FAQ about 6-hole whistle What is actually a whistle (pistalka)? Whistle (pistalka) is an end blown fipple flute about one feet in length with six fingering holes bored along the side held upwards. Are whistles (pistalka) available in Slovakia only? Whistle is very common in many cultures all around the globe. Perhaps the most known 6 hole whistle today is Irish tin whistle. Basically, there is no difference between Irish tin whistle and Slovak pistalka except the material used: Slovak pistalka is on contrary to Irish tin whistle purely hand made from natural piece of upland wood. What is the difference between pistalka, irish whistle, tin whistle or penny whistle? "Slovak pistalka" is basically the same as irish whistle. Pistalka as well as Irish whistle is endblown fipple flute with 6 side fingering holes. The only difference is in the material and technology used. Whereas Irish whistle is mass produced from tin, Slovak pistalka is hand made from upland wood (Elder tree - Sambucus Nigra). "Tin whistle" is another name for Irish whistle indicating that it is made of tin.

"Penny whistle" is another name for very popular "D whistle". "Low D whistle" is one octave lower in tuning and 2 times longer as the penny whistle. How is the whistle (pistalka) made ? Slovak whistles are made of natural piece of upland elder tree about one to two feet in lenght. The maker bores out the inside to the proper diameter and then plugs the top end and creates the airway and edge for tone production creating thus a fipple sound device . The bore is cylindrical. The finger holes are measured and cut, and intricate carving or coloring may be added to individualize the instrument. How is the whistle (pistalka) played ? The player blows through the fipple on the top end and covers the finger holes with the first three fingers of each hand. The melody is played out on by fingering the whistle's holes. How to hold the whistle ? Left hand at top, operating first three holes, right hand at bottom, managing bottom three holes. Don’t attempt to cover holes with the fingertips, but rather use the ‘pads’ of the first joint of each finger. What are the whistle (pistalka) keys and lenghts ?

Whistle key is corresponding with its lenght, longer means lower. Key - lenght in cm (inches) D - 58 cm (23") - low D whistle E - 54 cm (21") How to Play the Tin Whistle: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Community Q&A The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, Irish whistle, or just plain old whistle, is an instrument with a plastic or wooden fipple, or mouthpiece, and a metal body tube. They are fairly easy to play and the fingerings are similar to that of the saxophone , clarinet , and flute . Tin whistles are a great way to introduce someone to playing a musical instrument and lots of fun! Steps 1 Purchase a tin whistle at a local music store or online. Whistles are available in all the major keys. The most common, a D whistle, can play in the keys of D and G major. The second most common, a C whistle, can play in the keys of C and F major. The lowest note of a penny whistle, with all the fingers covered, is called the tonic - on a D whistle the tonic is D.

The tone of the tin whistle is largely determined by its manufacturing. Clarke style rolled metal whistles tend to have a smooth soft sound, while Generation style cylindrical instruments tend to have louder or shrill whistle sounds. Inexpensive rolled metal whistles, such as those from Cooperman Fife and Drum (which also produces high-end instruments) may be very airy in sound, and may be difficult to play in the upper register (second octave). Often placing a piece of tape over one edge of the fipple slot (just below the mouthpiece) to narrow the fipple will improve the instrument's tone and playability significantly. Whistles are pitched in different keys and octaves. Low whistles, or concert whistles, are longer and wider and produce tones an octave (or in rare cases two octaves) lower. Whistles in this category are likely to be made of metal or plastic tubing, with a tuning-slide head. The term soprano whistle is sometimes used for the higher-pitched whistles when it is necessary to distinguish them from low whistles. 2 Hold the whistle correctly. It should face downwards and away from you at a 45 degree angle. Place your dominant hand at the bottom and your other hand at the top of the tube.

Pinkies are not used except to support the whistle while playing certain notes, or when playing the largest (and lowest) tin whistles. Thumbs hold up the whistle from below. Cover the six keyholes with your fingertips. Place the tip of the fipple between your lips, but not between your teeth. 3 Learn how to finger the notes. The standard range of the whistle is two octaves. For a D whistle, this includes notes from the second D above middle C to the fourth D above middle C. (It is possible to make sounds above this range, by blowing with sufficient force, but, in most musical contexts, the result will be loud and out of tune.) As you go up a note on a whistle you generally lift one finger. Read the tablature for a D whistle below. White holes indicate that it is uncovered, black indicate covered, and plus signs below the fingerings indicate the higher octave. 4 Play the lower octave notes. Hold the whistle with all the finger holes covered. (You don't need to press hard, just make sure each hole is completely covered.) Blow a steady stream of air, with your mouth shaped as if you were saying "too". This will produce the tonic (a D on the D whistle).

Blowing too softly will make the note airy or nonexistent. Blowing too hard will produce the upper octave or a squeak. Blowing just right will create a steady, low tonic pitch. Progressively remove a finger at a time, starting by uncovering the hole at the end and working your way up to your mouth until you're playing the note with no holes covered (C#). You might need to use the pinky of your dominant hand to help support the whistle when none of the holes are covered. 5 Play the upper octave notes. Cover all the holes again and blow harder than before to get a higher pitch. If you're having trouble hitting the note, slightly uncover the top hole (the one closest to your mouth) and try again. Doing this might help with all the notes in the higher octave. Like before, uncover the holes, one at a time until you get to the highest note (C#). As the notes get higher, you'll have to blow harder to reach it. If you overblow, however, the whistle will squeak. 6 Play music! If you don't know already, learn how to read sheet music .

