Tin WhistleA Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on

the Whistle

Stephen Ducke

About the author

Originally from Athlone, Stephen Ducke now lives in a small village in the French Alps with his wife and two children. He has been playing the whistle and flute for over 30 years, and runs Irish music workshops with Tradschool in different parts of France each year. He has recorded one album on flute, entitled If There Weren't Any Women In The World, and currently plays with the group Bonaparte's Retreat.

Published by TradschoolDesign and typesetting by Stephen Ducke.

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Copyright © 2012 Stephen Ducke. All rights reserved

Table of ContentsIntroduction............................................................6

About this tutor........................................................................6The Irish whistle......................................................................7

Part One.........................................................9Beginning the Whistle........................................10

Holding the whistle................................................................10Blowing the whistle................................................................11

Blowing your first notes...................................................11Left hand notes......................................................................12

The note B......................................................................12Exercise 1..............................................................................12Left hand notes - continued...................................................13

The note A.......................................................................13The note G......................................................................13

Exercise 2..............................................................................13Song : Mary Had a Little Lamb..............................................14

Unit 2 : Right Hand Notes...................................15Song : Hot Cross Buns..........................................................16Song: Oranges and Lemons ...............................................16

Unit 3 : The Second Octave................................17Exercise 1..............................................................................17Exercise 2..............................................................................17Exercise 3..............................................................................18Song: Au Clair de la Lune.....................................................18

Unit 4 – Scales.....................................................191 Scale of D...........................................................................192 Scale of G...........................................................................19Tunes using the new note ....................................................20Good King Wenceslas...........................................................20

Unit 5 – Rhythm, Articulation & Breathing........21Playing Irish music on the whistle – rhythm, tonguing and breathing...............................................................................21Rhythm..................................................................................21

Rhythm exercise 1..........................................................21Rhythm exercise 2..........................................................22Rhythm exercise 3..........................................................22

Tonguing................................................................................22Tonguing exercise 1........................................................23Tonguing Exercise 2.......................................................23Tonguing Exercise 3.......................................................23Song : Courtin' in the Kitchen.........................................24Song – Mairi's Wedding..................................................25Song : The Bog Down in the Valley................................26Song : Cockles and Mussels..........................................27

Breathing...............................................................................28Breathing after long notes ..............................................28Making breath spaces.....................................................30

Some More Tunes.................................................................32Unit 6 - Putting it together 1................................50

Time!......................................................................................50Practicing...............................................................................50Attitude..................................................................................50

Part Two.......................................................51Unit 7 – Irish Traditional Music...........................52

Simple system.......................................................................52Combining elements.............................................................52The Basics.............................................................................53

Rhythm............................................................................53Types of tunes.................................................................53The structure of the tunes...............................................54Ornamentation structure and rhythm..............................55

The Details............................................................................56Making choices...............................................................56Fast tempo......................................................................56Ornamentation................................................................57

Unit 8 – Listening to Irish Music.........................58Listening................................................................................58Why is listening so important?..............................................58What to listen for...................................................................58

Instrumentation...............................................................58Repertoire.......................................................................59Style and technique .......................................................59

Building familiarity.................................................................59Some players and recordings...............................................59

Unit 9 – The Jig....................................................60Rhythm and tempo................................................................60Some jigs...............................................................................60Note Accent and Articulation.................................................65

Jig Rhythm 1 - Basic Jig Accent ....................................65Some More Rhythmic Exercises....................................66Jig Rhythm 2 – Accent on the off-beat............................67Articulating the off-beat in jigs.........................................67Placing the off-beat in jigs...............................................68Note Accent in Jigs – More Examples............................72

Phrasing................................................................................74Breathing at phrase ends................................................74“Overflowing” phrases – breathing after phrase ends....75Breathing and Phrasing – More Examples.....................78

Unit 10 – The Hornpipe........................................80Rhythm and Tempo...............................................................80Some hornpipes....................................................................80Accent and articulation..........................................................84

Hornpipe Rhythm 1 – Basic Hornpipe Accent ...............85Hornpipe Rhythm 2 – Accent on the off-beat..................86Placing the off-beat in hornpipes....................................87Note Accent in Hornpipes – More Examples..................89

