新版英文（变化不大，主要是配套音频）

Tin Whistle
A Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on

the Whistle
Stephen Ducke
About the author
Originally from Athlone, Stephen Ducke now lives in a

small village in the French Alps with his wife and two
children. He has been playing the whistle and flute for
over 30 years, and runs Irish music workshops with
Tradschool in different parts of France each year. He
has recorded one album on flute, entitled If There
Weren't Any Women In The World, and currently plays
with the group Bonaparte's Retreat.
Published by Tradschool
Design and typesetting by Stephen Ducke.
Tradschool
05190 THEUS
FRANCE
Web www.tradschool.com
Email info@tradschool.com
Copyright © 2012 Stephen Ducke. All rights reserved

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................6 Instrumentation...............................................................58
About this tutor........................................................................6 Repertoire.......................................................................59
The Irish whistle......................................................................7 Style and technique .......................................................59
Building familiarity.................................................................59
Part One.........................................................9 Some players and recordings...............................................59
Beginning the Whistle........................................10 Unit 9 – The Jig....................................................60
Holding the whistle................................................................10 Rhythm and tempo................................................................60
Blowing the whistle................................................................11 Some jigs...............................................................................60
Blowing your first notes...................................................11 Note Accent and Articulation.................................................65
Left hand notes......................................................................12 Jig Rhythm 1 - Basic Jig Accent ....................................65
The note B......................................................................12 Some More Rhythmic Exercises....................................66
Exercise 1..............................................................................12 Jig Rhythm 2 – Accent on the off-beat............................67
Left hand notes - continued...................................................13 Articulating the off-beat in jigs.........................................67
The note A.......................................................................13 Placing the off-beat in jigs...............................................68
The note G......................................................................13 Note Accent in Jigs – More Examples............................72
Exercise 2..............................................................................13 Phrasing................................................................................74
Song : Mary Had a Little Lamb..............................................14 Breathing at phrase ends................................................74
Unit 2 : Right Hand Notes...................................15 “Overflowing” phrases – breathing after phrase ends....75
Song : Hot Cross Buns..........................................................16 Breathing and Phrasing – More Examples.....................78
Song: Oranges and Lemons ...............................................16 Unit 10 – The Hornpipe........................................80
Unit 3 : The Second Octave................................17 Rhythm and Tempo...............................................................80
Exercise 1..............................................................................17 Some hornpipes....................................................................80
Exercise 2..............................................................................17 Accent and articulation..........................................................84
Exercise 3..............................................................................18 Hornpipe Rhythm 1 – Basic Hornpipe Accent ...............85
Song: Au Clair de la Lune.....................................................18 Hornpipe Rhythm 2 – Accent on the off-beat..................86
Unit 4 – Scales.....................................................19 Placing the off-beat in hornpipes....................................87
1 Scale of D...........................................................................19 Note Accent in Hornpipes – More Examples..................89
2 Scale of G...........................................................................19 Phrasing and breathing.........................................................90
Tunes using the new note ....................................................20 Unit 11 – The Reel................................................91
Good King Wenceslas...........................................................20 Rhythm and Tempo...............................................................91
Unit 5 – Rhythm, Articulation & Breathing........21 Some Reels...........................................................................91
Playing Irish music on the whistle – rhythm, tonguing and Accent & Articulation.............................................................96
breathing...............................................................................21 Reel Rhythm 1 – Basic Reel Accent ..............................96
Rhythm..................................................................................21 Reel Rhythm 2 – Accent on the Off-beat........................98
Rhythm exercise 1..........................................................21 Placing the off-beat in reels..........................................100
Rhythm exercise 2..........................................................22 Note Accent in Reels – More Examples.......................102
Rhythm exercise 3..........................................................22 Phrasing and Breathing.......................................................104
Tonguing................................................................................22 Breathing at long notes and phrase ends.....................104
Tonguing exercise 1........................................................23 Removing notes in reels...............................................104
Tonguing Exercise 2.......................................................23 Phrasing and Breathing – More Examples...................106
Tonguing Exercise 3.......................................................23 Unit 12 – Ornamentation...................................108
Song : Courtin' in the Kitchen.........................................24 Ornamentation 1 – The Cut.................................................109
Song – Mairi's Wedding..................................................25 Fingering Chart - Cuts...................................................110
Song : The Bog Down in the Valley................................26 Use of the Cut................................................................111
Song : Cockles and Mussels..........................................27 The Cut in Jigs..............................................................117
Breathing...............................................................................28 The Cut in Hornpipes....................................................122
Breathing after long notes ..............................................28 The Cut in Reels...........................................................125
Making breath spaces.....................................................30 Ornamentation 2 – The Tap................................................127
Some More Tunes.................................................................32 The Tap – Fingering Chart............................................127
Unit 6 - Putting it together 1................................50 Use of the Tap...............................................................128
Time!......................................................................................50 The Tap in Jigs..............................................................133
Practicing...............................................................................50 The Tap in Hornpipes....................................................138
Attitude..................................................................................50 The Tap in Reels...........................................................141
Ornamentation 3 – The Slide..............................................143
Part Two.......................................................51 The Slide – Fingering Chart.........................................143
Unit 7 – Irish Traditional Music...........................52 The Slide - Fingering Chart (continued).......................144
Simple system.......................................................................52 Use of the Slide.............................................................145
Combining elements.............................................................52 The Slide in Hornpipes.................................................151
The Basics.............................................................................53 The Slide in Jigs............................................................153
Rhythm............................................................................53 The Slide in Reels.........................................................155
Types of tunes.................................................................53 Ornamentation 4 – The Roll................................................156
The structure of the tunes...............................................54 Fingering chart - Rolls ..................................................157
Ornamentation structure and rhythm..............................55 Use of the Roll..............................................................158
The Details............................................................................56 The Roll – Accent and Articulation................................163
Making choices...............................................................56 G Roll ...........................................................................165
Fast tempo......................................................................56 F Roll ............................................................................167
Ornamentation................................................................57 E Roll.............................................................................169
Unit 8 – Listening to Irish Music.........................58 A Roll.............................................................................171
Listening................................................................................58 B Roll.............................................................................173
Why is listening so important?..............................................58 The Roll in Reels ..........................................................175
What to listen for...................................................................58 The Roll in Jigs.............................................................183
The Roll in Hornpipes...................................................186
4 www.tradschool.com
Ornamentation 5 – The Short Roll......................................188 Playing in public..................................................................262
Fingering chart – Short Rolls........................................189 Sessions.......................................................................262
Use of the Short Roll.....................................................190 Sourcing music....................................................................263
G Short Roll..................................................................192 Comhaltas Live.............................................................263
F Short Roll...................................................................194 Na Píobairí Uilleann Source.........................................263
E Short Roll...................................................................196 ITMA Digital Library......................................................263
B Short Roll...................................................................198 Unit 16 – Putting It Together 2..........................264
A Short Roll...................................................................200 Learning and playing tunes.................................................264
The Short Roll in Reels.................................................202 Practising.............................................................................264
The Short Roll in Jigs....................................................206
Unit 17 – Tunes..................................................265
The Short roll in Hornpipes...........................................209
The Haunted House......................................................266
The Short Roll in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's...209
The Rose in the Heather...............................................266
The Short Roll in Hornpipes, Example 2 – Poll Ha'Penny
The Killavil Jig...............................................................267
......................................................................................210
The Ship in Full Sail......................................................267
Ornamentation 6 – The Triplet.............................................211
Saddle the Pony............................................................268
The Triplet – Notation and Fingering............................211
The Humours of Glendart.............................................268
Use of the Triplet...........................................................213
Out on the Ocean.........................................................269
FED Triplets on D.........................................................216
The Leitrim Jig..............................................................269
The Triplet in Reels.......................................................217
The Frost is all Over.....................................................270
The Triplet in Jigs..........................................................220
The Rambling Pitchfork................................................270
The Triplet in Hornpipes................................................222
Pay the Reckoning........................................................271
The Triplet in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's.........222
Club Céilí......................................................................271
Ornamentation 7 – The Bounce..........................................223
The Battering Ram........................................................272
The Bounce – Fingering Chart....................................223
The Blackthorn Stick.....................................................272
Use of the Bounce........................................................224
The Mist on the Meadow..............................................273
The Bounce in Reels ...................................................228
The Monaghan Jig........................................................273
The Bounce in Jigs ......................................................231
The Skylark...................................................................274
The Bounce in Hornpipes.............................................233
The Ashplant.................................................................274
Ornamentation 8 – The Cran..............................................234
Jackie Coleman's..........................................................275
The Cran – Notation and Fingering..............................234
Ships are Sailing...........................................................275
Use of the Cran.............................................................236
Sheehan's.....................................................................276
The Cran in Reels ........................................................238
Over the Moor to Maggie..............................................276
The Cran in Jigs ...........................................................240
The Heather Breeze.....................................................277
Ornamentation 9 – Combining Ornaments.........................242
Lady Ann Montgomery..................................................277
Tap & Cut......................................................................242
The Teetotaller..............................................................278
Slide and Cut................................................................243
Saint Anne's..................................................................278
Slide and Roll................................................................244
The Cup of Tea.............................................................279
Tap and Roll..................................................................245
The Silver Spear...........................................................280
Ornamentation 10 - Staccato Triplets.................................246
The Humours of Tulla...................................................280
Ornamentation 11 – Summary............................................247
The Green Mountain.....................................................281
Unit 13 – Other tunes.........................................248 Miss Monaghan.............................................................281
Polka....................................................................................248 Sean Reid's...................................................................282
Slide.....................................................................................249 The Wind that Shakes the Barley.................................282
Slip Jig.................................................................................250 Micho Russell's.............................................................283
Set Dance............................................................................251 The Earl's Chair............................................................283
Barn Dance.........................................................................252 The Galway Rambler....................................................284
Unit 14 – Playing in different keys....................253 The Home Ruler............................................................285
Half-holing...........................................................................253 Kitty's Wedding.............................................................285
Cross-fingering....................................................................253 The Boys of Bluehill......................................................286
Whistles in Different Keys...................................................255 Appendix 1 – Troubleshooting.........................288
Unit 15 – Playing Irish Music............................257 Sound..................................................................................288
Repertoire............................................................................257 Tuning..................................................................................288
Choosing your repertoire..............................................257 Rhythm and tempo..............................................................288
Style.....................................................................................259 Learning tunes.....................................................................289
Staccato vs legato styles..............................................259 Ornamentation.....................................................................289
“Lift” and “swing”...........................................................259 Appendix 2 – Reading Music............................290
Other stylistic choices...................................................260 Music Notation Basics.........................................................290
Conscious Choices.............................................................260 Notes and the Staff.......................................................290
Learning by Ear...................................................................261 Key Signatures..............................................................292
Advantages of learning by ear......................................261 Note Values...................................................................292
How to learn by ear.......................................................261
Appendix 3 - Bibliography................................293
Using Sheet Music........................................................262
Appendix 4 – Tracklist.......................................294
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Introduction
About this book

