Hello folks,
In a couple of weeks I will be teaching a whistle class at the Kilmore Celtic Festival. Usually, these classes consist of a demo of the instrament and then I teach a tune. Ideally, the tune would be not too fast, use less than one octave and be well known to the average punter.
Last time I did this, half the group did not bring an instrument and were not musicians at all - but they came and concentrated for an hour, so there is hope for them. I taught a round (but I cannot recall what) This time I am on my own - so the round idea would not work at all.
That was two years ago and I am curious what this group would suggest I teach them this time.
It's a great one to start on and meets your requirements of not being too fast, stays within an octave, and here in the USA it's the well-known hymn "I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say". Good luck to you.
Ta
I will look up Tom/Jim Wards Jig, but I have not heard of it before, so would doubt the students would have either. 'Star. . . " could be a goer. Any more? I was thinking of "I'll Tell me Ma" or "Skye Boat Song" so it was nice not to get those suggested
Rakes of Mallow. Dead easy. AND ... they can get the satisfaction of learning one of them 'fancy' notes (the C nat) in a tune where it's easy to play it.
Be careful of the dots as shown here, though. Posted by our great leader many moons ago, but differing in one or two resepcts for the ones usually played.
My teacher started most of his students off with a couple of marches, such as Sean South and Dawning Of The Day, our first jigs were the Kesh and Saddle The Pony, the first reel was Silver Spear, first hornpipes were Boys Of Bluehill and Off To California, first slip jig was Boys Of Ballisadare.
I do not think I could choose a much better selection for starting out -- all grand old tunes which I have heard brought out about a thousand times at sessions. From there it all depends on what level of students you have and how much time you have with them.
Useful tunes, and, for a beginner, good basics gained in learning them, I would say.
Britches Full of Stitches (in key of "G") meets your requirement of staying within the octave while also being a well known and catchy Kerry polka. I’ve written it out below as the only versions I could find on the web were in the key of “A”.
Ookpik Waltz, one very beautiful Canadian tune in G major.
I'm learning the B/C accordion and play this one as one of the first tunes with the accordion. There seems to be three or four different versions here (see the Comments section), but I play yet another version transcribed from www.TipsyHouse.com CD.
Rolling in the Ryegrass. Not only is it really easy, but it's a tune that will (or should) grow with a player and become more complex and charming with stylistic evolution. Padraig o'Keeffe loved it for a reason!
I thought I'd have something more significant to say for my 4,000th post but I'm not convinced that some of these tunes are particularly easy..... for a beginner.
When you've been playing for a while and have tried various types of tunes, they just seem that way.
A couple of possible suggestions..."Inisheer" and the Eagle's Whistle(Not sure if the version here is correct though).
The slow song tune "Down By The Sally Gardens" (the W.B.Yeats poem) is all within an octave except for one note in the second part. Clannad made a nice job of it.
John J, I'm starting to think that there aren't any really easy tunes! The simple ones don't really sound good unless you work them up with cuts and rolls and things, and that takes some skill. Oh, what do I know. The more I learn the less I know!
I'm an absolute beginner and I do like Rakes of Mallow, Peg Ryan's and Stitches full of Britches. Star of the County Down, too.
How do you like Molly Malone ? (probably not authorized by the tune-police ) Or What shall we do with the drunken sailor ? Both quite easy and really well known by none-ITM'ers...
Polkas. Great, simple tunes and ones which will help to develop a strong sense of rhythm and tempo. Polkas got me going and I've never looked back. Choose from hundreds!
Wow, John J: 4000 posts. A piker by Zina standards, but still -- she's been quiet lately, maybe a tortoise/hare contest in the making? Besides, you've got one of the coolest member numbers, too.
You know, I couldn't think of a single tune apart from nursery rhymes that would fit entirely between the high and low D of the whistle without adaptation.
Britches full of Stitches would though if you played it in G.
Steve Earle's Galway Girl would too if you don't mind stepping outside the tradition
Polka lovers will not be happy about the encouragement given above to the habit of looking on polkas as easy, beginners' tunes. Just because you don't have to learn a lot of notes to have the bones of one does not make them easy. That habit is one reason why so many people have only heard polkas played badly.
The vision of "every child in Ireland playing the whistle badly" has its parallel in "every beginner in the music playing polkas badly".
I haven't got a specific suggestion, but I'd be inclined to look in the direction of song airs. That might offer the right combination of lowish speed, familiarity and pitch range.
Indeed, the well played polka is a difficult rythm if you aren't get use to it, at least in the fiddle.
I have a theory with this music: most of the tunes are relatively easy, but adding some variations and abundant ornamentation you can make any tune a hell of a tune (even the "three notes jig").
