Top products from r/tinwhistle

I don't know your price range, but I would totally recommend Phil Hardy if you're looking at investing in a higher end. I own a low F whistle made by him and LOVE IT. I plan on getting a G, and a high D from him too. Best whistle I've ever owned, there is a noticeable difference in quality and clarity of tone. Plus Phil's a great guy to work with. I got mine from his site. http://www.kerrywhistles.com/

If you're looking at cheaper whistles, this is one of the best I've found of this price range:

https://www.amazon.com/Waltons-1523-Whistle-Brass-C/dp/B000VPHCDM/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1488161616&sr=1-4&keywords=walton+c+tin+whistle

It's a C whistle, Walton's. Super cheap. This is my 2nd favorite whistle I own (the Phil Hardy being my fav)

> Thanks for the tip on the C ornament!

Absolutely. And you can use that same technique for other notes, too which makes the whistle a lot easier to hold as well as making note transitions more flexible. You probably need to experiment, but from what I've found as long as there's 2 holes of separation between the note you're actually fingering an the note you want to keep covered for convenience it'll sound the same.

> But there are some that have a more mellow, deeper tone who are not playing Clarke. I am seeing a trend that brass whistles have that tone, possibly.

I only have two whistles so far, but there's definitely a pretty substantial difference between how they sound and play.
The Clarke Celtic has a pretty high flute-like sound and takes very little air to play. It's relatively hard to feel the holes with your fingers.
I also have a Smart SI-922 (which from what I've heard is a Susato clone) which has a more reedy sound. It's larger and takes more air to play. Also, the holes are sunken into the barrel, so you can really feel them.

Since whistles are so cheap (both of those under $15) it's probably worthwhile to try a few of the cheap varieties and see what you like. I like playing both of the ones that I have. If you want to hear a (very bad, I've only been learning for a month) example of playing on them this youtube link starts with the Smart and then plays the same tune on the Clarke. This is what it's supposed to sound like.

If I started over, my first whistle would be the Dixon DX001 because it is so sensitive, lovely sounding, easy to play, and smooth even up into the 3rd and 4th octaves. It is noticeably faster and more focused even to a novice.

My 2nd instrument would be the MK Pro Low D whistle. It is truly a lovely instrument and capable of very focused tone but also very chiffy and woodsy tones if preferred. My only negative is that the aluminum causes a lot of condensation build up, even on the mouth piece and even without playing. I am constantly having to dry the airway so I don't have condensation running down my chin.

The Dixon Low D tunable in metal is one I play far more than the MK but it doesn't sound quite as nice. It's got a less focused, softer, tone. However the plastic mouthpiece and fipple don't have any condensation issues and so it's much more comfortable to play, especially when it's cold.

Other whistles I've enjoyed are the Shaw High D with wood fipple. It has a very pleasant, chiffy sound but the construction is a little crude. The Clarke SDBC is almost as good as the Shaw but more refined in construction.

The Generation and Feadog whistles with the plastic fipple over a brass tube are the cheapest, most toy like whistles I own, but even they are very playable. I dislike the hard edges of the tone holes on my fingers though. It makes ornaments with finger slides less enjoyable.

All whistles are going to require VERY little breath. You could almost play it without your lips touching.

I have had my eye on the Chieftain Thunderbirds for awhile but have not had a chance to play one yet. I've heard they are much louder than average, and this can make them very good for busking and playing with others. The one challenge with any whistle is that it's difficult to control dynamics. You can only blow so hard in the low register before it jumps to a higher register, so it can be difficult to play with enough volume.

I use The Low Whistle Book, but since the instruments are so similar (mine just starts one octave down), it could be helpful. It has a lot of good songs in it, as well as some music theory and whistle history.

I've heard lots of good things about Mary Bergin's Whistle Tutor, but it's rather expensive.

Mostly I just use youtube and look up music on http://thesession.org/

touché

https://www.amazon.com/Dexterity-Exercises-Dances-Recorders-Soprano/dp/0769219020/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=95+dexterity+exercises&qid=1562859648&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I imagine this could be adapted nicely. It's not explicitly for tin whistle but it has some interesting exercises in different scales plus it's cheap. It definitely helped my recorder skills.

Thanks a lot. This is the last question I ask but is the Amazon deal a ripoff?

http://www.hobgoblin-usa.com/local/sales/brands/tony%20dixon/section/woodwind/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VPFOBE/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498947097&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tony+dixon+low+d&dpPl=1&dpID=11fhQBBiz0L&ref=plSrch

Is this your whistle? The description says "1 piece ABS construction," but the features claim "2 piece matt black ABS body." Can you confirm that it is tunable? I am looking for a less harsh replacement for my (modified) Generation. Thanks!