The fruit of many years playing and teaching, both in Ireland and abroad, this 2-part tutor book gives a complete
practical introduction to playing Irish traditional music on the tin whistle. It is aimed either at the complete
beginner, or at those who already play music and are interested in discovering the music of the Irish tradition. As
a novice, you can expect by the end of this course to be familiar with the Irish traditional repertoire and style, to
have a core repertoire of tunes and be able to perform them with the suitable ornamentation.
The course covers the basics of the whistle in Part 1, and Irish traditional music on the whistle in Part 2, which is
much longer and more detailed. It is designed to be initially accessible even to complete beginners, but goes on
to cover more advanced material. Each part of the tutor contains graded lessons, exercises and tunes, giving a
complete introduction to the whistle in Irish traditional music. Both musical notation and tablature are used so no
knowledge of musical staff notation or sight reading is necessary, although those who prefer using staff notation
may do so.
I have tried to reflect the orally-transmitted nature of Irish traditional music as much as possible in this course. I
have also tried to base the course on the stylistic interpretation of the music, to bring the learner to a real
understanding of the traditional idiom. Ornamentation is presented in context, and each new element is
presented with numerous examples.
Ideally, the beginner would use both parts of this course, starting with the lessons in the basic tutorial, while
listening to the audio files from the intermediate and advanced levels. These mp3 files can be downloaded to
Ipod or burned to CD, to listen at home, when working or in the car... The more exposure you have to the music,
the quicker and easier you will pick it up when you arrive at the intermediate and advanced stages. In Unit 8 I
recommend some whistle players and recordings, while Unit 16 lists some excellent online sources of Irish
music.
All musical instruments require work, even a simple instrument like the whistle; however, it is my
firm belief that the basics of tin whistle playing can be acquired quickly, with a little effort and a
maximum of listening time.
Once these basics are acquired, how far you go is up to you!!
The Irish whistle
The Irish whistle (tin whistle, penny whistle or simply whistle) is a simple six-holed wind instrument. It is mouth-
blown like any whistle, and may be cylindrical or sometimes conical in shape. The standard instrument for Irish
traditional music is the D whistle; this means that the bottom note (with all 6 holes closed) is called D. On a D
whistle, you can play the majority of Irish tunes and airs.
“Tin” whistles come in various forms, from the simple mass-produced models with plastic
mouthpiece, usually costing under 10 euro, the hand-made wooden instruments which can cost
several hundred.
Originally, whistles were made from tin. The Clarke whistle, for example, which dates from the mid-19 th century,
is made from a single tin sheet rolled into a conical tube, with a wooden mouthpiece or “fipple”. Clarke whistles
were among the first mass-produced instruments, and are still produced in their original design today. They were
known as Penny-whistles, an obvious reference to their price, and quickly became popular. Today's whistles can
be made with tin, nickel or brass, or other materials such as albuminous alloy, plastic or wood. The mouthpieces
are usually plastic, sometimes metal or wood.
The whistle or flute is one of the oldest instruments in existence, and can be found in cultures throughout the
world. In Ireland, it is mentioned in the legends of Cú Chulainn and in ancient laws dealing with the performance
of music in public places. Bone whistles from the 12th century have been discovered in Dublin.
When beginning the whistle, there is no real need to pay hundreds for a professional instrument; a cheap mass-
produced instrument could be used when beginning. However, the quality of these instruments can sometimes
vary between brands, and even between whistles of the same brand, as you may know if you've ever tried out
whistles in a music shop.
The music in this tutor was all recorded on a Dixon Trad whistle, made by Tony Dixon in the UK. It
is built along the same lines as cheaper models, although the sound is a lot sweeter and more
stable, especially in the upper octaves. It is an instrument I personally use and recommend to my
students, at it is affordable, reliable and easy to play, with a nice sound.
Part One
Beginning the Whistle
Holding the whistle

k
The whistle has 6 holes, which are covered with the first three fingers of each hand. As in the picture, the left
hand fingers cover the top three holes, while the right hand covers the bottom.
The whistle is represented by the above diagram in the musical tablatures used throughout this course:
• Black dots = covered holes
• Circles = open holes
• Hold the whistle between your lips; no need to bite!
• The instrument rests on your thumbs and if held firmly between the lips, shouldn't move
• Try to relax! Which can be quite difficult at first, and often requires a conscious effort.
Blowing the whistle
Blowing your first notes
Hold the whistle without covering any holes, and blow a single, long stream of air.
Don't blow too hard, or the sound will be too high-pitched
Don't blow too soft, or the note will waver
This note is called C# and is represented by the following staff note & fingering diagram:
dk
Left hand notes
The note B
You have already seen C# (all holes open). The next note is played by lowering the first finger of the top hand, to
cover the top hole: This note is called B, and is represented by the following staff note & fingering diagram:
Exercise 1
Listen to the recording and play the notes
Left hand notes - continued
The note A The note G

The next note is played by covering two holes: The next note is played by lowering all 3 fingers of the
left hand.
This note is called A, and is represented by the
following staff note & diagram: This note is called G, and is represented by the
following staff note & diagram:
k k
 
Exercise 2
Song : Mary Had a Little Lamb
This is a childrens nursery rhyme. Before doing anything, listen to the recording. Only the left hand is used.
• Learn the song by using the recordings
• The sheet music & tablature is here to help you, as a reference when you don't have access to the
audio. Try to learn the song “off by heart”, that is, without looking at the music.
Unit 2 : Right Hand Notes
F#
Play a G, lower the first finger of the right hand:
This Note is called F# and is represented by the

k
following diagram:
E
Lower the middle finger of the right hand
This note is called E:

k
D
This is the lowest note on the whistle (all holes
covered)
k
Song : Hot Cross Buns
This song uses only the notes of the right hand. Listen before you play!
Song: Oranges and Lemons
Unit 3 : The Second Octave
Listen to the MP3 track.
Each note can be played an octave higher. The higher octave is noted with a “+” in the whistle tablature.
The tin whistle can play in two octaves; notes from the second octave are played by blowing slightly harder.
Exercise 1
Octave on 1 note (G)
Play the G note
Now blow harder; the note should sound an octave higher.
You need to judge the exact amount of breath; too little and the note will “crack”; to much and it
will saturate. It is especially important to “dose” your breath for the high A and B. This is
something that comes with practice.
Exercise 2
Octaves on right hand notes:
F, E and D
* notice that the fingering changes

slightly for D
Exercise 3
Octaves left hand

G, A and B
Song: Au Clair de la Lune

This song uses notes from the first and second octaves
– Listen to the song first. Try to find the notes on your own. Then try to play along with the recording;
finally you can look at the notes
Unit 4 – Scales
Scales can be useful for practicing the physical aspects of fingering and blowing, and can help you become
more comfortable with your instrument.
1 Scale of D
Listen to the MP3 and try to reproduce by ear; the scale starts on the bottom D note.
2 Scale of G
New note : C natural
Up to now, we have been playing C with all holes open; this is called “C sharp”, and noted with this
symbol: #
ek
The new note is C natural, and it is played with the middle fingers of the left hand.
Tunes using the new note
Listen first to the MP3 file; as usual, try to reproduce the tune by ear from memory. It doesn't matter how far you
get; the important thing is to try, this will get you used to reproducing melodies by memory, rather than from a
written source.
Frère Jacques
Good King Wenceslas
Unit 5 – Rhythm, Articulation &
Breathing
In unit 5 you will learn:
Some more songs, and more particularly, Irish folk songs, and how to play these songs in the “right” style”.
Playing Irish music on the whistle –

