Finally Reached A Milestone, my quest to learn whistle

[Aaediwen]

ok, I no longer remember when I purchased my first whistle with the intent of learning how to play it on my own. I never aim to be good enough to be here. Just Chiff & Fipple's definition of a good musician.

I quickly became disenchanted with the book I purchased at the same time as the whistle. It helped me learn basic fingering, and has some good tunes in the back I may return to. But I was eagar and wanted to learn to play a tune I was already familiar with; a tune I already enjoied, and preferably one I could hear here on CelticRadio. I decided on "Amazing Grace". I'd once been able to play it on recorder in middle school, I enjoied playing it more than any other even though I didn't really understand what it was at the time. I figured it might be a good one to work with. I've been nearly a year off and on working with it when I had time. Getting ever closer, based on a piece of sheet I found online. (OK, it hasn't been a year yet, only a few months. the printout is dated 07/06/04. My lord, has it really only been that recent??? Seems like I've been working on it at least close to a year.)

I finally succeeded in playing through it. Not well, mind you, and I messed up a couple of notes. But I've played it once! Now just to get better with it, and see if I can get it sounding like it really should. Think that'll be for another day though.


additional note: I can at least reproduce current progress without a ton of effort too, a plus. one spot still giving me problems.

[maggiemahone1]

Congratulations Aaediwen, Determination is what it takes and it sounds like to me your determined. Keep it up cause, "Practice makes perfect!"

maggiemahone1

[Tassiecelt]

Congrats Aaediwen, one trick is to have the whistle always by your side, esp. when listening to Highlander Radio, when you hear a tune you like (and it's in your key) then you can play along with it.

works for me!

[Madadh]

Aaediwen,

The first tin whistle I bought was while I was on vacation with my then young family. We saw the whistle and I thought it might be fun. When we got back to the cottage we were renting, I tried my hand at it for a while. All the time I was trying to get the scales on it my your daughter (who now is in the Marines) kept trying to get her hands on it.

Well I finally (after about 20 minutes) was able to up and down the scale and felt very proud of my accomplishment. I then made the fateful mistake of letting my daughter (then 10 or 11) have a hand. She blew a few soft notes into the whistle, sighed and smiled, and then started to play Amazing Grace as though she had playing the instrament for years.

Well what could I do...I just said "Gimme that", snached up the offending instrament and went to the corner to sulk . She has since gone on to play several instraments and is now learning to play the pipes. Me on the other hand, I can carry a tune on any CD player

[urian]

Gratz, my friend!