A "D" whistle If you have music transposed for a concert pitch instrument (violin, flute, piano) you can play this if it is in the right key. A player will usually play a whistle only in its tonic key and possibly in the key beginning on the fourth (e.g. G on a D whistle), but nearly any key is possible, becoming progressively more difficult to keep in tune as the player moves away from the whistle's tonic, according to the circle of fifths. Thus a D whistle is fairly apt for playing both G and A, and a C instrument can be used fairly easily for F and G. To play a C natural on a D whistle or a B flat on a C whistle you can either half cover the top hole of the whistle [1] or cover the two holes below the top hole. (The latter is more practical for faster playing.) Click on the thumbnails below to see a few simple tunes. 7 Practice ! Not only should you be looking for clean, steady notes and smooth transitions between them, but you can also practice ornamentation: Cuts - Just before you play a note, play a higher note for an instant. Snap one of your fingers off a hole momentarily to hit the next higher note.

It should be so short that the listener can't determine the pitch. Strikes - This is like a cut, except you go one note lower instead of higher. Sliding up a note - Slide your finger slowly off a hole so that you ease into the next note. It should only take about half a second. Vibrato can be achieved by varying the air speed slightly. Faster air means a higher tone, and slower air means a lower one, so by pulsing the air using your diaphragm, one can achieve vibrato. Don't blow too hard, or the instrument will play the next partial. Vibrato can also be achieved by opening and closing the second open hole counting down from the mouthpiece. For example, on the note A, play a normal A and wiggle your finger over the hole at the first finger of your dominant hand. Community Q&A If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Video Tips If spit collects in the fipple of the whistle (which is normal after playing), you will hear a weird, tinny sound, instead of the normal full tone.

To remove the spit; cover the opening in the fipple with a finger and blow as if you are playing. (Covering the fipple opening silences the whistle, so you don't have to if you don't want to.) Make sure to blow away from other people and things--towards the floor is best. You don't want to spray someone with spit! Leading tones are the seventh just before the tonic. On most tin whistles the leading tone to the lowest tonic can be played by using the little finger of the lower hand to partially cover the very end opening of the whistle, while keeping all other holes covered as usual for the tonic. Tin whistles are fun to play around with. You can try playing notes with someone else's hand like in the picture. Also, see if you can play two notes on two whistles at the same time by yourself. To do this you would stick two whistles into your mouth (or three), cover as many holes as possible, and play. You might even be able to play a chord if someone lends you their hand! Warnings If you are sharing the whistle with another person, clean the fipple with some disinfectant before giving it to them.

Use some form of swab to clean your whistle after playing or it could become unsanitary. A piccolo swab, which should be available at your local music store, will be the right size. Alternately you could use a bit of cloth (an old t-shirt will do) and a piccolo tuning rod. Flute and piccolo tuning rods look like large needles so they can be "threaded" and used as a swab. Things You'll Need Tin Whistle FAQ Tin Whistle FAQ Accessories > Tin Whistle FAQ Tin Whistle FAQ "...I ordered a tin whistle from LollySmith.com. The site was easy to use and I received an email confirmation straight away. The goods were delivered all the way from the USA on time and well packaged. I was very pleased with the service and would shop with LollySmith.com again!..." S.Cookson, UK. top of page What is a Tin Whistle? The Tin Whistle also known as the Pennywhistle, or Flageolet is a small, high-pitched whistle flute which is end-blown like a recorder. It is made of brass, nickel, aluminum, or plastic with six finger holes and a mouthpiece, also known as a fipple.

top of page Is it easy to learn to play? The Tin Whistle is a musical instrument possessing two special qualities: it is very inexpensive and it is the simplest. However, don't be misled into thinking that it's barely more than a toy, or that it is inferior or a second-rate instrument. On the contrary, despite its low-cost and its easiness for beginners, the tin whistle is a full-blooded musical instrument; capable of music of a quality often unsurpassed by far more eminent instruments. top of page What kind of music is played on the Tin Whistle? The whistle can be used to play haunting slow airs or the most complex up-tempo jigs, reels, hornpipes and other dance tunes. You will find many people who have heard and loved Irish Music and didn't realize it was the little whistle often creating those beautiful sounds. The Tinwhistle is often heard in pop, rock, and modern music too! top of page Which are the most common keys used by Tin Whistle players?

Tin Whistles are made in different keys, but those in the key of 'C' and 'D' are the ones more commonly used, with the key of 'D' the most popular key of the two, as it matches so many tunes. It is almost always the first one bought in any whistle collection. Why do players prefer the key of 'D'? It is easier to produce good quality tones with less effort. It is not necessary to spread your fingers as much as you would have to on the 'C' whistle. This is a great advantage to children, as it makes for more relaxed playing. Traditional Irish music is mostly played in the key of 'D'. top of page Is the fingering the same for each key, or do I need to transpose? It is important to note that the fingering necessary to play any specific tune will be the same regardless of the key in which the whistle is made. | Will I be able to play in other keys besides D on the D whistle?