rhythm, tonguing and breathing
When playing songs or Irish tunes on the whistle, it is important to play the notes as smoothly as possible,
without separating each note by tonguing. Tonguing can be used to accentuate different phrases, or to separate
to identical notes.
Rhythm
The first thing to pay attention to when playing Irish music is the rhythm – it must be strong and steady, and
danceable! Be careful not to play too fast – a strong rhythm is not a fast one!
Listen closely to the audio examples before trying to play the exercises and tunes that follow – the rhythm can be
appreciated more by ear, than by the sheet music notations.
Rhythm exercise 1
This exercise is taken from an actual song air (Courtin' in the Kitchen) that we will learn later. This is a 4/4
rhythm, which means that each bar is divided into 4 beats.
The strongest beats occur at 1 and 3 : these strong beats are to be accentuated, on the whistle by slightly
increasing their duration, and decreasing the duration of the notes that follow. This gives a type of “swing” to the
tune.
Beats number 2 and 4 are also strong beats, though not as strong as 1 and 3.
Rhythm exercise 2
Here is another exercise in 4/4 time.
Rhythm exercise 3
Here is a melody fragment in 6/8 time. Here the notes are in groups of 3; however, we say there are 2 “beats”
per bar – that is, we count 1-2, 1-2 (rather than 1-2-3-4-5-6!) Both beats are strong and accentuated, with the
first being slightly stronger than the second. Again, it's important to listen to appreciate this subtlety.
Tonguing
Tonguing is when each note is accented by making a “T” sound with the tongue; it gives a staccato sound to the
music
Tonguing can be and is used in Irish music; as a general rule it is used sparingly, and if it is
overdone the tune won't “sound Irish”.
A good rule of thumb for beginners is to use tonguing only when absolutely necessary, to
separate 2 identical notes.
To tongue a note, place the tongue behind the teeth, obstructing the plow of air; then expel the air as if
pronouncing the letter “T”. Tonguing is notated in sheet music by a dot above or below the note, as below.
Tonguing exercise 1
Tongue only the notes marked with a dot; the other notes must be played smoothly, without obstructing the
airflow. Pay attention to the rhythm, as in the previous exercises.
Tonguing Exercise 2
As in the first exercise, tongue only the notes marked with a dot. Again, pay attention to the rhythm.
Tonguing Exercise 3
As in exercises 1 and 2. This is the 6/8 rhythm seen above. We will see more of this type of rhythm when looking
at jigs later on in the book.
Song : Courtin' in the Kitchen.
This song has passages identical to the rhythm and tonguing exercises that you have just seen; try to play them
the same in the exercises
Now that tonguing has been explained, it will no longer be notated in the sheet music of this
course; as we have already seen, sheet music is a “guideline” to follow the bare bones of the
melody - the choice of interpretation is up to you. Noting every single articulation gives the false
impression that the sheet music is to be followed to the letter,
Try to apply tonguing logically and intelligently, using the examples above and by listening
carefully to the recordings accompanying this course. Once your interpretation is not completely
exaggerated (tonguing every single note for example) it's hard to go wrong!
On the following pages is a selection of 3 more Irish folk songs to practice.
Song – Mairi's Wedding
This is a wedding song from Scotland. It's in a 2/4 rhythm – the strong beats are on the first and second beats of
the bar.
Song : The Bog Down in the Valley
This song is to a Polka rhythm, in 2/4. A polka is a type of dance tune; try to play it lively and “bouncy”. Again, the
strong beats are the first and second.
Song : Cockles and Mussels
This song is in waltz time. A waltz has 3 beats to the bar, with the first being the strongest – you can count 1-2-3,
1-2-3.
Breathing
As the melodies we're working on become gradually longer and perhaps more difficult, you may have some
trouble in finding “breathing spots”. There are two important points to remember:
- It is necessary to breathe, throughout the tune
- The breathing mustn't upset the rhythm of the tune. If you hear a “hiccup” in the tunes rhythmic flow, then
there's a problem.
Breathing spaces:
To find or create a breathing space in the tune, you can do either or both of the following:
- Shorten a long note
- Cut out certain notes altogether.
Breathing after long notes
Let's look at “Courtin' in the Kitchen” again, this time with breath marks. A breath is marked with a comma in the
sheet music.
Here's the first line:
The logical place to take a breath here is on the long G note; we “crop” the note to half its length, and use the
space to take a breath – listen to the recording.
Here's the second line where we have 2 breathing spaces:
It's good to get into the habit of anticipating breaths, and breathing before you need to, rather
than waiting until the last possible moment; this is a habit that will stand in good stead later, when
playing faster dance tunes.
Here are the third and fourth lines; although you may not need to take two breaths immediately, it's a good idea
to do so, as the last line has no natural spaces at all, and you'll need to play it all without taking a breath.
This brings us either to the repeat, where we can start the breathing pattern again, or to the end of the tune.
Making breath spaces
Taking breaths in “Courtin' in the Kitchen” was pretty logical and straightforward; all we did was take advantage
of the long notes in the melody.
However, it's not always this easy and sometimes it's necessary to actually remove notes from the melody.
Let's look at “Bog Down in the Valley”. In the first two lines, we can simply breath after the long notes, as before:
In the B part of the tune, there is no obvious place to breath other than the long notes at the line endings; to
make extra breath spaces, it's necessary to remove notes, as I've done below in the third line:
I have removed the note “G”, and the symbol replacing it is a “rest”; this signifies a period of silence with the
same rhythmical value as a note. We use this rest or pause in the music to breathe.
I have done the same in the last line:
Removing these two notes gives us two extra places in which to take our breath.
It is not necessary to breathe at all of the breath marks noted in the previous two tunes; they're
just options! If you really don't need to take your breath, don't bother. Again, sheet music is there
to be interpreted, not followed to the letter!
Some More Tunes
The Dawning of the Day
Mo Ghile Mear
Spancil Hill
The Irish Rover
The Boys of Wexford
Kelly from Killane
Éiníní
Clare's Dragoons
The Star of the County Down
Down by the Sally Gardens
I'll Tell Me Ma
The Minstrel Boy
The Spanish Lady
Whiskey in the Jar
Roddy McCorley
Amazing Grace
Mursheen Durkin
Follow me up to Carlow
Unit 6 - Putting it together 1
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the first part of this tutor, and should now have acquired some
basic techniques and competences on the whistle. Before continuing with the second part, which deals with
playing Irish music in the traditional style on the whistle, here are some things to remember:
Time!
Try to deal with the elements in this tutor one at a time; if you feel that something is not working as it should, go
back to it until you have it right.
It's important to take your time and work at your own rhythm, although this may be frustrating, especially if you're
listening to a lot of Irish music and are “raring to go”!
Practicing
Make some time for practice every day – you will benefit more from regular, shorter stints than from a massive 3-
hour practice session once a week.
I like to leave my whistle in an accessible place, so I can take it when I have a spare minute – all those minutes
add up...
You can also practice by listening, either to the audio tracks in this book, or better again, to Irish music in
general.
Attitude
Your attitude is very important in learning; it's important to be disciplined enough to work slowly and steadily, but
also be prepared for things to go wrong!
It can be frustrating and demotivating when things just won't “come together”, but this is also a normal part of
learning, through which everybody goes. There will be days when everything goes like clockwork, but also days
when that tune you spent hours practicing and played almost perfectly just won't come out right. It's important to
keep a positive attitude, because these setbacks are just that – setbacks!.
With time, intelligent practice and a bit of common-sense, the whistle can be mastered by anybody.
Part Two
Unit 7 – Irish Traditional
Music
In this unit, we will look at Irish traditional music, and try to explain its underlying logic or system; it is my opinion
that, as an orally transmitted music, it is based on a simple system, consisting of a combination of elements,
based on a mixture of repetition and variation - an understanding of the system is necessary to play music in the
Irish style..
For the purposes of this section, and indeed throughout the tutor, the term “Irish traditional music” refers to Irish
instrumental dance music : jigs, reels, hornpipes and other tunes.
Simple system
I have said that Irish traditional music is based on a simple, easy-to comprehend system. Let's have a look at
what that means:
Firstly, I'll start by saying that “simple system” does not equal “easy to play”! Indeed, Irish music can be quite
difficult to master, and does require a certain amount of work and attention.
The system of Irish music is extremely regular, and aids in the transmission and learning of the music; the more
tunes that are learned, the easier it becomes to learn new tunes.
Combining elements
Irish music is a mix of tradition and innovation, conservatism and change, at the very level of individual
performance itself. To attain a decent level of competence in the music, it is necessary to understand this
underlying system; which elements must be respected and approached conservatively, and which elements can
be “changed” or interpreted at an individual level. For the purpose of illustration, I have split the system into its
two sections: the “basics” which must be respected, and the “details” which are open to individual interpretation.
To the uninitiated ear, Irish music can sound like a bewildering succession of notes, played at breakneck speed;
indeed, the beginner can often mistake the “details” in Irish music for the “basics” of the music itself, and try to
substitute speed and ornamentation for a sense of lift and rhythm.
The Basics
Rhythm
Irish music is a type of dance music. Although the music is more often than not performed in a non-dance
context today, this basic characteristic has not changed, and is indeed the most important and defining element
of the music. If you find that your music doesn't “sound right” or “sound traditional”, the first culprit is usually the
rhythm!
The music has it's characterising rhythm as a whole, like a rhythmic “pulse” running throughout the music; also,
each particular type of tune has it's own rhythmic characteristics. The subtleties of the rhythm can be
appreciated by gaining familiarity with the music through close listening (see next chapter
Rhythm – the practical side

