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Newbie question

  • 19-06-2011 8:54pm
    #1
    Gael Uirbeach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭


    conas atá sibh? So ive a bit of a newbie question regarding the tin whistle (D), though im not that much of a newbie, anyway, ive lost the will/never really had it, to lern to read music and or ABC notation (which maybe its just me but alot of the times i find it just as confusing). Ive decided to try and learn by ear alone while occasionally looking at a note or two if i get stuck, may take a tad longer but i cant bear the notation anymore. Anyway to my newbie question, concerning the scale, i cant put my hand to it but i had/have a sheet with the scale on it and if memory serves me right it listed 14 notes, D E F# G A B C(natural), C# then the high notes D E F G A B. Is this the extent/pretty much the extent of notes one can play on the whistle? I only ask cause i dable in guitar and there seems to be and endless array of chords so just making sure. What do yas think, learn the scale off to death and then concentrate on learning by ear, feasible?


    go raibh maith agaibh


Comments

  • #2
    Blade
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Music Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭Blade


    Learning by ear is important and you'll get better at it the more you practice it. Nothing wrong with the occasional glance at the sheet music, and being able to read sheet music is also a valuable tool. Especially when someone hands you a sheet at a session for a new tune and you want everyone to play the same notes and same version of a tune. I've never bothered with "Internet ABC" as that can be easily converted to sheet music, but basic ABC used for teaching in Ireland is also handy to know. The more of these tools you have the easier it will be to learn to play your instrument.

    I'm not sure I fully understand your question about the notes/scales. But on a D whistle those 14 you mention are not the only notes you can play. For a start some whistles can go up into the 3rd Octave though you wouldn't normally do that. But then you can also half hole notes, for example you can flatten that F# to an F natural by half holing the note below it. Another common half hole used on a D whistle would be to get your G# for playing in A Major. Then of course you have your half hole for C natural.

    Obviously those 14 notes you mention are not "the scale" of a D whistle. You can play many scales on a D whistle. The most common ones that don't require much awkward half holing are: D/G/A Major and E/A/B Minor.


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