Although the D whistles are in the key of D, by playing different scales and using different fingering techniques, a variety of keys can be played on the D whistle including: D, G, E and A Major; as well as E, A, and B minor. top of page What is the difference in tone between a Brass and Nickel whistle? Although some may argue there is not a noticeable difference in tone, most would say the Brass has a more mellow tone while the Nickel tends to be on the brighter side. top of page What is the difference in tone between a larger bore (the diameter of the tube or barrel of the whistle) and smaller bore whistle? The size and geometry of a wind instrument's bore determines the volume of a given instrument. The bigger the bore, the louder the sound; the smaller the bore, the softer the sound. top of page On getting included in your School Band I began playing the whistle at age 9 after Jerry Colgan, the bodhrï¿½n and whistle player in his and my parents band, taught me the old tune William Bloat. After 8 months and of lots of practice I began playing regularly at the local museum village, county fairs, and talent contests.

After some friendly persuasion, my music teacher finally gave in and I switched from clarinet to tin whistle in the school band. It was the first time an unconventional instrument was permitted into the music program. My (very supportive) teacher had to re-write some of the music to fit, but mostly I played the parts written for Oboe or Flute, taken down the octave, or clarinet (which is the fun one because you have to play on a B flat whistle and think C whistle; due to the fact that the Clarinet is naturally tuned to B flat -- so it is a little difficult at first! I was so used to playing Irish tunes all the time my teacher had to keep reminding me "My Country 'Tis of Thee" was not written as a hornpipe. Years later, when I showed up with my whistle at the University auditions most were skeptical (you'll get used to it) soon the doubts, and some of the novelty wore off, and my Irish Whistles were accepted as part of the wind ensemble.

So, if you think you would like to play the whistle in your school band: first, you have to give them a good reason to consider it so learn the instrument backward and forward until you can play at least as well as the others on their respective instruments. Second, practice changing whistles and keys on the fly, know the songs your school band plays, and then approach your music teacher. Best of luck! h2g2 - How to Play the Tin Whistle - Edited Entry How to Play the Tin Whistle Content from the guide to life, the universe and everything How to Play the Tin Whistle Created 5 Conversations The tin whistle is a simple, traditional instrument, which is popular in Ireland. It is easy to play and produces a good loud sound, although it can be ear-piercing in the higher notes. It is sometimes known as a penny whistle or a flageolet . The tin whistle has six finger holes on the front and no holes on the back. If your instrument has any other arrangement of holes, it is not a tin whistle! The ancestor of the modern tin whistle was an instrument called the flageolet. Made of wood with brass keys, it was popular in France in the 16th Century.

It had four holes on the front and two on the back. It came to England in the 18th Century and was modified slightly, putting all six holes along the front. Eventually it got to Ireland. By this stage, it had changed to its modern form; a metal instrument without keys. There are two main types of tin whistle. The first is made from thin metal with a wooden block set into one end to make the mouthpiece. It tapers so that the end furthest from the mouth is narrower than at the mouthpiece end. Clarke is the main maker of this type. The other sort is more common and consists of a cylindrical tube with a plastic head. For many years, the 'Generation' was the standard in this type, but recently, a number of other companies such as 'Feadóg' have started making whistles of the same design. Choosing a Tin Whistle Tin whistles come in a number of different sizes for playing in different keys. Choose one in the key of D as this is the usual model for traditional music. For Left-handed Players You cover the top three holes in the tin whistle with one hand and the lower three with the other hand.

Since the whistle is symmetrical, it doesn't matter which hand you use. The normal way is to use your left hand on top and your right hand on the bottom. Since this is the way that right-handed people do it, some left-handers feel they should do it the other way, with right hand on top. There is no good reason for doing this. It doesn't make it any easier to play. In addition, if you learn the normal way, you will be able to switch to playing the traditional flute (which is played this way) without any problems. So from here on, it is highly recommended that the upper hand is the left hand and the lower hand is the right hand. Blowing and Tonguing It's now time to make your first noise with the whistle. Hold the whistle any old way and don't worry about the finger holes for the moment. Put the mouthpiece between your lips. You can bite it if you like, it doesn't matter. Now whisper the word 'too'. You should get into the habit of starting every note by whispering 'too'. This is called 'tonguing'. It provides a clean sharp start to the note.

Later you can learn how to 'slur', but for now, tongue all the notes. Practise a rapid 'too too too' and long notes, 'toooooooooooooooo'. You should be able to produce a steady note lasting about half a minute. If not, you're blowing too hard. The notes should start evenly, not with a loud noise at the start. Left-hand Notes The first note you're going to try is called B. Place your left thumb on the back of the whistle. Cover the top hole (the one closest to the mouthpiece) with the index finger of your left hand. You should use the flat part of your finger, which means that the finger will be fairly straight. You should also rest the instrument on your right thumb. Now blow gently with the 'too' sound. You should hear the note B. This note is shown on a fingering chart as follows: B = X o o o o o Notice the X means a hole is covered while the o means an open (uncovered) hole. Here are some more notes: A = X X o o o o G = X X X o o o C# = o o o o o o The # sign is called 'sharp'.

The note C# is therefore 'C sharp'. Practice playing these notes and changing from one to another. You may find it hard to play C# at first, where you have no fingers on the whistle. You must hold it firmly in your mouth and balance it on your thumbs. All these notes use only the fingers of the left hand. (Your little fingers are never used). Right-hand Notes When you are happy with the notes using only the left hand, you can learn some notes using the right hand too: F# = X X X X o o E = X X X X X o D = X X X X X X To play a full scale, you need one more note: high D. You have to blow a bit harder to produce it. The fingering is as follows: D' = o X X X X X X The little tick beside the note shows that it is a high D instead of a low D. High D is said to be an octave above low D. It is the same note, just higher up. The full scale The full scale is now laid out here for you to play.