Phrasing and breathing.........................................................90Unit 11 – The Reel................................................91

Rhythm and Tempo...............................................................91Some Reels...........................................................................91Accent & Articulation.............................................................96

Reel Rhythm 1 – Basic Reel Accent ..............................96Reel Rhythm 2 – Accent on the Off-beat........................98Placing the off-beat in reels..........................................100Note Accent in Reels – More Examples.......................102

Phrasing and Breathing.......................................................104Breathing at long notes and phrase ends.....................104Removing notes in reels...............................................104Phrasing and Breathing – More Examples...................106

Unit 12 – Ornamentation...................................108Ornamentation 1 – The Cut.................................................109

Fingering Chart - Cuts...................................................110Use of the Cut................................................................111The Cut in Jigs..............................................................117The Cut in Hornpipes....................................................122The Cut in Reels...........................................................125

Ornamentation 2 – The Tap................................................127The Tap – Fingering Chart............................................127Use of the Tap...............................................................128The Tap in Jigs..............................................................133The Tap in Hornpipes....................................................138The Tap in Reels...........................................................141

Ornamentation 3 – The Slide..............................................143The Slide – Fingering Chart.........................................143The Slide - Fingering Chart (continued).......................144Use of the Slide.............................................................145The Slide in Hornpipes.................................................151The Slide in Jigs............................................................153The Slide in Reels.........................................................155

Ornamentation 4 – The Roll................................................156Fingering chart - Rolls ..................................................157Use of the Roll..............................................................158The Roll – Accent and Articulation................................163G Roll ...........................................................................165F Roll ............................................................................167E Roll.............................................................................169A Roll.............................................................................171B Roll.............................................................................173The Roll in Reels ..........................................................175The Roll in Jigs.............................................................183The Roll in Hornpipes...................................................186

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Ornamentation 5 – The Short Roll......................................188Fingering chart – Short Rolls........................................189Use of the Short Roll.....................................................190G Short Roll..................................................................192F Short Roll...................................................................194E Short Roll...................................................................196B Short Roll...................................................................198A Short Roll...................................................................200The Short Roll in Reels.................................................202The Short Roll in Jigs....................................................206The Short roll in Hornpipes...........................................209The Short Roll in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's. . .209The Short Roll in Hornpipes, Example 2 – Poll Ha'Penny......................................................................................210

Ornamentation 6 – The Triplet.............................................211The Triplet – Notation and Fingering............................211Use of the Triplet...........................................................213FED Triplets on D.........................................................216The Triplet in Reels.......................................................217The Triplet in Jigs..........................................................220The Triplet in Hornpipes................................................222The Triplet in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's.........222

Ornamentation 7 – The Bounce..........................................223The Bounce – Fingering Chart....................................223Use of the Bounce........................................................224The Bounce in Reels ...................................................228The Bounce in Jigs ......................................................231The Bounce in Hornpipes.............................................233

Ornamentation 8 – The Cran..............................................234The Cran – Notation and Fingering..............................234Use of the Cran.............................................................236The Cran in Reels ........................................................238The Cran in Jigs ...........................................................240

Ornamentation 9 – Combining Ornaments.........................242Tap & Cut......................................................................242Slide and Cut................................................................243Slide and Roll................................................................244Tap and Roll..................................................................245

Ornamentation 10 - Staccato Triplets.................................246Ornamentation 11 – Summary............................................247

Unit 13 – Other tunes.........................................248Polka....................................................................................248Slide.....................................................................................249Slip Jig.................................................................................250Set Dance............................................................................251Barn Dance.........................................................................252

Unit 14 – Playing in different keys....................253Half-holing...........................................................................253Cross-fingering....................................................................253Whistles in Different Keys...................................................255

Unit 15 – Playing Irish Music............................257Repertoire............................................................................257

Choosing your repertoire..............................................257Style.....................................................................................259

Staccato vs legato styles..............................................259“Lift” and “swing”...........................................................259Other stylistic choices...................................................260

Conscious Choices.............................................................260Learning by Ear...................................................................261