What does this all mean for the beginner or newcomer? There are several things to look out for:
Don't confuse speed and rhythm; just because a tune is played fast, doesn't mean it's lively or rhythmic! Be
careful to keep a solid, strong and constant rhythm throughout your music – don't speed up or slow down.
Use your ears! Those already familiar with interpreting sheet music will notice that the rhythm of Irish music does
not always correspond to what is notated on the page – the internal rhythm of a jig, for example, doesn't
correspond to a 6/8 time signature in classical music. When learning a new tune, always start with an audio
reference before looking for the sheet music.
Types of tunes
There are three main types of tunes in Irish traditional music:
The Reel : a rapid piece in 4/4 time, with the accent on the first and 3 rd beats of the bar. Reels will be studied in
detail in Unit 10
The Jig : a fairly fast piece in 6/8 time. More about jigs in unit 8.
The Hornpipe : a moderately-paced tune in 4/4 time, with a typical “bouncy” rhythm.
Reels, jigs and hornpipes in general make up the majority of tunes played in Irish music, particularly in a session
situation. (Here, I am willfully omitting minority tunes like polkas and set dances, which will be covered in Unit 12)
Reels are by far the most common tune type, followed closely by jigs, with hornpipes lagging behind in third
place.
Tune types, the practical side

It is normal practice to play several tunes of the same type together; thus, a reel will rarely if ever be played in
isolation, but will be followed by a second and maybe third reel. The tunes follow each other without a break, and
without disturbing the rhythmic pulse of the music. So, in a traditional session situation, if you hear a reel, you
can be reasonably certain that a second reel will follow!
(“Arrangements” of tunes, such as a slow air followed by a reel, are in the domain of rehearsed ensemble
performance and recordings rather than the traditional impromptu performance, whether solo or in session)
The structure of the tunes
Irish tunes are in general structured in a simple, “question and answer” manner, with phrases in regular groups
of 2,4 and 8 bars. To illustrate this, let's look at
Saddle the Pony, a jig from the standard
repertoire.
In the first illustration, we see the tune with its 2
8-bar sections highlighted; the first section up to
the end of bar 8, and the second from bar 9 to
the end of bar 16;each section is repeated. We
say that the tune is in AABB structure, where A =
the first part and B = the second part. A majority
of Irish tunes, whether jigs, reels or other, are in
this AABB structure.
Illustration 1: 8-bar "parts"
The tune also logically falls into 4 4- bar sections, the first two of which are highlighted in illustration no. 2.
The first two phrases are quite similar; the
opening bars (1 & 5) are identical.
Likewise, the second two phrases (bars 9-12,
and bars 13-16) are also very similar; this time, it
is only towards the last bar of each phrase that
the melody changes. This type of repetition is
very common in Irish music, with phrases or
tropes within tunes being repeated to a greater
or lesser degree. This helps impose a structure
on the music for the listener, and is of course
facilitates enormously the memorisation of the
music.
Illustration 2: 4-bar phrases
We can reduce the structure of the tune even further, to 8 2-bar sections or phrases, as in the third illustration;
these phrases fall into a type of “question and response” pattern so common in Irish music.
Illustration 3 shows the first 4 of these phrases:
phrase 1 “asks the question”, which is partially
resolved in phrase 2; the question is repeated in
phrase 3 and finally answered at the end of the A
part, in phrase 4.
The pattern is repeated in the second part of the
tune.
Illustration 3: 2-bar phrases
Tune structure – the practical side
The obvious practical advantage of the rigid structure of Irish music is as an aid to memorisation; a tune such as
“Saddle the Pony” above is quite easy to memorise due to the repeated phrases. With a bit of experience, we
can often make an “intelligent guess” as to where a tune is going, even on a first listen.
The 4- and 8-bar structure of Irish tunes is rigidly respected; some reels, for example, are shorter and have
4 bars repeated per section; other reels have the 8-bar sections illustrated above. However, a tune with 7 or
9 bars per section would “sound wrong”; and, effectively, none of these exist...
Another practical advantage of this structure is in providing a “frame” for the improvised personal interpretation
of the melody, which is often in itself quite simple. (Unlike jazz, for example, improvisation in Irish music occurs
internally in the melody, and concerns the individual use of ornamentation, variation and phrasing, which varies
from performer to performer, and from performance to performance.)
Ornamentation structure and rhythm

The use of ornamentation may be a part of the individual performance or “details” of the music; however the
ornamentation itself is rigidly structured and tends not to change. There are several chapters dedicated to
ornamentation in this book, so I will just mention the principal types quickly:
Cut and tap : single grace note
Bounces : single grace note in the “interior” of a note
Rolls : an ornament comprising of 4 or 5 notes
Cran : 7-note ornament on the low D
The note and rhythmic structure of the ornamentation remains constant: for example, a roll always consists of 5
notes: the principal note, a grace note above, the principal note, a grace note below, and the principal note
again, on the G note: GAGFG.
Ornamentation structure – the practical side

Again, the obvious advantage of this quite strict structure is in the memorisation and technical performance of
ornamentation – once the system is understood for one note, it can be applied more easily to other notes, as we
will see in the chapters dealing with ornamentation.
One mistake beginners often make, in my experience, is substituting other structures (such as trills, for example)
for the roll; as a result their music, even if it's technically well-executed, does not “sound right”.
The Details
This section deals with the parts of Irish traditional music that are open to personal interpretation. When
beginning Irish music, it is important to concentrate on the basics as described above, before turning to the
details.
Making choices
Style implies a selection by the performer of certain traditional patterns and clichés of the tradition
in his improvisation. His ability to select will obviously depend on what material he has at his
command...
Tomas O'Canainn, p41
Again it is worth mentioning that “improvisation”, when referring to Irish music, is vastly different to the term as
used in jazz, which may be how a lot of us think of improvisation.
In jazz, a melody is followed by improvisational sections, where the performer has basically free reign to
improvise over the basic chord structure of the melody. In Irish music, improvisation occurs in a more restricted
“frame” - that of the melody itself, but is no less creative for that!
In Irish music, the structure and line of the melody remain the same; the subtleties of interpretation are in the
ornamentation, phrasing and variations that the performer chooses, on-the-fly, during his performance of this
melody. Two players will never play a tune the same note-for-note; just as a performer, if he masters the
traditional idiom, will never have two identical performances of the same tune.
Fast tempo
The first “detail” that is so often abused, both by beginners and more advanced players, is speed... music played
fast without a basic sense of the rhythm, will be messy and in no way lively or danceable; on the other hand,
music played with a “slow-and-steady” rhythm can have a tremendous sense of lift.
A lot of the Irish music that will be available to the beginner as recorded albums will be music that is fast,
polished and “produced” (I'm thinking of the CD albums that are the most widely available; for example in the
part of France where I live, you will find Lunasa, Dervish, the Bothy Band and little else in record stores...) so
one could be forgiven for thinking that speed is an integral and necessary part of the music, while subtleties like
“lift” and rhythm pass unnoticed.
Fast tempo in itself is not a negative thing and is indeed a valid element of musical style; many musicians play
very fast, and very well; others play much slower and just as well! The important thing to remember is that fast
tempo is a detail; a part of one's individual interpretation of the music, and not the be-all-and-end-all of the music
itself.
Fast tempo – the practical side

One of the problems I correct most often in my students playing is their tempo, and always because they play
too fast! It's important first of all to play at a tempo that suits your technical ability, otherwise the music will sound
hurried or rushed; for the music to be lively or have a sense of lift, it must sound relaxed!
Ornamentation
A second much-abused element of individual interpretation in the music is ornamentation – not the structure of
the ornamentation as discussed above, but the choice and placement of ornamentation within a tune.
Again, ornamentation in itself is a valid part of musical style; and again, ornamentation cannot substitute for
rhythm and lift. Ornamentation is there to enhance the rhythmic drive of the tune,.
Ornamentation – the practical side
Firstly, it's important to master a tune before playing it with ornamentation. Secondly, it's important to master the
ornamentation you choose to put in a tune; if a roll, for example, is not played precisely, it will sound “muddy”
and will in no way enhance the rhythm.
When placing ornamentation, it's always better to err on the side of caution; one or two well-placed ornaments
can give a tune tremendous lift – the use of ornaments is qualitative rather than quantitative.
Unit 8 – Listening to Irish
Music
Listening
A piece of advice very given to learners of Irish music is to “listen as much as possible”; both to good players on
ones instrument of choice, and to Irish music in general. In fact, this advice is so important that it's getting its own
chapter!
If you've ever attended a session, you will see that the audience plays quite an active role in the proceedings –
tapping their feet in time to the music, shouting encouragement and sometimes requesting tunes. Here, listening
is an active rather than simply a passive process, and the listener, as well as the performer, is implicated in the
music. In this unit, I will try to define what “listening” means, in practical terms, for you, the learner, and how you
can “actively” listen to the music.
Remember that I'm not listing a series of rules to be followed to the letter, but rather some guidelines to permit
the beginner, and in particular the Irish music novice, to “get a handle on” the music!
Why is listening so important?