D = X X X X X X E = X X X X X o F# = X X X X o o G = X X X o o o A = X X o o o o B = X o o o o o C# = o o o o o o D' = o X X X X X Now it is time to try some tunes. Here's just the first few notes to start you off. 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star': D D A A B B A, G G F# F# E E D 'Oh Susanna': D E F# A A B A F# D E F# F# E D E 'Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms': F# E D E D D F# A G B D' D' 'Baa Baa Black Sheep': D D A A B C# D' B A, G G F# F# E E D 'Fáinne Geal An Lae' (The Dawning of the Day): D E F# F# F# E F# A A B A F# D F# E D D D Playing High Notes If you want to play notes higher up, you just blow harder.

You will get the same note but an octave higher. D' = o X X X X X E' = X X X X X o F#' = X X X X o o G' = X X X o o o A' = X X o o o o B' = X o o o o o C#' = o o o o o o D'' = o X X X X X The note D'' is an octave higher than high D or 'top D' as some call it. It is possible to get even higher notes by blowing still harder, but since you are now producing an ear-splitting noise, it is probably best to stop there. The Note C Everything you have been playing up to now is in the key of D. The 'do' note is always D. Another common key to play in is the key of G. Try playing the notes G A B C# D'. You will hear that the note C# sounds wrong. It is too high. You need to use the note C. This is done by half covering the top hole of the whistle with your left index finger.

You will have to experiment with the exact position of your finger until you get the note to sound right: C = / o o o o o The slash / indicates that the hole is half covered. This note is sometimes called C natural to distinguish it from C sharp. Once you can play C natural, you can play tunes in the key of G: 'Happy Birthday': D D E D G F#, D D E D A G, D D D' B G F# E, C C B G A G 'The Scottish Soldier': D G A B B, G B C D' D', E' B E' D' C A D F# E' D C B Other Semitones Notes like C natural are called semitones, because they fall in the cracks between other notes. (Technically, this is not strictly true, but for the purposes of this entry, you will be spared the details). There are four other semitones.

They are rarely used in Irish music, but you may come across them, so here they are: D# = X X X X X / F = X X X X / o G# = X X / o o o A# = X / o o o o Ornaments Cuts Irish music uses a number of 'ornaments' to add interest to the music. The simplest of these is called the 'cut'. Just before you play a note, you play a higher note for an instant. The higher note is not there long enough for you to hear what pitch it is, you just hear a sort of a 'blip' at the start of the note. The way to do a cut on low notes such as D, E, F# and G is to use the third finger of your left hand. Just snap this finger off the hole and back on as you start the note, to get a blip at the start of the note. A cut can also be used to separate notes if you are playing the same note twice in a row, instead of tonguing the notes. To do a cut on A or B, you can use the first finger of your left hand, in the same way.

It is not possible to do a cut at the start of C# since you have no fingers on the whistle. Strikes A strike is another ornament that is similar to a cut. It involves playing the note below the one you are ornamenting. Like the cut, it should be so fast that you hardly hear the pitch of the strike. To do a strike on E, play a D very rapidly followed by E. Slurring Up to now, it has been recommended that you tongue all the notes. This gives a clear start to each note. Playing without tonguing is called 'slurring'. If you get two or more notes the same in a row, you will have to make a break between then by doing a cut or strike. Rolls A roll is a more elaborate ornament consisting of a cut above the note followed by a strike below. A roll on E will sound the following: E (A) E (D) E. The notes in brackets are very short. The A is a cut and is not exactly an A, because only the third finger of the left hand is raised. Sliding up to the Note Another ornament is called a slide.

To slide up to a note, play the note below it, then slide your finger slowly off the hole, so that the note creeps up to the right note. This should take at most about half a second. Don't make it any longer than that. Overdoing the slides is a sure sign of a bad whistle player! Vibrato The final ornament that this entry will deal with is called 'vibrato'. It is used on long notes. Vibrato means wobbling the pitch up and down slightly. To do vibrato on the note A, play a normal A, then open and close the hole at the first finger of your right hand. Do this rapidly by wiggling your finger about four or five times a second. You will hear the note wobble. The hole that you open and close for vibrato is the second open hole counting down from the mouthpiece. So for vibrato on F#, you open and close the lowest hole. For vibrato on G, you use the second hole from the bottom and so on. Vibrato on the note E uses a different technique. You can't open and close the second open hole, since there is only one open hole.

You must wave your right ring finger over the bottom hole without actually touching the hole. This is trickier than vibrato on other notes. Most people think that you can't do vibrato on D, because all the holes are closed. In fact there are two ways. One is by controlling your breathing. Say 'wa wa wa wa wa' as you blow, and the note should go up and down a bit. Another way (preferred by this entry's Researcher, no less) is to wave your little finger over the hole at the end of the tin whistle, where the sound comes out. This is quite a stretch - you need big hands and flexible fingers. Support Fingering A technique sometimes advocated is 'support fingering'. You leave down fingers at the bottom of the whistle to provide extra support so that you don't drop the whistle. In particular, when playing C#, you can leave down your right ring finger. This does not affect the pitch of the note and means that you always have at least one of the holes covered. There is no good reason to do this, as there is no real problem holding the whistle while playing C# in the normal way.

