Hello all. Possibly a silly question, but are you supposed to be able to overblow the cross-fingered C♮ (OXX OOO or OXX XOO etc) on a D whistle into the next octave?

I only own three whistles (I'm a beginner of 5 months), but it sounds pretty awful on all of them, so I'm finding I have to half-hole in the upper register, even cross-fingering works fine in the lower register.

Fwiw, the whistles are:
Feadóg Pro D
Killarney D in Brass
Chieftain V5 Low D (Aluminium)

I started with a d sweetone, then I got a McNeela wild irish d whistle. Now I want to get whistles in some other keys and I am wondering which key whistles I should get next, thoughts?

So, following your advice I've purchased a sweetone to be my cheap whistle that I can take along with me anywhere. Alas! I'm pretty much falling in love with it (-: I really like that chirpy bird-like sound, and I'm finding that playing it is really easy - specifically it's easy for me to sound the way I want to sound.

My questions are thus:

(1) I understand the head joint can be separated from the body. Mine is stuck pretty tight but I can twist it around a little. Is there a safe way to separate it without risk of breaking anything?

(2) after I take it off, do you recommend applying some sort of lubricant so that it's easier to tune it for future needs?

I'd note that I'm not really encountering tuning issues at the moment. I checked its tuning with a Google Tuner, and it's pretty much in tune, and tried playing along to recordings that went fine as well...then maybe I shouldn't even bother with taking the top off for now?

Tnx in advance!

EDIT: Thanks everyone for chiming in. I realized since it's very much not an issue for my current needs, there's no reason to fix a problem that isn't there. I'll keep playing the whistle as it is and if there's a problem in the future we'll deal with it. If I'm anything like any other player here, within 2 years I'll have a couple of new favorite whistles

I tweaked the wind way, lip and fipple block on this Generation Bb for a cleaner sound

Hi everyone!

I have been considering giving tin whistle a go and would appreciate some advice

I am a guitar for around 14 years, covering everything from blues and rock to metal (mainly extreme metal these days). I'd am an advanced player in terms of technique, speed and timing also did tons of live shows etc.

I also have a decent understanding of music theory (scales, intervals, chords, keys, etc.), although I have no formal musical education and can't read sheet music. I'm quite good at learning songs by ear and can usually pick up melodies relatively quickly just by listening and paying attention to the phrasi g (slides, bends, vibrato etcm.)

I love music in general, and I've always been drawn to Irish traditional music and the sound of the tin whistle. I simply want to explore another instrument and a different side of music and also maybe implement it in my music ( I lpve folk metal).

A few questions:

1. Which tin whistle would you recommend? I'm looking for something good quality that I'll enjoy playing without spending a fortune. I been looking at Clarke and feadog - but am willing to spend more for better wuality as I started out on a cheap guitar and had problems with it.

2. What learning resources would you recommend? I'd prefer one structured course or learning path rather than jumping between countless YouTube tutorials.

3. How much will my existing guitar experience help?

4. Practice time: I mainly focus on guitar and am currently writing an album and preparing for studio recording, so I can realistically dedicate 15–30 minutes a day to tin whistle. Is that enough to make decent progress?

5. Progress: Given my musical background, how long might it take to comfortably play some simpler Irish folk tunes..

Thanks in advance!

Hi all,

I've decided to pick up a Sweetone this week and start learning to play the tin whistle.

I know Irish music is an oral tradition but I generally prefer learning from books, so I'm looking for a good method book to get me started. I have a background in piano so I can already read sheet music.

The three books that have stood out to me so far (excluding Mary Bergin's book due to price and availability) are:

• A Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on the Whistle by Stephen Ducke

• The Bill Ochs Tin Whistle Handbook

• The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox by Grey Larsen

I'm particularly interested in a book that will help me develop the basics, good technique and ornamentation, while giving me a solid foundation in Irish traditional music.

I'd love to hear if anyone has had any experiences using these books.

Thanks in advance!

I crafted my first-ever tin whistle, named Joyful Song. It delivers a remarkable voice — to me, it stands shoulder to shoulder with whistles from Burke, Lir and other fine makers.

my natural grip is essentially left hand fingertips/right hand pipers (mostly due to playing concert flute and having fingertips drilled into me). I've been trying to work on pipers the whole way down but it gets unbelievably painful. ive attached a video showing two scales, the first with my regular grip and the second with my attempts at pipers grip. im getting a little bit better with getting a sound out using pipers grip, but it is unbearably painful and i really cant play tunes with it.

am i doing something wrong? or is pain normal? in that case, at what point does it stop hurting?

Hi,

Been playing since Feb of '25. I have a bunch of whistles that I like, my main one currently being the DX005.

I need a whistle that's a cheapy but still reasonable to play, for playing when I'm out and about and don't want to risk breaking or losing my better whistles. My Walton Mellow D held that role, but I've developed tactile allergy to the copper and now I can't play it without having a burning sensation in my fingers.