In the previous chapter, I described Irish traditional music as a simple system, with vast scope for individual
interpretation; even knowing the “rules” of the system, there is enormous subtlety and variation that can only
appreciated with experience. The more music we listen to, the more we can appreciate these subtleties and can
subsequently apply them to our own playing. Listening is in fact a major part of both solo and group
performance; it is important to listen both to oneself, but also to listen closely to other players, in order to adapt
our interpretation of a tune to theirs. In order to achieve this sort of “on-the-fly” adaptation, it is necessary to
build familiarity with the music; this familiarity comes from both playing and close listening.
A lot of this goes on on a subconscious level, and often Irish musicians prefer not to intellectualise about the
music, but discuss it in more general terms: the ubiquitous “That's a lovely tune.” It can be difficult for the novice
listener to grasp what is actually going on, and why one tune is “lovely”, and another is less so! In the following
paragraphs, you will find some things to look out for in your listening, which will hopefully help you come to your
own decisions, and ultimately choose your own place in the tradition.
What to listen for

In the previous unit, I listed some characteristics of the structure of Irish music, saying that it's underlying
structure is quite rigid and conservative in nature, changing very little over time and from tune to tune. Keeping
this in mind, we can appreciate this structure in our listening, applying a logic to the music so it's not just the
“bewildering succession of notes” mentioned earlier.
It's also important to keep in mind that the music, and listening experience, in a solo performance or “session”
context will necessarily be different to those of recorded ensemble music, which in general is arranged and
rehearsed, rather than impromptu and off-the cuff.
Instrumentation
Let's start with the obvious: what instruments are being played? How are they combined? How many melody
instruments are there? Is there backing? How does the backing fit in with the music? Are the instruments playing
in unison, or are the sets “arranged”, with one instrument playing at a time?
Repertoire
What types of tunes are being played? Are they jigs and reels (most common in a session) or other tune types?
How are the sets made up? How many tunes are played together?
Listen carefully to the structure of the tunes; how many parts are there? When does the tune change? Is there a
noticeable key change between tunes?
When possible, look up the names of the tunes, especially those you recognise (a notebook can be useful in a
session) Have you come across the tunes before, and where?
If it's another instrument playing a tune you know on the whistle, how does the version compare? Is it identical,
or are there differences?
Style and technique

If it's a whistle player you're listening to, what type of ornamentation are they using, and where are they placing it
(more about ornamentation in the following units)? How are they phrasing their melodic lines, and where are
they breathing? Is the style legato or staccato? If it's a legato style, is there any tonguing at all? And if so, where?
In general, is the style of the music simple or complex? Highly- or sparsely-ornamented?
Is the music played with a “swing”, or more “straight”? Is the tempo rapid, medium or slow?
Building familiarity
To sum up, close listening is essential, both to our understanding and appreciation of the music and its
subtleties, but also to our practical performance of the music. The more material we have at hand, the more our
interpretation will be aesthetically and stylistically “traditional”.
In other words, entering into the tradition implies, not just technical ability on the part of the player, but a
familiarity with the tradition's tropes and”clichés”. Just as with learning a language, this “building of familiarity”
involves both speaking and listening practice, as well as personal involvement and time!
Some players and recordings

Here are some ideas to follow up on for listening to whistle players in particularl. There is a vast choice of
released music available; this selection is my own, and thus chosen with my own agenda and preferences in
mind.
Mary Bergin From Dublin, Mary Bergin currently lives in Spiddal where she teaches whistle. She has recorded
two seminal albums of whistle playing, Feadoga Stain, 1 & 2, and her style has had enormous influence on
subsequent generations of whistle players.
Micho Russell From Doolin, Co. Clare, Micho Russell had a sparse, melodic style of whistle playing and an
enormous store of folklore inherited from the earlier tradition.
Donnchadh O'Briain Excellent whistle player from Dublin; his recording Irish Traditional Music on Tin Whistle
was recently re-released.
Unit 9 – The Jig
The first type of tune we will look at is the jig, which is the most common dance tune after the reel.
The reel may be European in origin, however according to Breandan Breathnach, most Irish jigs are native in
origin and “appear to have been composed by the pipers and fiddlers of the 18 th and 19th centuries” (Folk Music
and Dances of Ireland, p58)
Rhythm and tempo

The jig tempo is generally quite fast in a solo or session context.
Rhythmically, jigs are grouped in general into 2 groups of 3 quavers, with the accent on the first and fourth notes;
thus there are two “beats” in every bar.
Some jigs
On the following pages are some examples of jigs, that will be studied (along with others!) throughout this tutor.
Before continuing with the rest of this chapter, I would advise learning these tunes, starting with the audio
examples.
Articulation, breathing and ornaments will be covered later, so begin by just getting the tune “under your fingers”!
Mulhare's Jig
This is one of the first tune's I learned, and have always known it under this title. It is also commonly known as
the Lilting Banshee
Coleman's Jig
This is a popular session tune; I first learned it from Matt Molloy's excellent début album. It is associated with
Sligo fiddler Willie Coleman
The Maid on the Green
This tune appears in O'Neill's collection of 1001 Irish tunes from the early 20 th century; it is played by Mary
Bergin on her album Feadoga Stain 2.
The Trip to Athlone
This popular tune bears the name of my home town. It appears on whistle player Brian Hughes' album “whistle
Stop”, and also an the excellent album “An Historic Recording Of Irish Traditional Music” with Paddy Canny, P.J.
Hayes, Peader O'Loughlin and Bridie Lafferty.
Note Accent and Articulation
In the jig, the “strong” accents fall on the first and fourth quavers of the bar, we will lean on these notes to
accentuate them, thus giving a natural “swing” to the music.
Jig Rhythm 1 - Basic Jig Accent

The following shows the opening bars from the tune “The Lark in the Morning”. Listen to the recording, and play
along. Try to get a feel for the rhythm. You count “1, 2” where marked, and if you decide to tap your foot while
playing, you do so on each of these two beats.
Jig Rhythm Exercise 1
Remember that, although the notes are written equally, the first note is slightly longer, while the second is slightly
shorter. Again, it is very important to use your ears rather than your eyes!
Foot Tapping!
If you've already seen Irish musicians play, you will have noticed that many will tap their feet in
rhythm while they play, as indeed will some of the audience.
There are no hard and fast rules about whether or not to tap your foot while playing, other than
the obvious, which is tapping in rhythm – on the “strong” beats of every bar.
My best advice would be to do what seems the most natural. I have a natural tendency to tap,
and indeed find it difficult to play without doing so...
Some More Rhythmic Exercises
Jig Exercise 2
This is a double note pattern very common in jigs, with one note followed by two identical notes, as at the
beginning of Mulhare's Jig.
Again, the first note of each group is accented, while the third must be separated from the second by tonguing.
Be careful to have a light touch on the tonguing; the third note should not be staccato, but rather it should be
tongued just enough to separate it. Only tongue the notes marked with a dot.
Jig Exercise 3
In this exercise, there are no double notes. Play without tonguing, again with an accent on the 1 st and 4th notes.
The goal of the exercises in this book is to introduce to the basics of rhythm and articulation;
once the basics are understood, it's important to put them into practice as soon as possible, by
playing tunes! Never spend more time on the exercises than on the tunes...
Jig Rhythm 2 – Accent on the off-beat
Listen to the recording. The phrase played is the same as the previous in jig exercise no 3, except that this time
the accent is off the beat; that is, rather than being put on the “strong” beats of every bar, it's put on the “weak”
beat.
To accentuate the off-beat in a jig, the accent falls on the third note of every group of 3.
To count this out, we could say one-AND two-AND, where the “AND” falls on every third note.
(If you've ever heard piano packing or “vamping”, this kind of “skipping” rhythm is similar, where the bass note
falls on “One” and the chord on “AND”)
Articulating the off-beat in jigs

To articulate the off-beat, you tongue the third note, or second and third notes, in each group of three.
(In my playing, I have a general tendency to tongue both the second and third notes)
This time, it is the second note that is shortened slightly, and the third that is lengthened before its normal start
point so it “anticipates” the beat; the note is played very slightly before it should be.
Jig exercise 4
The notes in this exercise are identical to Jig exercise 2; this time, the accent falls on the offbeat.
To place the accent on the offbeat in this sequence, we:
– shorten slightly the second note
– lengthen slightly the third note
– tongue the third note
Jig Exercise 5
The notes are the same as exercise 3. This time, rather than playing it all without tonguing:
– shorten the second and lengthen the third notes
– tongue both the second and third note.
– The tonguing on the third note should be stronger; it's as if we “skip” off the second.
Jig Exercise 6
This is a descending sequence like in exercise 5, with some second-octave notes.
Placing the off-beat in jigs