Some whistlers overdo this technique and play badly out of tune because they leave down far too many fingers. The Unnatural C Natural Fingering Many tin whistle tutors disapprove of the half-hole method for playing C natural, because it is somewhat difficult for beginners. Players need experience to produce an accurate C natural every time. Instead, the tutors recommend playing C natural by leaving the top hole open and covering the next two holes. This fingering should be avoided at all costs. It produces a note which is woefully out of tune. Any tutor that recommends this fingering should be treated with extreme suspicion. Playing the Whistle with one Hand For completeness, here is a method for playing the tin whistle with only one hand. Using sellotape, tape over the top three holes so that they are permanently closed. Play the notes D', E', F#' and G' as normal, blowing reasonably hard to get the high notes. Now, blowing slightly harder, play the same notes again. You will find the notes jump upwards, but not by an octave. Instead, they become A', B', C#' and D''. So you can play a full scale with only one hand.

This technique is the principal on which the tabor pipe, a one-handed whistle, is based. With a little experimenting, you will be able to play even higher notes to play many tunes. Penny Whistle 1 Making a Penny Whistle Penny whistles are probably the easiest of the flute type instruments to learn because the "fipple" does the work of generating the tone instead of the lips of the player doing the work. Embouchure is something that is not even considered when playing the penny whistle. All of the expression of the instrument must be accomplished with the breath and the fingering. This makes it a difficult instrument to play 'expressively' because the main ingredient in the shading and shaping of the notes, the embouchure or way you position and use your lips, is missing. You can hold your lips any way you want to. You can even clamp your teeth into the mouth piece if you want to and it will make almost zero difference in the tone. The control of the breath and air pressure within the instruments are the sole means of getting "soul" into the music. I guess that is why you do not come across good penny whistle players very often. I myself am only a mediocre player and still learning the finer points.

About the construction You can make a penny whistle from almost anything. Copper tubing, PVC pipe, any metal tubing will work. The one in the illustrations is made from an aluminum tent pole. The key and the level of difficulty in making the penny whistle is the construction of the fipple. The approach i make is a permanently located fipple, or note producing parts. This particular whistle is in the key of "G" and it is a very low key for penny whistles. I never saw one for sale commercially this long. To my limited knowledge, the Bb is the longest and lowest of the penny whistles produced commercially buy such mfgrs. as General, or Oak. I imagine you can have one made special however at a price. The whole reason i got into this stuff in the first place is because i wanted an "A" penny whistle and could not find one for all the years i looked for it. I finally did a 'cop out' construction by taking the fipple off of my Bb and putting it on the new pipe i found for the "A" whistle i was making.

The construction mentioned here however provides it's own fipple construction and it is non-adjustable, once it is built, there is NO tuning the whistle. To make the fipple shown here, i drilled a 1/4" diameter hole first. Then with a wide knock out punch and a hammer, i beat the lower edge of the hole down so that the edge was lower than the round contour of the tubing. See the shot above and you will see that 'flat' area has been actually been forged that way by hitting it with the punch and hammer. Once it has been moved down toward the center of the tube, i filed it rectangular, as shown. It is worked out with a square file to 1/4" deep and 3/8" wide. Once the hole is rectangular and the sloping angled area you forged, has had the angle dressed and finished with a file and sandpaper, you are ready for the plug. This is the hardest part and you may end up making more than a couple b/4 you get it right. Experiment and develop what works best. The plug is made of hardwood and extends all the way from the end to the nearest edge of the hole.

It has an air channel cut into it that is the width of the rectangular hole and about 1/32" deep. This air passage will be directed at the edge of the fipple's beveled lip to produce the sound. Make it extra long and move it forward and backward to get the best tone. That is nearer to the rectangular hole or farther away. When you have the proper sounding location dimple the side of the tubes as shown above to keep it in place. Dimple it in at least two places. A bit of clue may help seal the plug. Grind it as shown to make a mouth piece more comfy and to really do it up nicely use heat shrink tubing on the end for a cushioned grip for the teeth. (in case you are a biter) Maximum and minimum finger spread Once you have the fipple finished and it produces a clean clear sound then you are ready to tune the "Fundamental" pitch of the whistle. The whistle shown in this illustration is in the key of "G". This is probably the lowest pitch whistle will be able to play, as the spacing between the holes gets longer and longer as the length of the whistle increases.

Unless you have hands of a concert pianist, you will have problems with anything lower than a low "G". All the "G" whistles i had ever seen, before making this one were only 9" long. This one measures about 3/16" under 18" long. In a general sense, doubling the length will produce a tone of half the frequency. The longer the whistle, the lower the tone. The little short "G" whistle has it's own special challenge. It is so short that the 6 finger holes only span the distance of 4 fingers. See the shot at right and you see that a shorter whistle than a high "G" would be on the other side of the difficulty scale from the low "G". Stretching for notes on the long whistle is just as difficult as squeezing 6 fingers into a 4 finger area. So it looks like "G" is a good practical limit in both directions for your whistles. As you can see, it could be a real challenge to put six of my fingers into a space that is only 4 fingers wide. First hole is lined up with my little finger and the 6th hole is by my index finger.

Tight squeeze to play this tiny whistle. Hole Spacing Guide Below is a chart showing the ratio of the top edge of each finger hole to the sharp edge of the fipple. Multiply the musical length of the whistle by the ratios shown to locate "top edge" of the hole. Remember this is not to the center of the hole, only the top edge counts. 1st hole .520 .449 These ratios relate to a tube with an inside diameter of 11/16" or .688" (17.48mm). Different size pipes will gererate slightly different ratios. Generally speaking the smaller the tube, the smaller the ratio. A small G whistle, one octave higher will have ratios that are 1.28% smaller than these ratios, with it's .413" (10.49mm) diameter and shorter length. These ratios should work well enough for anything you build as the final tuning of each hole will correct any errors. More about installing holes The over all length of the whistle is not as important as the "musical length". The musical length is the distance from the far end of the whistle to the sharp edge of the fipple lip.