In any case, I haven't too much experience on whistle. As a begginer, I could (and I think I can yet) the Garret Barry's or the Morrison's jig. I gave this instrument up long time ago.
I said polkas were simple tunes, not easy tunes, and very good for developing a strong sense of rhythm and tempo. I'm at a bit of a loss to understand how polkas can be dismissed as beginners' tunes yet song airs (slow airs?) can be recommended. I've been playing for 20 years almost and I still can't get my head round slow airs - they're the hardest of the lot by a long chalk!
Steve - song tunes. I'm a beginner and I learn different things from song tunes and dance tunes. With song tunes at normal playing speed the individual notes go past slowly enough to think about each one (intonation, articulation etc.) whilst it is still happening. But I then often have to speed them up to explore the rythm. With a dance tune, even played slow, I am mainly battling the with rythm and phrasing (and breathing) ;sorting out the piercing high b, how to finger that particualr C natural, and if a cut would be better there, are much further down the line.
Looks like a great list of tunes above - maybe time for me to start a tune book here.
Many good suggestions.
You won't really know until you see who shows up.
It is definitely nice to work on intonation & articulation.
A familiar song are air works for that.
I notice Kesh Jig is commonly used with beginners.
It's not bad, especially if you have enough time to introduce ornamentation. I would be careful though. They will find the high B soon enough. You might want to spare yourself a group of beginners looking for the top of their range.
I also do not think it is altogether fair to introduce a tune which goes below the range of the whistle. There are good lessons for dealing with that but I guess your time is limited.
I would watch out for Mairi's Wedding also. It seems excellent for a beginner but I have heard it played in at least 3 keys.
Just think of them going home & hooking up with someone who plays their new tune in a different key.
Hope it helps to consider what not to do. Now I feel like the Grinch. I will try to make up for it. Can you buy a handful of Sweetones. All in different colors? Hope you have fun teaching!
I thought the whole world learned County Down first. On the box though I learned something called Shannon Breeze. Not too tough and actually is very presentable.
The advantage and the problem with first songs. The are not too challenging but sound like something decent.
Actually I just realised there are number of tunes which can be played entirely within the one octave (and with no accidentals) but most of them are in A or related minors, makes sense I suppose as it's the highest key you can play in 1st position on fiddle.
So just transpose to D -
Boys of Malin
Atholl Highlanders ,
are two such
Paddy's Leather Britches,
Concertina Reel
are another two
They are not that simple for beginners but they do avoid having to overblow for higher notes and play accidentals
About playing in one octave.
It seems the easiest notes for beginning whistle are
G A B in the 1st octave. You can also get pretty good
intonation going up the scale c# d e f g . . .
then you get into the stratosphere. Risky with beginners.
On the bottom end The F# is fairly consistent. E is a bit trickier.
The bottom D is the most difficult & has a distinct sound when played with good intonation.
If I were teaching it would be nice to demonstrate:
1) the 'dirty' D
2) c natural fingerings.
3) taps (strikes)
4) cuts
Depending on how much time & how many students.
Thanks to all of you I have already bought a few Megs (mostly black). I'm thinking of going with Rakes of Marlow, Off She Goes, Swanee River and Tell Me Ma. Thanks to theMuse for the reminder about the difficulty of the lower hand - its easy to forget :(
Anyway, I'm writting out the tunes in Tab/standard (so they can take something away with them) If we get through two, I'll be amazed
Good tune for absolute beginners
Good tune for absolute beginners
Hello folks,
In a couple of weeks I will be teaching a whistle class at the Kilmore Celtic Festival. Usually, these classes consist of a demo of the instrament and then I teach a tune. Ideally, the tune would be not too fast, use less than one octave and be well known to the average punter.
Last time I did this, half the group did not bring an instrument and were not musicians at all - but they came and concentrated for an hour, so there is hope for them. I taught a round (but I cannot recall what) This time I am on my own - so the round idea would not work at all.
That was two years ago and I am curious what this group would suggest I teach them this time.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by MartinJongleur
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Tom Wards Jig might be worthwhile thinking about.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by curlew
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
A colleague of mine teaches whistle in his 6th and 7th grade music classes. He has a box of Sweettones and always begins with the Star of County Down
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4320
It's a great one to start on and meets your requirements of not being too fast, stays within an octave, and here in the USA it's the well-known hymn "I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say". Good luck to you.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
...PS- just skip the low Bs.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Jim Ward's jig is wicked easy. It's the first tune I ever learned. And still one of my favorites now because it is just awesome.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Ta
I will look up Tom/Jim Wards Jig, but I have not heard of it before, so would doubt the students would have either. 'Star. . . " could be a goer. Any more? I was thinking of "I'll Tell me Ma" or "Skye Boat Song" so it was nice not to get those suggested
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by MartinJongleur
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
munster cloak
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Rakes of Mallow. Dead easy. AND ... they can get the satisfaction of learning one of them 'fancy' notes (the C nat) in a tune where it's easy to play it.