Now that you know how to play the off-beat, it's important to know where to place it in the tune. As always with
this music, there are some principals which must be applied:
– The rhythm must remain strong and flowing; in no case should an accent on the offbeat break the
rhythmic flow of the tune.
– There must be some variation or contrast; as we've already seen, Irish music is made up at all levels of
simple contrasts, that combined make the beauty of the music. So, if you're always accenting the beat,
there's no contrast; and similarly if you always accent the offbeat.
If you ask an Irish musician where they place the accented off-beat in the tunes they play, the answer could be
something like: “Well, you do it without thinking, on the spur of the moment, depending on the tune, the people
you're playing with, your own personal style and preferences, your taste, humour and mood... and you just do it.”
This, while it may be true, is not very helpful to the beginner, so for the sakes of this tutor, I'm going to try and
formalise these choices a little, again based on my own playing. As usual, what I present here are some
generalisations, to acquire the general methodology and technique; what's needed afterwards is experience on
the learner's part – close listening and personal stylistic choices.
Where to place the “strong” beat

For the off-beat to make sense, there must also be the normal pulse of strong beats running through the music;
a jig is characterised by an accent on the first and fourth quavers of the bar, as we saw above.
To establish the tune you're playing as a jig, begin the tune with a strong “jig” accent on every third note, as in
the opening bars of Mulhare's below, where the accents are marked with a “>”:
This logic can also be applied to phrases too: notice that the second phrase at bar 2 also begins on a strong
beat. It can also be applied to each part of a tune; here is the first line of the second part of Mulhare's:
Where to place the off-beat
If we place the strong beats at the beginnings of tunes, parts and phrases, then the obvious contrast is to place
the offbeats at or near the end of phrases. This helps “drive” the rhythm of the tune forward and gives lift to the
playing. Again, here's the first part of Mulhare's, with both strong and off-beats noted.
Remember, you're not hammering nails: the accents should be as subtle as possible. Just
because a note is “strong” doesn't mean it has to totally stand out, in volume and articulation,
from the rest. There are “degrees” of accentuation; not all strong beats will be played the same.
Again, your best tool is your ears.
Here's the second part of Mulhare's, again with both notated:
To sum up:
- The Jig is in 6/8 time, with 2 strong beats per bar
- The strong beats can be on the beat or off the beat. A mixture of on beat/off beat is best
- The overall rhythm must be strong and the flow uninterrupted; the tune must be “danceable”.
With all this in mind, here is a transcription of Mulhare's Jig, with the strong beats marked. For the sake of
simplicity, I haven't marked the articulation (tonguing) which is the same as in the exercises.
Note Accent in Jigs – More Examples
Note Accent in Jigs Example 1 : Willie Coleman's Jig;
Note Accent in Jigs, Example 2 : The Maid on the Green.
Remember, where the accent is on the offbeat, I usually tongue both the second and third notes of the group.
Phrasing
We will now look at phrasing in the jig, which is how the notes are grouped into larger “phrases”. In unit 7 we saw
how Irish music is quite rigidly organised into 4- and 8-bar phrases, with natural “stops” at the end of phrases,
much like punctuation – commas and full stops – in a spoken language.
When taking breaths, it's important to remember to breathe before you need to, rather than at the
last minute.
Breathing at phrase ends
Let's look at Mulhare's Jig again. We see that there are some natural breath points at the phrase ends in the first
part.
These are logical and natural places to take one's breath and insert a “pause” in the music – the longer note is
cut short and a breath taken in the resulting space.
However, keeping in mind the logic of variation and contrast that we said is at the heart of individual
performance, if the tune is played this way each time, every time, it would soon end up becoming monotonous –
the phrases are too-easily organised into predictable 2-bar “blocks”.
“Overflowing” phrases – breathing after phrase ends
What we can do to break up this regularity, is make a phrase “flow over” into the next; inserting a breath after the
beginning of the second phrase, for example, rather than at the end of the first:
The second time round, this pattern can be inversed:
When removing a note to create a breathing space, in a jig it's best to remove the middle note of
the 3-note group,
The second part of the tune follows the same logic.
First, the most obvious places to breath:
Next, with some “overflowing” phrases:
And a final possibility:
Putting the two parts together, we come up with some very simple and easy-to-apply phrasal variations, which,
with the rhythmic variations we studied earlier, should start to give us a tune that's sounding pretty nice!
Breathing and Phrasing – More Examples
Breathing and Phrasing – Example 1 – Coleman's Jig
The first example is Coleman's Jig. Rather than breathe in the most obvious places, I have tried to mark the
breaths elsewhere to vary the phrasing. Notice in bar 11 (on line 3) I have cut a long note in two to breathe in the
middle, rather than cut it short as seen before.
Breathing and Phrasing – Example 2 – The Maid on the Green
The next example is The Maid on the Green again. I have written out the second part in full to show two sets of
possibilities.
Unit 10 – The Hornpipe
The hornpipe originated in the mid-18th century as a dance tune with maritime connections. The present-day
hornpipe in Irish music was originally played as a show piece for dancers, with heavy and intricate stepping. It is
still used in solo dancing today. In the music, it is the third most common tune type, after the reel and the jig.
Rhythm and Tempo

The hornpipe is in 4/4 time, with a slow to moderate tempo. Hornpipes can be recognised by their characteristic
“swing”, with use of dotted rhythms (often the dotted rhythms are not represented in musical notation)
Some hornpipes
On the following pages are some examples of jigs, that will be studied throughout this tutor.
As with the jigs I would advise learning these tunes, starting with the audio hornpipesexamples, ,before
continuing with the rest of this chapter,
Again, begin by just getting the tune “under your fingers”!
Dunphy's Hornpipe
This is one of the first hornpipes I learned. It appears in O'Neill's 1001 collection, and is played by Donncha
O'Briain on his album “Irish Traditional Music on the Tin Whistle”.
The Harvest Home
This is a very common tune that also appears in O'Neill's Collection.
Poll Ha'Penny
This tune appears on Mary Bergin's “Feadoga Stain”.
Accent and articulation
The hornpipe is characterised by a strong accent on the first and third beats of the bar. Often, hornpipes can end
in three accented crotchets. The notes tend to be in groups of two, with sometimes groups of ascending or
descending triplets; as the notes are grouped in twos, you can count “1 and 2 and” as marked below (the
grouping of notes by 2 distinguishes the hornpipe from a reel, which can be similar, but has its notes grouped by
4)
If you tap your foot when playing, you can tap on the first and third beats, on “1” and “2” below.
On the following pages are some more examples of hornpipe rhythm.
Hornpipe Rhythm 1 – Basic Hornpipe Accent
Listen to the recording of Hornpipe Exercise 1. Note that the tempo is slow and deliberate, and that the notes are
definitely not equal in value – the first note in each group of 2 is longer, and the second shorter.
There are four beats in every bar. The accent falls on the first and third beat.
Hornpipe Exercise 1
Hornpipe Exercise 2
This second is similar to the first. Again, the notes are not equal, and there is a definite emphasis on the first and
third beats.
Hornpipe Exercise 3
This is a series of triplets – a “triplet” is a group of 3 notes played in place of two. Again, the accent is on the first
and third beat.
Hornpipe Rhythm 2 – Accent on the off-beat
To accent the offbeat in a hornpipe, the accent is placed on the second and fourth beat.
To accent the offbeat, the note can be tongued lightly and slightly lengthened; again, the best way to appreciate
the accent is by listening to the recordings.
Hornpipe exercise 4
The notes are identical to exercise 1; this time the accent is on the offbeat.
Hornpipe exercise 5
Here, the melody is identical to exercise 2, with the accent on the offbeats
Hornpipe exercise 6
The melody is identical to exercise 3, with the accent on the offbeat.
Placing the off-beat in hornpipes.
With their slower tempo and “swinging” rhythm, hornpipes can lend themselves easily to variations in accent on
and off the beat. As with the jig, the general principals are to be respected
– The rhythm and tempo must remain solid and unbroken

– The tune must “sound” like a hornpipe – the typical swinging rhythm of the note pairs must be respected.
– The basic principal of variation must be respected.
With this in mind, here is the first part of The Harvest Home hornpipe noted with both on- and off-beat accents.
Remember, this is just one of the many possible rhythmical interpretations. I will explain my choices below.
In bars 1 and 2, we “establish” the typical hornpipe rhythm with the accent on the first and third beats of the bar.
The segment in bar 3 lends itself to an offbeat accent; while the accent on the last bar is a personal choice.
In the second line, I have basically inversed the rhythm of the first line; again the key is variation. The tune
finishes on three accented notes typical of the hornpipe.
Now here is the second part of the same tune:
Again I am varying the rhythm between the beat and offbeat, with some of the same motifs from the first part.
Note Accent in Hornpipes – More Examples
Note Accent in Hornpipes – Example 1 - Dunphy's Hornpipe.

