Lesson 1: The D Scale

just starting,bought my tinwhistle

Hello Sean, thank you for sharing these lessons with us. I'm Italian so sorry for the grammatical mistakes. I've just bought a tin whistle and, even if I played a flute for two years or something, I forgot almost everything.
I've got some difficulties when I play C and going from C to D. As in C I don't have to use the fingers I guess it's a matter of blowing, but I really can't obtain a clean D note (I'm talking about the higher, of course), actually every time I blow it's very noisy and stoned! What could I do to improve the sound?
Thank you very much.

Hello Sean, thank you for sharing these lessons with us. I'm Italian so sorry for the grammatical mistakes. I've just bought a tin whistle and, even if I played a flute for two years or something, I forgot almost everything.
I've got some difficulties when I play C and going from C to D. As in C I don't have to use the fingers I guess it's a matter of blowing, but I really can't obtain a clean D note (I'm talking about the higher, of course), actually every time I blow it's very noisy and stoned! What could I do to improve the sound?
Thank you very much.

I just picked up a Tin Whistle for the first time. I have been playing the Highland Bagpipes for years and thought I'd give the tin whistle a try. While learning the scales, I am finding difficulty going to the D, E and F# from the upper notes without making alot of squealing. I would imagine it is my blowing, but could there be another reason...?? Also, to get clean sounding notes, I feel like I am barely blowing at all.....is this normal??? Any other tips for a piper learning the whistle???

New player - I've played the flute & recorder (distant past) and with these, you hold down your right ring finger to hold the instrument while the other fingers are up.

I've tried using my right little finger to hold the whistle, but it doesn't reach without making me turn my hand. The ring finger works better. I don't notice any effect on the tone or pitch while covering the low D hole while playing the upper notes. Is this bad technique? How to hold the whistle when playing D, C, B, A?

Thanks - Mike

Ok I think I'm starting to get this. I realize now when I get to the High B and my lungs are burning and the whistle sounds like a wounded and dying bird. Its because I'm overblowing the low octave. Does that sound about right?

The best suggestion I can give is to use the least amount of air possible. As you go up the scale you'll need more air, particularly in the 2nd octave, but the bottom octave can be easily overblown so it's best to practice there to find out how much pressure you'll need.

Do you have any advice on how hard to blow into the instrument? I was blowing pretty hard and it made a pretty loud noise, but then my Dad mentioned that the whistle was originally used in a social and folk band setting, so it would need to be loud to cut through the other noise.

Hello.

I have a question... if in a D whistle, the lower note is a D, in a C whistle (the one I have), the lower note is C?

Hello Sean, thank you for creating and maintaining this site. I've played my tinwhistle for many years but could never figure out how to do the fancy stuff. I've learned more from your site in 20 minutes than in 10 years of doodling around. I look forward to mastering the intermediate and advanced work!

I dont know if its just me being stupid but what your playing seems to be different to the tablature? besides my own confusion im looking forward to following the rest of your tutorials!
Cheers.

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Hmm, that's a good point -- I'll have to keep that in mind as I create other tutorials. Thanks for taking the time to comment!