Thanks Cutie Pie - Great checklist. I'm working on my whistling but I'd like to add a few suggestions for playing fast that I use with my fiddle students (1) Divide the tune into small phrases (or figures or passages) and practice those phrases individually (2) Consciously identify the "tricky" parts (the parts you fumble or that slow you down) in the piece and create your own simpler version of the tune that doesn't include them (then practice your simplified version at the highest speed you can manage) (3) Having identified the "tricky" parts (in 2 above), practice the hell out of those parts in isolation. Matt K (below) referred to when his "brain gets in the way" - as a performer that happens to me when I know I'm approaching a "tricky" part. But if, through practice, I convert my "tricky" parts into "safe" parts I shut my brain down. I find that by doing these three things I can get a piece "up to speed" in about a quarter of the practice time it used to take me.
Sometimes I notice I'm improving, and that's when my brain gets in the way and I start making mistakes simply because I noticed myself playing. I can play fine as long as I'm not thinking about it. "Too many mind."
@@sinpack, then"Christ Carrier" good to see Greek on an Irish site for tin whistle playing. Took classical Greek more than 50. years ago and still remember some. my first name in Greek
@@paullederer3366 Coincidentally the translation for "ΠΑΥΛΟΣ" is Paul 😀Yea i love irish music, while though my primary instrument is piano, Stephanie helped me take my first steps with tin whistle and her extremely helpful video guides and tabs.
I used twist ties to secure a chopstick parallel to the whistle body an inch and a half above the finger holes of my whistle. I practiced like this for several weeks and trained myself to not lift my fingers higher than needed. After removing the chopstick I kept the muscle memory of not lifting my fingers too high.
Exactly! THANK YOU! Your Tip #2 is the foundation of playing anything fast, I've discovered, during years of playing the flute. I rely on it. Now I'm learning whistle, and those insane Irish music ornaments! The fingers have to play what they already know, just fast. Learning the song slowly, with total control and feel, then speeding it up, simplifies that task so much. The brain has to sit and watch, on automatic, it's mostly muscle-memory of the fingers and a sense of rhythm. Also, much different than most flute music I've ever played (non-Irish, most of it), I notice that the use of ornaments is often extensive with great whistle players. But they have smartly blended in the ornaments with the feel of the musical phrasing. They're not "show off" stuff. Ornaments can sometimes make it sound like the player is playing 7 gazillion melody notes, when in fact the ornaments are a considerable portion of what is heard. The player still has to play the ornaments, and that takes practice to do well, but there aren't many kinds of ornaments, so practicing them for speed is easy to do daily.
I use The Amazing Slow Downer app on my phone which is awesome as it slows down songs so you can figure out the notes and play at a speed that works for you and then gradually get faster. LOVE LOVE LOVE the font you suggested. It's just made my life sooo much easier! Thank you for making videos. I'm loving them! :)
All points made are very relevant, Tip I was given many moons ago was to keep playing the scales, especially crossing the octave. This "trains " your throat/mouth/blow , for faster playing. As everyone knows you do not build a house on a pile of sand....a good foundation is paramount.
This is exactly the thing I've been trying to improve recently. You are right on time CutiePie 😁 Thanks for the tips. They're actually quite logical but having them all pointed out really helps.
I would like to add to you list of tips for fast playing, also for just getting the muscle memory..... every now and again pick a phrase, (not too long 3 to 6 notes) particularly one that you are having difficulty with, and play it over and over, faster and faster.
If tonguing is necessary, you can speed it up by using T and K sounds. T is the normal tonguing, then follow that up with where your tongue is in your mouth when you say K. Difficult to explain, but try it out.
Thank you for this video, I'm trying to play better so I can play for the residents at the nursing home for saint Patrick's day this year, the activity director and I was planning on dressing up that day 😊....
I've thought about buying the Killarney Whistle, but....I was wondering, now since you've got a Sindt, is there a big difference in these two whistles? And in what way? Would you recommend the Killarney in High D? I'm sure it's a great whistle, but I mostly use my Sindt. Sometimes Burke Narrow Bore Aluminum and my rare, and clean crystal sounded Pat O'Riordan, Traveling Whistle in High D, Brass from 2002.(I was VERY lucky to get it from a nice friend) My big dream now is a whistle by Silkstone, Ace or Alloy. Sadly they are soooo hard to find and to come by. Hopefully one day my dream will come true. Looking forward for your review of the Sindt. Kind regards from Norway, Thomas...😊☀️🙏🌠
For me, I started seeing the most improvement in my playing (I'm a complete novice) is playing songs that I know by heart. I completed my first song on the tinwhistle by playing a song that I had memorized
In my opinion, you don't need to be fast if you have good rhythm and phrasing. If you focus on these two things, speed will come! You, Stephanie, have an excellent sense of rhythm and a lot of taste in phrasing. :-) I watch your videos to remember that rhythm and phrasing are more important than speed. Anyway, you're definitely not slow! And fast enough to make beautiful music.
If I may I would like to just offer a bit of an expansion on your tip about using a metronome. Something I learned about using the Metronome Ramp-up is when you do your final run to turn the metronome back down a notch or two. Slow back down so you can play through with fewer mistakes cuz your final run is really going to be the run that cements into your mind when learning a song. Hope this helps. Happy Playing Everyone!
Hooray! Every time I put a vid on of someone playing or demonstrating a whistle its always some jig belted along at light speed and the notes all blur into one. I dont like it, to me its not music, I like to hear a melody. So playing fast is not a skill that proves you are a good player. Good vid.
Thanks Vinnie. I didn't really even know Irish music existed when I picked up a tin whistle, so never planned to play like that 🤣 I just planned to play tunes I knew and liked. It's definitely been a huge learning experience for me, I've learned to appreciate the skill it takes to play that way, though I agree, I still much prefer to be able to hear a slower, clearer melody.
If you want to improve fast playing top top top tip RELAX when you play, notice the tention in your hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, backs, Why is there tention, can you fix it? This is an ongoing thing but my god does it help, pls pls do it
Although I agree with almost everything, I don't totally agree about tonguing. It's true that when you're playing really fast it may go against the flow of the tune (in which case, you simply don't tongue every note as you point out), but that doesn't mean you can't play fast with a lot of tonguing, Brian Finnegan being an example. Tonguing is something one should practice and not avoid, as it is a resource that can enrich a lot your playing. The other tips may seem simple, but are really helpful (especially the metronome one). Another great video, thanks!
Please, Stephanie, help. My whistle is a Clarke Meg but I need to buy a new one. The mouthpiece's crack is going bigger. Do you recommend something? I want something not too loud. No more than 45 euros, I think
@@linhuskun Well, the Dixon DX005 is a nice whistle, rounded tone, tuneable, but that's ALL plastic, so may not be ideal if you've managed to crack a current plastic whistle...if you'd like another cheap whistle, quiet, the Clarke Original is nice too. Otherwise, a Chris Wall Celtic whistle - plastic but painted to look like wood would be good. They're nice and quiet, easy to play and within budget :)
@@CutiepieTinWhistle I rewatched your reviews on these flutes and I decided for the Dixon! I'm not sure about the plastic material, but I'll give it a try, because I really liked it. Thank you so much, stephanie!
Happy Friday, here's a tip for you... keep doing what you are doing because it is so helpful to so many people. BTW, I hope you don't spend the better part of your day re-arranging the furniture as I did notice. Be well and have a coffee / tea.
It's suggestions on how to improve, for those that struggle to play quickly - not scientifically proven facts that are applicable to all players. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear ;) haha