In the first bar, I cut short the third note (B), tongue lightly the following before falling on the accented G. I use
this rhythmic motif quite often in hornpipes, and it returns in bars 4, 6 and again in bar 9.
Phrasing and breathing
With their slower tempo, hornpipes can be easier for breath control than either jigs or reels; however, we can still
use the principal of “breathing spaces” to organise our phrasing.
Here is the first line of The Harvest Home; as there are no natural breathing spaces after long notes, I have
removed one of the repeated A notes:
Keeping in mind the idea of “overflowing” phrases – that is, breathing just after the beginning of a phrase, here is
the second line:
The three notes at the end give an opportunity to breathe (in general, take the breath after the first or last).
Here is the second part of the Harvest Home:
Again, I have removed one of the repeated A notes, although not in the same place as in the first part.
Rather than breathe at the end of the first line, I have continued into the next phrase, and removed a note at the
end of the first bar.
If necessary, a breath can be taken in the very last bar, as in the first part (Again, it's important to gain the reflex
of breathing before you actually need to, rather than end up short of air)
Unit 11 – The Reel
The reel is the most common type of tune in Irish traditional music. In its modern form, it was probably brought to
Ireland from Scotland in the 18th century, and indeed many Irish reels played today are of Scots origin, for
example Miss McLeod's or Lord Gordon's.
Reels are often the “preferred” tunes among musicians, as can be seen by listening to sessions; they are
perhaps the most “satisfying” to play, giving the most scope for interpretation whether rhythmic or melodic. As
they tend to be the most difficult to learn, they also present more of a challenge!
Rhythm and Tempo

The reel is a fast dance tune in 4/4 time, consisting mainly of quavers in groups of four. There is a marked
accent on the first and third beat of the bar.
The tempo of reels can vary depending on the player or regional style; in general reels are the fastest of the
Irish dance tunes.
Some Reels
As in previous chapters, the following pages have some examples of reels to begin learning before starting the
chapter.
As usual, listen to the audio as much as possible before beginning to learn the tune; you should be able to “sing”
the tune in your head.
The Shannon Breeze
This tune is also known as “Rolling in the Rygrass”; Athlone being on the banks of the Shannon, we tend to call it
the Shannon Breeze down here.
Drowsy Maggie
This tune appears in O'Neill's 1001, and on an old album of Micho Russel's that I have on cassette called “The
Limestone Rock”.
The Boyne Hunt
This tune appears on Donncha O'Briain's aforementioned album, and in O'Neill's collection. The Boyne is a river
in Ireland.
Maud Millar
I learned this tune from Mary Bergin's “Feadoga Stain”.
Accent & Articulation
The basic reel rhythm is binary, like the jig and the hornpipe – this means there are two “strong” beats per bar.
However, the reel presents much more opportunities for variation than either of the other two tune types.
Reel Rhythm 1 – Basic Reel Accent
In the reel, the accent falls on the first and third beats of the bar. The reel is generally played faster and with less
of a marked “swinging” rhythm than the hornpipe, seen earlier. The notes are in groups of four, rather than in
groups of two like in the hornpipe. The degree of “swing” in the rhythm depends on the players individual style.
“Swing” in Irish music
A "swung note" or "shuffle note" is a performance practice, mainly in jazz-influenced music, in

which some notes with equal written time values are performed with unequal durations, usually
as alternating long and short.
The above definition of swing is given in Wikipedia, relating to Jazz. The idea is the same in Irish
music, for example we saw earlier in the Hornpipe that although quavers are notated equally,
they fall into a long-short rhythm.
This long-short rhythm also applies to reels, but is more open to personal interpretation. The
performer can decide to play the tune “straight”, ie with a (more-or-less!) equal value to the notes,
or with a “swing”, in a long-short rhythm.
Reel Exercise 1
Notice that the melody here is almost identical to the first hornpipe exercise; listen before playing to hear the
difference in rhythm.
Play the whole exercise without tonguing; in my opinion, it's better to view tonguing as an “added benefit”, rather
than something used systematically to keep the rhythm under control. If you can play with a strong rhythm
without tonguing, it can then be used to add emphasis where you choose.
(If you wish to tap your foot, it's on each “1” and “2”.)
Reel Exercise 2
These kind of progressions, over a repeated “pedal note”, are very common in reels. Try to play the whole
sequence as fluidly as possible, without tonguing. (We will use tonguing later to accent the offbeat)
Reel Exercise 3
Descending motifs with alternating notes are also common in reels. Again, try to play as fluidly as possible,
without tonguing (we will use tonguing later, when accenting the offbeat)
Reel Exercise 4
The accent is still on the beat; this time, the note on each first beat is tongued. The note immediately beforehand
is tongued and slightly shortened; try to lightly “trip off” it to land on the accented note. This two-note pattern is
useful for accenting notes either on the beat, or the off-beat. Be sure that the preceding beat is not accented; the
accented note can start very slightly before the beat, giving a sense of syncopation to the rhythm. This sense of
“anticipating” the beat is very common in Irish music.
Reel Rhythm 2 – Accent on the Off-beat

To accent the offbeat in a reel, accent the notes that fall on the second and fourth beats of each bar.
Reel Exercise 5
In this exercise, the accent is on the offbeat; play without tonguing, leaning on each accented note. (To “lean on”
a note, I give it a subtle accent, by blowing slightly harder and lenghtening very slightly the note)
Reel Exercise 6
The melody is identical to exercise 5; this time, the offbeat is tongued, as is the note immediately preceding it.
Note that only the marked note is accented each time; try to “trip” lightly off the preceding one, as we did in the
jig earlier.
This series of tongued notes is for the sake of the exercise; in a real tune, I wouldn't tend to tongue so much, in
such a short stretch of music!
Reel Exercise 7
Same melody as exercise 4, this time with the accent on the offbeat “e”.
Reel Exercise 8
Same as exercise 2, with accent on the offbeat. The first accented note is very lightly tongued.
Placing the off-beat in reels
The same principles apply as before, and indeed with all tunes:
– the rhythm must be strong and the tempo stable.
– The tune must “sound right” rhythmically – it must respect the rhythmic characteristics of a reel
– there must be some variation (a common mistake is to play only offbeat accents)
– the choice of rhythmic accent is usually made during performance.
You can use the exercises to acquire the basic techniques, and then experiment with the other tunes in this
collection. A common error at this stage is to “over-accent”; to put too much accent on the beat or off-beat. One
way to deal with this is to record yourself while practising and listen back to it later.
With all this in mind, let's look at the reel “The Shannon Breeze” (also known as “Rolling in the Ryegrass”) and
see what possibilities we have.
Here's one possible interpretation:
As before, I've started with the accent on the beat, with alternating accents in the second and third bars. In the
final bar, the accent is quite subtle; try to play the note without tonguing, but “lean on” it slightly.
Here's another possibility for the first line, with more emphasis on the offbeat:
The rhythm of the second part is quite straightforward. Note in the third bar, the second accented note isn't
tongued.
And here's another possibility for the second part:
As with all the earlier exercises, I am attempting here to apply some generalisations to something
where, usually, there aren't any! This with the object of firstly acquiring the technical ability to play
the tune in rhythm, and secondly the ability to hear what's happening in a tune. In order to
progress from here, it's necessary to listen closely to as many whistle-players as possible, as
closely as possible; to understand how they're articulating a tune, and how they're approaching it
rhythmically. Even if it's difficult to analyse all the subtleties of a players style, anything you do
learn definitely won't be lost!
Note Accent in Reels – More Examples
Note Accent in Reels Example 1 – The Boyne Hunt
This reel is called The Boyne Hunt. The opening bars are the same as seen in the exercises.
Note Accent in Reels Example 2 - Drowsy Maggie.
Phrasing and Breathing
Reels are perhaps the most difficult tunes to manage as regards breath control; it's important to plan your
breaths in advance, so as not to finish the tune out of breath, as this will obviously effect your sound, sense of
“lift” and everything else!
Breathing at long notes and phrase ends

As usual, we can shorten long notes in order to take a breath; and often phrase endings are a logical place to
breathe.
Here is “The Shannon Breeze” with the most obvious places marked.
As usual, it's better not to systematically breathe in the most obvious places; however they remain as
possibilities, to be used if necessary.
Removing notes in reels

