dropping the whistle when using the top hand to play notes.

Edited to show this applies to me and not all players.

It´s importent to know half-holeing and cross-fingering (very usefull in minor keyes). But it´s absolutely pointless to struggle with a D-instrument in C major or F major. There are excellent instrument nowadays in almost all possible keyes. Most traditional music (ITM) are written in either D or G. Sometimes you´ll have to change key because a singer or some other instrument in your group can´t cope with D or G. The whistle is treated as a transposing instrument. That means that you will coninue palying in your favorite key (D or G) but it will sound in another key.

fancypiper wrote:It keeps you from dropping the whistle when using the top hand to play notes.

Lol...You are brillant. And here I was trying to figure out every sort of way to keep from dropping it. It's that simple. No wonder I couldn't figure it out!