Advantages of learning by ear......................................261How to learn by ear.......................................................261Using Sheet Music........................................................262

Playing in public..................................................................262Sessions.......................................................................262

Sourcing music....................................................................263Comhaltas Live.............................................................263Na Píobairí Uilleann Source.........................................263ITMA Digital Library......................................................263

Unit 16 – Putting It Together 2..........................264Learning and playing tunes.................................................264Practising.............................................................................264

Unit 17 – Tunes..................................................265The Haunted House......................................................266The Rose in the Heather...............................................266The Killavil Jig...............................................................267The Ship in Full Sail......................................................267Saddle the Pony............................................................268The Humours of Glendart.............................................268Out on the Ocean.........................................................269The Leitrim Jig..............................................................269The Frost is all Over.....................................................270The Rambling Pitchfork................................................270Pay the Reckoning........................................................271Club Céilí......................................................................271The Battering Ram........................................................272The Blackthorn Stick.....................................................272The Mist on the Meadow..............................................273The Monaghan Jig........................................................273The Skylark...................................................................274The Ashplant.................................................................274Jackie Coleman's..........................................................275Ships are Sailing...........................................................275Sheehan's.....................................................................276Over the Moor to Maggie..............................................276The Heather Breeze.....................................................277Lady Ann Montgomery..................................................277The Teetotaller..............................................................278Saint Anne's..................................................................278The Cup of Tea.............................................................279The Silver Spear...........................................................280The Humours of Tulla...................................................280The Green Mountain.....................................................281Miss Monaghan.............................................................281Sean Reid's...................................................................282The Wind that Shakes the Barley.................................282Micho Russell's.............................................................283The Earl's Chair............................................................283The Galway Rambler....................................................284The Home Ruler............................................................285Kitty's Wedding.............................................................285The Boys of Bluehill......................................................286

Appendix 1 – Troubleshooting.........................288Sound..................................................................................288Tuning..................................................................................288Rhythm and tempo..............................................................288Learning tunes.....................................................................289Ornamentation.....................................................................289

Appendix 2 – Reading Music............................290Music Notation Basics.........................................................290

Notes and the Staff.......................................................290Key Signatures..............................................................292Note Values...................................................................292

Appendix 3 - Bibliography................................293Appendix 4 – Tracklist.......................................294

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Introduction

About this bookThe fruit of many years playing and teaching, both in Ireland and abroad, this 2-part tutor book gives a complete

practical introduction to playing Irish traditional music on the tin whistle. It is aimed either at the complete

beginner, or at those who already play music and are interested in discovering the music of the Irish tradition. As

a novice, you can expect by the end of this course to be familiar with the Irish traditional repertoire and style, to

have a core repertoire of tunes and be able to perform them with the suitable ornamentation.

The course covers the basics of the whistle in Part 1, and Irish traditional music on the whistle in Part 2, which is

much longer and more detailed. It is designed to be initially accessible even to complete beginners, but goes on

to cover more advanced material. Each part of the tutor contains graded lessons, exercises and tunes, giving a

complete introduction to the whistle in Irish traditional music. Both musical notation and tablature are used so no

knowledge of musical staff notation or sight reading is necessary, although those who prefer using staff notation

may do so.

I have tried to reflect the orally-transmitted nature of Irish traditional music as much as possible in this course. I

have also tried to base the course on the stylistic interpretation of the music, to bring the learner to a real

understanding of the traditional idiom. Ornamentation is presented in context, and each new element is

presented with numerous examples.

Ideally, the beginner would use both parts of this course, starting with the lessons in the basic tutorial, while

listening to the audio files from the intermediate and advanced levels. These mp3 files can be downloaded to

Ipod or burned to CD, to listen at home, when working or in the car... The more exposure you have to the music,

the quicker and easier you will pick it up when you arrive at the intermediate and advanced stages. In Unit 8 I

recommend some whistle players and recordings, while Unit 16 lists some excellent online sources of Irish

music.

All musical instruments require work, even a simple instrument like the whistle; however, it is my firm belief that the basics of tin whistle playing can be acquired quickly, with a little effort and a maximum of listening time.

Once these basics are acquired, how far you go is up to you!!

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