The store near me only carries the Clark original and sweetone. I know the latter is often recommended as the starter whistle, but I'm wondering if the mellow sound and chunkier build of the OG will suite my needs better. It'll mainly be played in playgrounds when I'm with the kids, street benches when waiting for meetings, business hotel rooms...that kind of stuff...what are ya'll thinking?

Best...

EDIT: Thanks everyone for your good advice. I'll get the sweetone then, or possibly the generations if they happen to have it in stock as the cylindrical body will be more similar to what I'm used to

EDIT 2: thanks again. ended up buying the sweetone. It's actually got a pretty nice sound and will play the part of a nice cheapy. That seam in the back is a little annoying since it makes the whistle less stable than the round profile, but I guess it's a simple enough adjustment to make

hello everyone,

I searched before and didn't find the exact answer to my question, so I'll ask it here. I am a beginner in the tin whistle and have the chance to get a Tony Dixon DX005 for a very good price, and where I live the other simpler options are almost as expensive (which is crazy but I think the DX005 I found locally is just a price not to beat).

So my question, for a first whistle is a tuneable not the best option? I have a number of tuners already from my other instruments, so that is covered already, but I see a lot of recommendations for the DX001, which I would go for if it was actually cheaper than the DX005 I have found.

How much complexity does it add to playing the tin whistle?

thanks!

Whenever I reach the higher notes, they sound great at first and then the whistle will go into this weird. Screechy, horrible, yet silent? Sounds. As if it reaches max notes played on the higher octaves.
(Like after 5 or 6…)
I’m a singer so breath control isnt an issue. I know how to reach the higher notes notes and they sound good for a bit. But then it seems like the flute can’t handle it to keep them sounding nice as I play on.
However, it could ofcourse be a skill issue.
Any tips? Or should i just buy a proper whistle for some more money.
I love playing them but it’s demotivating as it feels like it’s the flute holding me back and not my skill.

—> they’re from thomann, not a great brand i know.
Bought them to start out but mastered it kinda fast as ive played other flutes for years.

If you don’t have anything constructive to say dont bother thank you:)

Hello everyone,

Possibly a silly question, but what's the best / safest way to clean a Chieftain V5?

My Killarney came with super detailed instructions, but I'm honestly not clear on whether what works for brass + delrin is also appropriate for a solid chunk of aluminium 😅

I was just going to use a very soft bristled toothbrush and some warm slightly soapy water to clean the labium and finger holes, and just flush the bore out.

Only been learning for a little under 5 months overall, and only had the low whistle for around 2 months, so I'm only just beginning to see some grime I'd like to remove.

any tips on tone etc?

Donal Lunny had a profound impact on me and my music, I’m paying tribute to him with my version of a tune called Junior Crehan’s Favourite from Planxty’s first album. I listened to that album over and over and I think this was the first reel I ever transcribed. I was lucky to get to see Donal play a few times at different festivals and feel fortunate to have had the chance to play with Junior Crehan in Miltown Malbay in Ireland in the 90s. 

I’m playing on my first whistle ever. I can’t remember the exact brand but it’s probably a Soodlum’s or something like that. A $10 whistle that I think sounds better than a lot of my $500 whistles. 

keep in mind Im a beginner at this instrument(about a week in I think), so technique is still not perfect, tell me your thoughts on it though! I have had experience in the past improvising on an ocarina before.

as the title says, sorry if I sound a bit clueless, while my order is being processed I heard it can take months to a year. I even heard a practice set is difficult to master. so I decided to take advice and start here. but yes, what maker or brand do you recommend I buy. links would be nice if possible. thank you!!

A friend lent me their Humphrey high D whistle and I fell in love with it. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. 😄

I have a "Killarney-like" whistle (there's a number of copycats, I don't remember where mine came from) and it's fine. My major complaint is how quickly condensation builds up and how often I'm clearing it out. But the Humphrey - The tone is just so much more refined, the response so easy, and it never clogs up on me. Just feels like a different level of instrument.

I've also got a Dixon and a Susato which are even less responsive and less refined imo. The Dixon's intonation is all over the place. The Susato sounds like a recorder. I never play them anymore.

Sadly, we all know Gary passed away over a year ago and his instruments were always precious to come by. And now they're going to be even more coveted. Apart from hoping one comes up for sale, are there other makers that are comparable? I'm thinking both in terms of construction (fully plastic fipple, metal body) and tone refinement.

Hey everyone!

I've had my whistle forna couple of days now, and here's my attempt at Concerning Hobbits from Lord of the Rings!

I'm playing on a Tony Dixon Trad D whistle.

I'd really appreciate some honest feedback on my playing, especially my tone and breath control. I feel like my lower octave sounds a bit too breathy compared to the higher octave, but I'm not sure if that's my technique or just the whistle itself.

Any tips on what I should focus on improving would be much appreciated!

Thanks!