In the long G whistle we are making here, that distance happens to be 15.98" (40.59 cm). When making the whistle you want to be sure to make it Longer than it needs to be so that you will be able to tune the fundamental. The fundamental is the lowest tone that the instrument is capable of making. Using an electronic tuner, keep removing material from the end of the whistle to shorten it to the point it produces a clear ON PITCH G note. When you have the "G" note perfect you are ready to put in the finger holes. Selecting hole sizes and locations You have a choice of what size holes you want to use on your whistle. Bigger holes make louder whistles, smaller holes make softer quieter sounding instruments. It is a trade-off and entirely up the the player. Experiment and see the differences. Make one flute with small holes, 3/16" dia to 1/4" dia (4.763 mm to 6.35 mm) and then make another one with larger holes, 1/4" dia to 3/8" dia (6.35mm to .525mm).

Then play the two and you see what i am talking about. It is not easy to explain unless you experience it your self. Because i use ratios calculated to the near side of the hole, the actual hole dia. does effect the equation of : "LxR=NE" Where L=musical length, R=ratio for specified hole, and NE=nearest edge of specified hole. However when laying out the actual center line for the hole location you must add one more item to the formula, the radius of the hole. So then the formula for the hole center line would be: "LxR+.5D=C" Where: L and R are the same data and D=diameter of the finger hole you wish to use and C=the location of the hole's center. This can be expressed more simply as: "NE+r=C" Where: NE=near edge of hole, r = radius of finger hole, and C is hole center location for drilling. Lets just walk through putting the 1st hole in the whistle shown at the top of the page: 1. Determine musical length. This happens to be 15.98" or (40.59cm) 2.

Select diameter of finger hole you wish to use. Lets make it 1/4" diameter (6.35mm). 3. Determine the ratio for the hole you want to install. In this case it is .845% 4. Multiply the length of 15.98 by the ratio of .845 and obtain the distance to the near edge. For the example we are using the product equals 13.50" (34.29) 5. Add the radius of the hole, in this case it is half of 1/4" or 1/8" (3.175mm) to the hole" calculated edge distance: .500+.125=13.625" or (34.61cm). Measure from the knife edge, down the whistle to this point and make a line, going half way around the flute. The center of the hole will fall on this line somewhere. Exactly where is up to you. Everybody has different fingers and what you need to do is hole the flute like you were playing it and observe where the finger corresponding to the hole you wish to install falls most comfortably.

Keeping your finger on the middle of the line you drew, move it radially around the flute to find the most comfortable position on the line. Then mark that radially and the intersecting of this line with the one locating the axial distance will be the center point for your finger hole. Always start laying out and installing the finger holes from the "farthest" to the nearest. Never the other way around or you will have difficulties. Repeat the steps for locating and installing the next hole, and continue for all six of them. If you did everything correctly you will have a very nice little instrument you can carry with you almost anywhere and play when ever you wish. This particular one was made from a discarded tent pole so you see, you can use almost anything to make a penny whistle. Using plastic PVC will present different problems making the fipple because you can not bend down the area of the tube that forms the knife edge of the fipple. It has to be constructed a little differently and the design of the plug will have to be altered too, to introduce an angle upward. Pennywhistle History The pennywhistle — also known as the penny whistle or tin whistle — is a member of the flute family.

The flute is among the earliest instruments known to humankind. A fragment of an animal-bone flute discovered in a cave in Slovenia is believed to be at least 43,000 years old. It is not known how this prehistoric Slovenian flute was blown, but different types of flutes with distinct blowing methods evolved over time: the side-blown or transverse flute; the end-blown flute; the notch flute; and the duct flute. The pennywhistle belongs to the duct-flute branch of the flute family. Duct flutes have a mouthpiece similar to that of an ordinary whistle. The mouthpiece directs the player’s breath onto a cutting edge that produces sound. Thanks to this mouthpiece, the duct flute does not require any special blowing technique. It is the easiest type of flute to play. The best-known example of the duct flute is the eight-holed recorder, which dates from around the 14th century. The six-holed flageolet is a close relative of the recorder, but is probably an older instrument. Both the recorder and the flageolet were most often made of wood.

In the last decades of the 18th century, British artisans developed a process that made tinplate more readily and cheaply available. This paved the way for the mass production of tin-plated items of every description, including an inexpensive substitute for the wooden flageolet. The new tin flageolet was made by piercing holes in a sheet of tin-plated steel, rolling the tinplate around a form called a mandrel, soldering the seam where the edges of the tinplate joined, and partially closing one end of the tube with a wooden plug to form a mouthpiece. The instrument became known as the tin whistle or the pennywhistle. It is thought to have sold for a penny in the early 19th century. Wages were very low in that era, so while the instrument was always affordable, it was not as inexpensive as its nickname would seem to indicate. Mass-produced brass flageolets with lead end-plugs also began to appear in the 19th century. By the mid-20th century a plastic mouthpiece replaced the lead plug. The pennywhistle in its various forms has been widely played by children and adults from the early 19th century to modern times.

