Ask me which weird musical instrument you should learn this summer

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me which weird musical instrument you should learn this summer

Cardiovorax: Jun 5, 2011; I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.

So I went and got myself a tin whistle, because it looked easy to learn and the instrument shop close to me actually had one. It's a Clarke, apparently.

Now, how would I best go about actually learning to play it? It came with a grip chart, but nothing else. Not that it would have helped, because I have literally never played an instrument before and can't read notes. Any recommendations, maybe some simple sheets and instructions on how to read them?

# ¿ Jul 7, 2011 08:47

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 00:20

Cardiovorax: Jun 5, 2011; I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Quick semi-important thing: is your Clarke in C or D? It should be marked as a small letter on the front of the body. If it's C, just note that most instruction will be in D, so you can still apply all the same fingerings and whatnot, you just won't be playing exactly the same notes as the video. Oh, and is your Clarke a "Sweetone", a "Meg" or the old-school black one where the head is part of the metal body and kind of squarish? They're all good, just curious.

It's a D-scale Sweetone. I made sure to check for that because someone mentioned that it was apparently the most popular kind to play. Should make finding tutorials a bit easier

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

So far as learning to read music, a huge number of tinwhistle players (and probably a lot of Irish musicians in general) can't read music, so I wouldn't sweat it at all. If you feel like learning it later, that's fine, but don't feel even slightly obliged to learn music. There are many online video clips of someone playing slowly with the camera focused on their fingers, so you can play along. Almost every fingering a beginner uses is just raising each finger in succession, so it's not like you even have a mix of closed and open, it's just a matter of which hole is the lowest closed one. The only exception that matters much to a noob is C, which is fingered oxxooo, so there's literally only one fingering that's any more complicated than xxxxoo or xxoooo. At any rate, learning by ear is far, far, far more useful for traditional music than learning to read "the dots", as written music is often disparagingly called by trad musicians.

I would watch some videos on basic scales and such, and then find some tutorials on YouTube or wherever of people very slowly playing easy songs (like Amazing Grace, here).

Before you start on that though, I would spend a day or two just doing breathing and some basic scales. Getting breath pressure right is fundamental (and not terribly hard) and will minimise the sounds-like-rear end shrieking. Stick the whistle in your mouth, cover all the holes fully (not pressing hard, just covering completely) and blow as softly as you can, so softly you just hear air flow through. Then increase your breath pressure until you get your lowest note, and hold it for several seconds. Keep doing that a bit until you can reliably hold a steady note and do it repeatably. Then do some scales, start doing basic video lessons. The main thing you want to avoid is just blasting air into it and shrieking, so better to underblow than overblow.

Keep the whistle sitting handy to wherever you are in your place, and just pick it up every so often throughout the day. If you play even just five minutes a half-dozen times during the day, you'll make huge progress in your first week. Like most everything in this thread, 10min a day for a week is way better than an hour only once a week. Just pick it up whenever the slightest mood strikes you, set it down once it's not fun, and pick it up again an hour or two later.

I would also sign up for and introduce yourself on the Chiff & Fipple forum, maybe tell them what kind of music you're interested in, ask for tips and favourite training videos, etc. There's a wealth of info out there for free, it's a pretty hard instrument to go wrong with (except for overblowing it into a shriek), almost indestructible barring crushing, and 'whistlers are pretty friendly and helpful folks.

Thank you, that looks like it will all be very helpful, especially the advice on actually getting a proper sound out of my flute. I'll make sure to check out the forum you recommended as well.

I'm afraid I won't be able to get much regular practice in before semester break, because I live in a dorm with fairly thin walls. It's good to know that I probably won't need to know notation, although I think I'll endeavour to learn it anyways. I might want to graduate to a different instrument once I get the hang of actually playing a blowing instrument; a relative of mine used to play semi-professionally and I'm fairly sure he still has his old concert flute around. I've always loved those things, but could never bring up the time or money for some proper instructions.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2011 08:11

Cardiovorax: Jun 5, 2011; I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

It's like 80 degrees outside. Don't be all neckbeardy, go to the park and get some fresh air.

Not an option where I'm living, I'm afraid

62 degrees and falling, with heavy rains. Also, I admit I'd probably be a bit embarrassed to sqeak around on an instrument I can barely play in public.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Never hurts, but I'd focus on getting good at playing first, rather than put the cart before the horse. Doesn't do much good to read if you can't competently play what you're reading.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2011 09:14

Cardiovorax: Jun 5, 2011; I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.

Is it normal for a Clarke to sound kind of rough and squeaky with all its holes open? I've been doing breathing and the basic scales and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, but the higher notes sound really horrible and indistinct to my ears.

# ¿ Jul 9, 2011 22:00

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me which weird musical instrument you should learn this summer