Be careful of the dots as shown here, though. Posted by our great leader many moons ago, but differing in one or two resepcts for the ones usually played.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by ethical blend
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Food for thought:
My teacher started most of his students off with a couple of marches, such as Sean South and Dawning Of The Day, our first jigs were the Kesh and Saddle The Pony, the first reel was Silver Spear, first hornpipes were Boys Of Bluehill and Off To California, first slip jig was Boys Of Ballisadare.
I do not think I could choose a much better selection for starting out -- all grand old tunes which I have heard brought out about a thousand times at sessions. From there it all depends on what level of students you have and how much time you have with them.
Useful tunes, and, for a beginner, good basics gained in learning them, I would say.
Good luck.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Piece
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Britches Full of Stitches (in key of "G") meets your requirement of staying within the octave while also being a well known and catchy Kerry polka. I’ve written it out below as the only versions I could find on the web were in the key of “A”.
G>A BG|AG BG|G>A BG|AG E2|G>A BG|AG Bd|G>A GE|ED D2:||
|:d>e dB|AG AB| d>e dB|AG E2| d>e dB|AG AB|G>A GE|ED D2:||
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
There's always this one: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3601
...but uh... yeah...
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Joe CSS
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Ookpik Waltz, one very beautiful Canadian tune in G major.
I'm learning the B/C accordion and play this one as one of the first tunes with the accordion. There seems to be three or four different versions here (see the Comments section), but I play yet another version transcribed from www.TipsyHouse.com CD.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Risto
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Road to Lisdoonvarna
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/250
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Ben Steen
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Rolling in the Ryegrass. Not only is it really easy, but it's a tune that will (or should) grow with a player and become more complex and charming with stylistic evolution. Padraig o'Keeffe loved it for a reason!
--DtM
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Dan the Man
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
I thought I'd have something more significant to say for my 4,000th post
but I'm not convinced that some of these tunes are particularly easy..... for a beginner.
When you've been playing for a while and have tried various types of tunes, they just seem that way.
A couple of possible suggestions..."Inisheer" and the Eagle's Whistle(Not sure if the version here is correct though).
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Johnny Jay
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Happy to Meet and Sorry to Part
My Darling Asleep
Brosna
Peg Ryan's Polka
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
The slow song tune "Down By The Sally Gardens" (the W.B.Yeats poem) is all within an octave except for one note in the second part. Clannad made a nice job of it.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by nicholas
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
John J, I'm starting to think that there aren't any really easy tunes! The simple ones don't really sound good unless you work them up with cuts and rolls and things, and that takes some skill. Oh, what do I know. The more I learn the less I know!
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by kennedy
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Avoid the Kesh. It's not easy enough for beginners.
To add some more,
Kerfunten in D: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/139
Haunted House: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1098
Lilting Banshee: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/60
Leitrim Fancy: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/467
Not very common, but "Killarney Boys of Pleasure" and "Trip to Cullenstown" are nice pentatonic reels easy enough for beginners.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by slainte
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
I'm an absolute beginner and I do like Rakes of Mallow, Peg Ryan's and Stitches full of Britches. Star of the County Down, too.
) Or What shall we do with the drunken sailor ? Both quite easy and really well known by none-ITM'ers...
How do you like Molly Malone ? (probably not authorized by the tune-police
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Belgian_Waffel
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Forgot Mairi's Wedding...
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Belgian_Waffel
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Polkas. Great, simple tunes and ones which will help to develop a strong sense of rhythm and tempo. Polkas got me going and I've never looked back. Choose from hundreds!
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Wow, John J: 4000 posts. A piker by Zina standards, but still -- she's been quiet lately, maybe a tortoise/hare contest in the making? Besides, you've got one of the coolest member numbers, too.
Keep it coming.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by fidkid
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
You know, I couldn't think of a single tune apart from nursery rhymes that would fit entirely between the high and low D of the whistle without adaptation.
Britches full of Stitches would though if you played it in G.
Steve Earle's Galway Girl would too if you don't mind stepping outside the tradition
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Bren
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
what about Egan's Polka?
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Polka lovers will not be happy about the encouragement given above to the habit of looking on polkas as easy, beginners' tunes. Just because you don't have to learn a lot of notes to have the bones of one does not make them easy. That habit is one reason why so many people have only heard polkas played badly.
The vision of "every child in Ireland playing the whistle badly" has its parallel in "every beginner in the music playing polkas badly".
I haven't got a specific suggestion, but I'd be inclined to look in the direction of song airs. That might offer the right combination of lowish speed, familiarity and pitch range.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Alex Wilding
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Indeed, the well played polka is a difficult rythm if you aren't get use to it, at least in the fiddle.