Though the pennywhistle is closely associated with Irish or Celtic music, many different styles of music can be and have been played on this versatile instrument. The kwela style, which flourished in South Africa in the mid-20th century and is undergoing a revival, is a prime example of this. See our video page for examples of pennywhistle music in a variety of styles. © 2010–12, The Pennywhistler’s Press Irish Pennywhistle - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Irish Pennywhistle From Wikibooks, open books for an open world Jump to: navigation , search A reader requests expansion of this book to include more material. You can help by adding new material ( learn how ) or ask for assistance in the reading room . The pennywhistle, also known as the tin whistle or tin flute, is a traditional end-blown flute, similar to the recorder in appearance and use. Its origins are in Ireland, but it since has come into use in many branches of Celtic folk and traditional music, being among the most common melody instruments both in slow airs and in dance tunes such as jigs and reels.

In contemporary Celtic music, it often adds a powerful accompaniment to vocal music, and it's high natural tone can provide a balance of range in multi-instrumental arrangements. This wikibook provides a tutorial on the basic method of the pennywhistle, as well as an introduction to ornamentation, improvisation, and playing in a seisiún (pronounced "session" in english; a sort of Irish "jam session"). This is especially designed to help someone who already knows a bit about music, such as different keys and scales, but even the musically uninitiated will find much useful information. Contents 3 Resources Selecting an instrument[ edit ] Before you begin playing, it is critical to select an instrument that best fits your needs, abilities, and, of course, price range. It is usually best to try out several whistles, either by purchasing or by borrowing them, before you decide which one to continue using. In particular, don't give up whistling just because you don't like a specific whistle! There are hundreds of reasonably priced whistles on the market.

Some are squeaky, shrill, and hard to handle, while others feel as natural as your own voice, so keep trying until you find the right one. Here are some guidelines to set you on the right track. Styles of whistle[ edit ] The construction of a pennywhistle is very simple, as the whistle consists of only two parts. The first is the bore, a tube about 2 cm in diameter. Six holes are located on the bore; these are covered by the fingers to create different pitches. The second part is the mouthpiece, which is usually made of molded plastic and fixed to the bore (exceptions are listed below). The most popular pennywhistles on the market today are probably also the best choice for beginners: inexpensive, with plastic mouthpieces. I highly recommend the Sweetone, which has a good sound and is available for five to six U.S. dollars from various online stores. Another inexpensive choice is the Clarke whistle, which is made in England of a single sheet of metal wrapped in a semiconical shape, with a raw block of wood inserted as the mouthpiece.

This offers a soft, breathy sound that is appropriate for certain songs, but requires much more breath than a plastic mouthpiece, making long notes or phrases all but impossible. Most low-cost whistles are not tunable, meaning that the pitch of each note is fixed and cannot be changed to match that of other instruments. Other whistles, including some as inexpensive as $15, can be tuned by moving the mouthpiece. A tunable whistle may be a good investment if you plan on playing with other musicians very often, and especially if you are accompanied by an instrument such as a piano that cannot be easily tuned to match your pitch. It should be mentioned that it is in fact possible to modify low-cost non-tunable whistles. Whistles such as a Generation or a Walton have the fipple (mouthpiece) glued on. To modify such whistles carefully heat the fipple in hot water to soften the glue and remove the fipple. Clean the glue off both the fipple and the bore. Grease the inside of the fipple and the outside of the bore with vaseline or lip balm or similar and replace the fipple.

This provides an airtight fit and allows the fipple to be eased up and down making it the whistle tunable. The bore of most whistles is made of unfinished tin or brass. Some brands, however, also offer a "blackwhistle", which has an opaque black finish on the bore. This makes no difference except for looks, and should never cost more than an unfinished whistle. Another alternative to plain metal is the wooden whistle offered by the Sweetheart Flute Company. These instruments offer a sweet, mellow tone and make it easy not to sound squeaky or shrill, though some may not like the deviation from the more piercing traditional sound. They are without exception very expensive, starting around $100. Unlike most whistles, which require that the musician half-cover holes to achieve sharps and flats, wooden whistles can have keys added to sharp certain notes for an extra charge. The final and most unusual non-metal whistles, such as the Water Weasel brand, are made of PVC pipe. Keys[ edit ] As mentioned above, most whistles play in a specific key.

For example, a whistle in the key of D plays the notes of D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C# without requiring the musician to manually sharp any notes. Any notes that are not on this scale must be created by half covering holes (unless your whistle has keys to sharp notes; see "Styles of Whistle" above.) If you wish to play a natural C on a D whistle, for instance, you must half-cover the B hole to achieve a B#, which is also a C. Some people find it easy to manually sharp notes; others prefer to buy whistles in several different keys. Since the vast majority of Irish music is written in the keys of G and especially D, whistles in D and G are the most common, although it is also easy to find whistles in the key of C. Each key of whistle has a different fingering. For instance, when playing a C whistle, the lowest note-- that with all the holes covered-- is a middle qb; on a D whistle, the lowest note is the D just above middle C. As a result, it can be very difficult to switch between keys. It is really a personal decision whether this or manual sharps is more cumbersome.

Some people refuse to do either, and either play only tunes in their key or transpose other tunes into it. One exception to these basic remarks is the low D whistle offered by many companies. These whistles are fingered in the same pattern as a middle D whistle, but are much longer and wider so that they play an octave lower. They are often made out of unconventional materials, such as PVC pipe, and usually have a wooden block instead of a molded plastic mouthpiece. Low whistles have a deep, haunting sound that adds a nice variety to any whistler's repertoire. The disadvantages of low whistles are that they are more expensive than small whistles, take immense reserves of breath, and have very large, widely spaced holes. Unless you have exceptionally large hands, you will probably need to cover the holes with the flat, fleshy part of your fingers between the second and third knuckles, rather than with the fingertips, which many people find difficult to get used to. That said, this style of fingering is exactly the same as that of a bagpipe, so if you have played the pipes it will be second nature to you.

