A while back i talked a mate of mine into buying an little F whistle, since they're only a few quid and they can sound good if you're fingers aren't to big to fit on it. Anyway he's been moaning lately that there's no tunes for it (there's plenty for the Bflat) and blaming me for this fact. So other than just transposing tunes from D,G,etc can anyone suggest good tunes that are written for, or suitable the F whistle, and any other less common whistles for that matter?
Check out tunes in F & Bb Major, d & g minor, G & C Dorian... There are a number on site here. If they dip below the instruments range you can just play up an octave or another note in harmony with the lower one... I know I've put some on site here recently, or have been playing a few. I'll check and get back...
ive never understood why the f whistle has become so popular but its handy for learning a lot of stuff of recent cds (lunasa, mike mcgoldrick). i think it has something to do with northumbrian smallpipes which are in c or scottish highland pipes in Bb. this is just my guess though.
Tell him to spend a few more quid to buy a 'd' to save the grief of transposing. He will then have the added benefit of starting his collection of whistles, which seems to be an ailment of whistle players (see other maladies http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/12667)
It's fun to have several keys of whistles at sessions. Its fun to see noodling guitar or harmonica players try to find the chords when they think you are playing a 'd'. More fun ,admittedly, to watch the harmonica players because there are no wrong chords on the guitar.
Someone wanting to play whistle along with an "F - set" of Northumbrian pipes would be better off getting a C-whistle, as these pipes play tunes in C and F as a general rule, just like the C-whistle.
It would seem a good idea to listen to album tracks pitched in F or high Bb, and try to work out why the musicians should have liked to play those particular tunes in those particular pitches.
Apart from E-flat sessions, it's worth having an E-flat whistle just to play the beautiful slow strathspey "The Dean Brig", which as far as I know was written in that key (anyway, it's played in it at local sessions, when it gets an airing). It's generally followed by The Banks hornpipe, which I've never bothered to learn.
The strathspey could probably be done on a B-Flat whistle, but I like to take it up to the top note of the E-Flat whistle, and scarify people.
My daughter who's an oboeist claims she can play any tune in any key on a D whistle... she goes on about "half-hole" fingerings... although those half-hole notes tend to sound a little fuzzy.
I heard part of an album years ago by someone playing jazz on a tin whistle, obviously doing a lot of half-hole playing, but it really wasn't much good.
Have you tried a low F ? I find these little whistles very annoying, know a person at one or two of our sessions who will insist on playing along with anything in G on a little G whistle, and it's much too piercing for my ears.
There's a Battlefield Band track where John McCusker is playing a Bflat tune on a low F whistle, and my SO was trying to follow him on her Bflat, till I pointed out he was playing a low F. And very mellifluous it was too. Then she got out her high F. Not quite so...
F whistle
F whistle
A while back i talked a mate of mine into buying an little F whistle, since they're only a few quid and they can sound good if you're fingers aren't to big to fit on it. Anyway he's been moaning lately that there's no tunes for it (there's plenty for the Bflat) and blaming me for this fact. So other than just transposing tunes from D,G,etc can anyone suggest good tunes that are written for, or suitable the F whistle, and any other less common whistles for that matter?
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by Rollix
Re: F whistle
Check out tunes in F & Bb Major, d & g minor, G & C Dorian... There are a number on site here. If they dip below the instruments range you can just play up an octave or another note in harmony with the lower one... I know I've put some on site here recently, or have been playing a few. I'll check and get back...
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: F whistle
ive never understood why the f whistle has become so popular but its handy for learning a lot of stuff of recent cds (lunasa, mike mcgoldrick). i think it has something to do with northumbrian smallpipes which are in c or scottish highland pipes in Bb. this is just my guess though.
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by Kevo32A
Re: F whistle
Tell him to spend a few more quid to buy a 'd' to save the grief of transposing. He will then have the added benefit of starting his collection of whistles, which seems to be an ailment of whistle players (see other maladies http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/12667)
It's fun to have several keys of whistles at sessions. Its fun to see noodling guitar or harmonica players try to find the chords when they think you are playing a 'd'. More fun ,admittedly, to watch the harmonica players because there are no wrong chords on the guitar.
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by feardearg
Re: F whistle
Bb tunes by Cape Bretoners like fiddler Howie MacDonald?!
Two recent examples:
"Stiffen 'm Brenda" ~ jig
Key signature: Bb Major
Submitted on February 2nd 2007 by DonaldK.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6744
"I'll Break Your Head For You"
Key signature: g minor
Submitted on January 15th 2007 by Oceanotter349.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6638
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: F whistle
Someone wanting to play whistle along with an "F - set" of Northumbrian pipes would be better off getting a C-whistle, as these pipes play tunes in C and F as a general rule, just like the C-whistle.
It would seem a good idea to listen to album tracks pitched in F or high Bb, and try to work out why the musicians should have liked to play those particular tunes in those particular pitches.
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by nicholas
Re: F whistle
Apart from E-flat sessions, it's worth having an E-flat whistle just to play the beautiful slow strathspey "The Dean Brig", which as far as I know was written in that key (anyway, it's played in it at local sessions, when it gets an airing). It's generally followed by The Banks hornpipe, which I've never bothered to learn.
The strathspey could probably be done on a B-Flat whistle, but I like to take it up to the top note of the E-Flat whistle, and scarify people.
# Posted on February 13th 2007 by nicholas
Re: F whistle
C Dorian... would that be C,D, Eb, F G Ab Bb?
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by pastrings
Re: F whistle
My daughter who's an oboeist claims she can play any tune in any key on a D whistle... she goes on about "half-hole" fingerings... although those half-hole notes tend to sound a little fuzzy.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by pastrings
Re: F whistle
C Dorian would be C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, c.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by nicholas
Re: F whistle
I heard part of an album years ago by someone playing jazz on a tin whistle, obviously doing a lot of half-hole playing, but it really wasn't much good.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by nicholas
Re: F whistle
Have you tried a low F ? I find these little whistles very annoying, know a person at one or two of our sessions who will insist on playing along with anything in G on a little G whistle, and it's much too piercing for my ears.
There's a Battlefield Band track where John McCusker is playing a Bflat tune on a low F whistle, and my SO was trying to follow him on her Bflat, till I pointed out he was playing a low F. And very mellifluous it was too. Then she got out her high F. Not quite so...
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: F whistle
Also, if anyone sings anything in F or Bflat, then you're set - these guitarists with their damned capos......
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: F whistle
Its also worth having an Eflat whistle to play for a while until the fiddlers have tuned up, then replace it with a D.
This only works once in any given location.
It only works once in any given life if you can't outrun an angry mob.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by showaddydadito