I have a theory with this music: most of the tunes are relatively easy, but adding some variations and abundant ornamentation you can make any tune a hell of a tune (even the "three notes jig").
In any case, I haven't too much experience on whistle. As a begginer, I could (and I think I can yet) the Garret Barry's or the Morrison's jig. I gave this instrument up long time ago.
'luck with the classes.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Miguel L.
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
I m learning out in the ocean as my first jig no major problems with the first half so far.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Saint
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Steve Shaw, I've been learning fiddle for two years now and I havn't learnt any polkas yet, am I missing something?
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by curlew
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Yes I know the original post was asking about whistle tunes.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by curlew
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
I said polkas were simple tunes, not easy tunes, and very good for developing a strong sense of rhythm and tempo. I'm at a bit of a loss to understand how polkas can be dismissed as beginners' tunes yet song airs (slow airs?) can be recommended. I've been playing for 20 years almost and I still can't get my head round slow airs - they're the hardest of the lot by a long chalk!
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Hey, curlew, buy yerself an album or two by Sliabh Notes and listen to the mighty Matt Cranitch playing polkas on his fiddle!
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Steve Shaw
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Steve - song tunes. I'm a beginner and I learn different things from song tunes and dance tunes. With song tunes at normal playing speed the individual notes go past slowly enough to think about each one (intonation, articulation etc.) whilst it is still happening. But I then often have to speed them up to explore the rythm. With a dance tune, even played slow, I am mainly battling the with rythm and phrasing (and breathing) ;sorting out the piercing high b, how to finger that particualr C natural, and if a cut would be better there, are much further down the line.
Looks like a great list of tunes above - maybe time for me to start a tune book here.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by David50
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Rhythm
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by David50
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Many good suggestions.
You won't really know until you see who shows up.
It is definitely nice to work on intonation & articulation.
A familiar song are air works for that.
I notice Kesh Jig is commonly used with beginners.
It's not bad, especially if you have enough time to introduce ornamentation. I would be careful though. They will find the high B soon enough. You might want to spare yourself a group of beginners looking for the top of their range.
I also do not think it is altogether fair to introduce a tune which goes below the range of the whistle. There are good lessons for dealing with that but I guess your time is limited.
I would watch out for Mairi's Wedding also. It seems excellent for a beginner but I have heard it played in at least 3 keys.
Just think of them going home & hooking up with someone who plays their new tune in a different key.
Hope it helps to consider what not to do. Now I feel like the Grinch. I will try to make up for it. Can you buy a handful of Sweetones. All in different colors? Hope you have fun teaching!
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Ben Steen
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
You can't go wrong with twinkle twinkle!
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by Rosh
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Sullivan's Polka fits a single octave, and can be played in D, to keep the budding whistle players in that lower octave.
# Posted on June 19th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
I thought the whole world learned County Down first. On the box though I learned something called Shannon Breeze. Not too tough and actually is very presentable.
The advantage and the problem with first songs. The are not too challenging but sound like something decent.
# Posted on June 19th 2007 by zippydw
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Shannon Breeze is also known as Rolling in the Ryegrass.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/87
# Posted on June 19th 2007 by Ben Steen
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Actually I just realised there are number of tunes which can be played entirely within the one octave (and with no accidentals) but most of them are in A or related minors, makes sense I suppose as it's the highest key you can play in 1st position on fiddle.
So just transpose to D -
Boys of Malin
Atholl Highlanders ,
are two such
Paddy's Leather Britches,
Concertina Reel
are another two
They are not that simple for beginners but they do avoid having to overblow for higher notes and play accidentals
# Posted on June 20th 2007 by Bren
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
About playing in one octave.
It seems the easiest notes for beginning whistle are
G A B in the 1st octave. You can also get pretty good
intonation going up the scale c# d e f g . . .
then you get into the stratosphere. Risky with beginners.
On the bottom end The F# is fairly consistent. E is a bit trickier.
The bottom D is the most difficult & has a distinct sound when played with good intonation.
If I were teaching it would be nice to demonstrate:
1) the 'dirty' D
2) c natural fingerings.
3) taps (strikes)
4) cuts
Depending on how much time & how many students.
# Posted on June 20th 2007 by Ben Steen
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
Thanks to all of you
I have already bought a few Megs (mostly black). I'm thinking of going with Rakes of Marlow, Off She Goes, Swanee River and Tell Me Ma. Thanks to theMuse for the reminder about the difficulty of the lower hand - its easy to forget :(
Anyway, I'm writting out the tunes in Tab/standard (so they can take something away with them) If we get through two, I'll be amazed
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by MartinJongleur
Re: Good tune for absolute beginners
How was Kilmore?
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Ben Steen