Playing the whistle[ edit ] For this we assume that you are playing a whistle with the standard D tuning, which is the default whistle tuning. There is a great tin whistle tutorial especially suitable for beginners at [whistleaway.com [1] ]. Position of Whistle and Fingers Hold the whistle so that it comes from your mouth at about forty-five degree angle. If you are right-handed, your right hand should be on the bottom- for left-handers it is reverse. Your thumbs hold the whistle up from below. Place the top pad the first three of your fingers (not the tip) over each corresponding hole, tight enough for no air to leak. This should require very little pressure if the fingers are correctly placed -if you find holding the position for long periods uncomfortable, you may be pressing too hard. The pinkies should be placed where ever is comfortable and out of the way. They are not used. When all the holes are covered, that is D position. If you lift up the lowest finger, you have E position. Lift the next lowest finger, and it is F. Lift the next one and it is G-- so on through A, B, until C has no holes covered.

Because the whistle is held in place by 'pinching' the fingers and thumbs slightly, most whistlers will keep their bottom finger (right ring finger for right handed players) down whilst playing a C -this has no real effect on the tone. When putting the whistle to your mouth, the mouthpiece should be held between the lips, but usually not protrude into the mouth far enough to bang into the teeth, which could damage both the mouthpiece and your teeth! Blowing Hold the whistle in D position. With a slow steady stream of air, exhale lightly. If you blow too softly the note will not be clear. If you blow too hard, it will either be D in a higher octave or it will just squeak. Practice until the note is a clear, low D. Practice with the other notes, as well, until they all are clear, low notes. Each note takes slightly more air pressure than the one below it. For a higher octave, you only have to blow a little harder. However, it takes a lot of practice to keep these notes from squeaking. Has anybody heard about how practice helps?! You may not believe it but it's true!

Tonguing Tonguing is performed by tapping the roof of your mouth with your tongue, as if sounding a 'T' or 'D', at the beginning of your breath -if you were using your vocal chords rather than playing the whistle, it would give you a 'tooo' sound. It has the effect of beginning the note with a sharp attack rather than a breathy opening. Whether you tongue some, all, or none of the notes you play is entirely a stylistic choice. Tonguing can also be used mid breath to punctuate playing, as it momentarily stops the breath. This can specifically be used to break up a run of identical notes. Irish Ornamentation Before you try ornamentation, make sure you can play fairly well and quickly. And remember- they are not rules about ornamentation that you should follow. What ever is easiest and sounds best is they method you should use. Everyone has their own style. The placing of Ornamentations Some Irish music provides ornaments, but the majority leaves the ornaments up to you. Using the following devices the song can be made prettier. When ever you think one of them would enhance the sound, use it. However, it is best not to go overboard.

The Grace Note The grace note is a very short note played before another, main note. For the notes D, E, and F, lift the finger that covers the A hole, and quickly set it down. Let's use an example to explain this a little clearer. You have a song, in which the sequence of notes goes like this: A G grace note E F grace note D First play the A, then the G, then put you fingers in the position of E, but with the A hole uncovered, play, and quickly replace the A finger. (tongue only the grace note, not the main note). Next play the F, then form the D, with the A hole uncovered, play, and quickly replace the A finger. For the notes G, A, and C, they same thing is done, only it is not the A hole that is uncovered for the grace note, but the B hole. You can use other holes as well for grace notes. Remember, there are not rules. What sounds best is best. The length of a grace should be only long enough to be distinct. Keep it as short as possible without the tones blending.

Strikes A strike is easy- just tap your finger on the hole below the note you are playing. Like the tonguing you can separate notes with a strike, which can be used well if there are two or more equal notes in row. For example A A A or G G. Cuts The cut is another way to separate notes. Instead of tapping the belower note as we do it in a strike, we are lifting one finger at a higher note to interrupt the airflow. Essential for this are the forefinger and the ringfinder of your left hand. To cut the notes D E and F you are lifting your left ringfinger and to for cutting the notes G A and B you take your left forefinger. You might ask what is meant with "lifting the finger?" and that is a quite important question. It is not a lifting at all but rather a really short flipping of your finger. As if a beetle is sitting on your finger and you want to chase it of. Slides A slide is a gradual transition from one note to another, as opposed to the ordinary form of quickly moving to the next note. Generally done by gently rolling the finger onto or off of the hole, as opposed to the tapping required in quicker melodies.

Rolls and Vibratos Resources[ edit ] As well as the basic how-to of playing the whistle, there are inevitably other resources you will want, which have been exhaustively covered elsewhere, and may provide alternative opinions/explanations than here. - Great animated tutorials and exercises available to help you learn the whistle, along with videos, sheet music and MP3's.. -A huge community-based database of folk songs. You will find almost any tune you've ever heard here -and if not, tell them about it! -an all-round site including a large songbook (with midi files and real recordings) and an extensive set of reviews of both high-end and inexpensive whistles. A 9 week video Introduction to Tin Whistle course offered by Ryan Duns SJ at Fordham University can be viewed at . Participantants can join the group

Question: How many finger holes does a tin whistle (pennywhistle) have?
Answer: Six