PJ & JJ "TinWhistler"'s blog

"Do you teach? I want to take lessons! Skype lessons??"

SORRY, LESSONS NO LONGER AVAILABLE (FOR NOW).

"Where can I buy your music?"

Hi. Thanks a lot for your support and interest! :)

If you'd like to buy our album in digital format (audio file download) there are several options where you can do it: Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon or Google Play. If, on the other hand, you'd like a physical CD to be shipped to your home, Bandcamp is the only available option (in this case, you'd also get the album in digital format).

Also, you can listen to the whole album for free on Bandcamp, Spotify and YouTube.

(Each link above will take you to the album) Please let me know if you need any further help.

P.S. If you'd like to buy our album physically... well, that's probably going to be difficult... lol the only place where you can currently purchase our CD physically is the CD store "Xocolat", which is in Palma, the capital city of Mallorca/Majorca (our homeland). So, if you want our physical CD, just get it on Bandcamp. ;)

Thanks again!

PJ

1. What the hell are those things you play and how do you get them?

I play traditional Irish music, and also some Scottish, Breton, Galician, Asturian and Cape Breton music. The traditional music of all those places is sometimes called "Celtic music".

The small thing I play is called a tin whistle, and it's a traditional Irish instrument, similar to a recorder but easier to play. It's a cheap and easy instrument.
The big thing I play is also a tin whistle but it's known as low whistle, because it plays in a lower octave. It's played the same way as the high one. This instrument is more expensive.
The transversal flute I play is called an Irish flute. It's a wooden flute played in traditional Irish music and it's played the same way as the whistle, except the way you blow in it. Mine is made of plastic because it's just a cheap practice one. But normal Irish flutes are wooden and expensive. To buy one of those you have to contact the maker.
The other instrument I occasionally play is a fiddle, which is exactly the same thing as a violin, only played in a traditional way.
Sometimes I also play the concertina, which is like... a small accordion... well, not really. It's used in traditional Irish music.

Where can you get them? Hmm... Most music stores have Generation whistles here, which is where I bought mine. I bought the flute and the Susato whistle on www.tununtunumba.com , but that's in Madrid so I don't know if it'll work for you. You can always try on the maker's website. I think you could try on Tony Dixon's website, their "Trad D whistles" are great. Oh, and also on Chuck Tilbury's whistles, he makes great whistles too.

2. I want to learn. How??

Get a whistle.
Listen and practice, listen and practice. Getting a teacher is an option.

Or, alternatively, just learn on your own by doing the following:

Learn the fingering and the ornaments (cuts, taps, rolls, etc) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVmeUkTQ_tA&list=UUbqD7lUjt2pvJYWtyhRx8vg or here: www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve or here: http://tinwhistletutorials.com/
Listen a lot to different Irish bands/players like Lúnasa, Dervish, Altan, the Chieftains, McGoldrick, etc. and get their tunes in your head. Then try to play along.
You can also learn with sheetmusic and midi files on TheSession.org . Learning by ear is better, though.
Read the forums on TheSession.org and Chiff and Fipple and ask your questions.
And to finish, practice listen practice listen...!!

3. What key and brand do you recommend?

In traditional Irish music, tin/low whistles, flutes and pipes are in D. This means their lower note is D and their basic scale is D major. However, some players occasionally use instruments in other tunings such as Bb, Eb, F, or C. So, I recommend you to get a main instrument in D to play with more people, and then, later, if you want, some other additional instruments in other tunings to play on your own or with other people who use that tuning (for example, F low whistles are very cool).
I always say the best tin whistle I've played is the Tony Dixon Trad in D, in brass and in nickel, because it's perfectly tuned, with a very clear and clean sound, and not too loud, very recommendable: http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/products/the-trad/d. Now I can also say Chuck Tilbury makes excellent tin whistles, very professional and also cheap. You can see me playing one of his whistles on some of my videos. You can get them on his website: http://whistlemaker.com/pages/store.php Also, if you want something super cheap, you can get good Generation whistles if you're luky, but it's hard to find good ones, as I said you need good luck. My good ones are in Bb and in high F. I've found D Generation whistles are usually bad. Also, you can buy many different whistles on http://www.fluteshop.eu/ (whistle shop based in Amsterdam).

4. Gimme gimme... sheet music and chords!

Almost every tune I play is on TheSession.org in ABC Notation, sheet music, and midi. You can comment about the tune, post your version, etc. You can also see the bands that have recorded it, the tunes they played it with, and you can add it to your tunebook. So come on, join TheSession!
Sorry, I don't know about chords, and TheSession.Org almost never has chords so... try asking my brother but he probably won't reply: http://www.youtube.com/JoanSteret

5. Brand and key of the whistle you play in the video called.......

See the list here (list NOT updated AT ALL, sorry).

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Unseen videos!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

My instruments

Monday, May 5, 2008

FAQs - Read before mailing me