Depending on the reel, it may often be necessary to remove several notes to make breathing spaces. In this
case, the second note of the group of four is removed. For example,here is the opening bar of the Shannon
Breeze:
There are two possibilities for inserting a breath here:
At “1”, I have removed the second note in the first group; at “2”, the second note in the second group.
When removing notes, it's important not to remove notes that fall on the strong beats. In the
example above, the removed notes fall neither on the beat nor on the offbeat.
With all this in mind, here's a transcription of the Shannon Breeze, with some notes removed, and some breaths
at long notes:
Phrasing and Breathing – More Examples
Phrasing and Breathing in Reels – Example 1
Here is the reel Drowsy Maggie, with breathmarks. Again, I have tried not to breathe in the most obvious
places.
Phrasing and Breathing in Reels – Example 2
The second example is The Boyne Hunt. In the second part, there's plenty of space for breathing so I haven't
removed any notes.
Unit 12 – Ornamentation
There are several types or ornament in Irish music, all of which are quite rigidly codified and organised. When
learning these ornaments, there are two things to do: firstly, learn the technique, how to play the ornament
competently and in the right rhythm and style; and secondly, where to place the ornaments in your music.
This chapter will deal first with the playing of each ornament, and then with where to place it. As you can see, it's
quite long – there's a lot of information to assimilate here, and it's better to take it slowly, one element at a time,
rather than try to do too much all at once.
There are a few basic principals that apply to ornamentation, as to rhythm and phrasing earlier.
Ornamentation is rhythmic rather than melodic; it is there to enhance the rhythm of the tune. The individual notes
in grace notes and rolls are played so fast that they aren't actual melodic notes; rather they serve to accent the
rhythm, or in the case of cuts, to separate identical notes.
The ornaments mustn't obstruct the rhythm of the tune; if a roll causes a “hiccup” in the tune's rhythm, there's a
problem either with the execution of the ornament, or its placement.
Likewise, ornamentation mustn't obstruct or hide the actual melody of the tune; overuse of ornamentation can be
worse than not using any at all.
Ornamentation is applied by the individual performer, and chosen spontaneously in each performance of a tune:
“Some employ hardly any (ornamentation), others use ornaments which are completely pre-
planned and lack sponaneity, while the best players are able to ornament at will, giving an
imaginitive and spontaneous performance”. O'Canainn, p46
It is absolutely possible to learn to “ornament at will” as described by Tomas O'Canainn above; to do so, the
player must build a “familiarity” with the music through practice and listening:
– complete familiarity with the tunes themselves, which comes from listening, learning “by ear” as much as
possible and playing tunes from memory without the aid of sheet music; this allows the player to situate
themselves in the tune at any one time
– complete technical familiarity with the ornaments themselves
– familiarity with the style and idioms involved; where to place the ornaments and how many to use.
This may seem intimidating, and indeed, the mastery of ornamentation in Irish music does require a lot of work,
both “active” in practicing the tunes, and “passive”, in listening to other musicians and imbibing oneself with the
style. However, it is work that pays off, given time.
An important error to avoid in the beginning is over-ornamentation, or placing ornaments anywhere one will go.
Remember they are added to bring variation to the music my emphasising the rhythm; like tonguing and note
accent on off-beats discussed earlier. If any of these elements are used whenever possible throughout the
music, the principle of variation is gone. A tune will be much better appreciated with a minimum of well-placed
ornaments.
Another thing to remember, is that ornamentation is there for the benefit of the music, and not to showcase the
performer's technical skill! A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself what a particular ornament actually does for a
tune when used in a certain place, and how the tune would sound without it. Some tunes actually sound better
with less ornamentation, while some will need more.
It is important to think of the overall, global effect of ornamentation in a particular tune, rather than simply
applying ornaments systematically according to fixed rules – some tunes may benefit from a roll on a long note,
for example, while others will not;
This chapter deals with the ornaments themselves, and the technique involved in their performance, but just as
importantly with the use of ornaments – where and when they can or should be applied.
I will give as many examples as possible of each ornament in each particular context; I will also apply ornaments
cumulatively : taps are added to a tune after cuts, and slides after cuts and taps, and so on. The tune collection
at the end of the book also features suggestions for ornaments in each tune.
It is important to remember that the ornaments presented in each tune are suggestions, rather
than a fixed part of the melody; they could just as easily be used in different contexts or
combinations. With the experience gained from following this tutor, it is my goal that you will be
able to choose and place your own ornamentation in any given tune.
Like the fast tempo discussed earlier, ornamentation is a necessary and accepted part of the music; it can be
and should be used to play music in the Irish style. However, like the fast tempo again, it is easy to go too far,
especially when learning.
Ornamentation 1 – The Cut

A cut is a single-note ornament or grace note; it can be used to separate two identical notes, or to ornament a
single note.
The cut is a very rapid note, with no melodic or rhythmic value in itself; if executed properly, it shouldn't even
sound like a melodic note.
On the following page is a fingering chart of cuts, with a suggested fingering and alternate fingering for each one.
Here is how cuts are notated (notice that their fingering does not appear in the sheet music; there is a fingering
chart of the two examples below on the next page)
Fingering Chart – Cuts
Note Written Fingering Alternative Fingering

B
Use of the Cut
The cut can be used in a number of different contexts, from separating (or “cutting”) identical notes to
punctuating or accentuating the rhythm.
Using the Cut 1 - Separating two identical notes

As its name might suggest, the cut is often used for separating two successive identical notes; without a cut, the
second note has to be tongued, so the cut is a way of articulating the second note using the fingers, rather than
the breath.
For example, here is the second part of The Boyne Hunt:
I have used the cut to separate the two repeated As in bars 1, 3 and 5, and the Es in bar six.
Here is the second part of Mulhare's Jig. Again, I have used a cut to separate the repeated As and Es.
Cut Exercise 1
Here, the cut is used to separate repeated notes in jig time.
And the same exercise, an octave lower:
Cut Exercise 2
This exercise is in a reel rhythm; the notes follow the same pattern as seen in The Boyne Hunt above.
And the same exercise, an octave higher:
Cut Exercise 3
This exercise is also in reel time.
An octave higher:
Using the Cut 2 – Accent on notes
The cut can also be used to accent notes either on the beat or offbeat. In this case, the cut is not necessarily
between two identical notes.
For example, here is the first part of The Boyne Hunt; the sheet music is identical to that seen earlier in the
section Accents in Reels. I have also left in the accent and tonguing marks.
In the example above, the cut is used to accent notes in bars 1 and 2, and to separate two notes between bars 3
& 4.
Here is the second part of the same tune:
Again, the sheet music is identical to that seen earlier in Accents on Reels, with accent and tonguing marks left
in even if it makes for a crowded page music page.
In this extract we have three elements that are used alone or in combination: note accent, tonguing and cuts.
Note how the combination of these three simple elements can immediately give a varied interpretation of the
tune.
In the first bar, the cut is used to separate the two As; but also to emphasise the accent on the (tongued) note. In
the second bar, the cut is used again on an accented note, this time without tonguing; while in the third bar we
have an accented note with neither cut nor tonguing, and the cut is used simply to separate the two notes.
As usual, the key is variation; ornamentation can be used to emphasise the rhythm and embellish the music,
but shouldn't be used systematically in in a certain context. With a minimum of choice and variation in the
placing of ornaments, a lot less goes a lot further, and gives a much nicer result.
Cut exercise 4
The same as exercise 1, except this time the cuts are tongued, giving a stronger accent to the notes. Listen to
the two exercises to hear the difference.
Cut exercise 5
In this exercise the offbeats are all accented. All cuts are tongued.
Use of the Cut 3 – On non-accented notes
The first two uses of the cut we have seen are by far the most important, and cover the vast majority of cases
where cuts can be placed.
However it is also possible to place cuts on non-accented notes, as in the example below, taken from the second
part of the Shannon Breeze:
In bar two, the cut falls on a high G, which is neither accented nor repeated, and is not an “important” part of the
melody.
I use a cut in this context in my own playing, on the following principals:

– the cut must be played as “snappily” and discreetly as possible
– it mustn't be done too often, otherwise too many unimportant notes will sound accented. A good rule-of
-thumb not more than once per tune.
Use of the Cut 4 – In long notes
The cut can be used to divide a crotchet into two equal quavers. I note this cut as follows:
Note that the two “B” notes are equal in value; as always, use the audio examples rather than relying solely on
the sheet music.
Here is the opening of Coleman's Jig with crotchet cuts notated on the notes B and G:
The Cut in Jigs
The Cut in Jigs, Example 1
The first example is Mulhare's Jig. The placement of cuts is pretty obvious in this tune, with a minimum of
variation.
I have used cuts to separate notes in the second part, as seen earlier.
In bar 6, I have a cut on the offbeat, non-tongued. At the end of bar 12, there is a second cut on the offbeat, this
time tongued in the two-note pattern seen earlier in Jig Exercise 5
Note that I don't place cuts between the repeated A notes in the opening bars; in this context I either use a Tap
or more often separate the notes by tonguing.
The second example is Coleman's Jig.
In bar 12 I have placed a cut on an unaccented B, the middle note of the group of 3. As these notes are
“unimportant” melodically the cut must be played as discreetly as possible, without accenting the note.
The third example is The Maid on the Green.

This time, most of the cuts are on the beat, with on cut on the off-beat in bar 14.
The next example is the Trip to Athlone

In this tune, I place all the cuts on the beat.
Jerry's Beaver Hat

Again, all the cuts are on the beat.
The Cut in Hornpipes
The Cut in Hornpipes, Example 1
In the Harvest Home, I insert few cuts, as you can see below (I would however use rolls and taps, to be seen
later)
The next example is Dunphy's Hornpipe, which has more place for cuts, as well as being a nicer and more
complex melody than The Harvest Home.
The placing of cuts is again pretty obvious here, alternating the beat and offbeat. In bar 12 I prefer to separate
the two repeated Ds by tonguing rather than a cut.
Poll Ha'Penny
Here, I use cuts to separate high As in the second part.
The Cut in Reels
The Cut in Reels, Example 1
Here are some possibilities for cuts in The Shannon Breeze. In this tune, I don't use too many cuts, but will tend
to use more taps (seen later):

Cuts in Drowsy Maggie:
The Boyne Hunt

I don't use all the possible places for cuts, in order to leave space for more ornaments later.
Ornamentation 2 – The Tap
The tap is an ornament similar to the cut, in that it is a 1-note ornament similar to a grace -note, which is inserted
before a note, or between two notes.
The Tap – Fingering Chart

Note Written Fingering
B
Like the cut, the tap cut is a very rapid note, with no melodic or rhythmic value in itself; if executed properly, it
shouldn't sound like a melodic note.
It is a more “discreet” ornament than the cut, in that it is not as obvious and may often pass unnoticed.
Here is how I choose to notate the tap, similarly to the cut. (The fingering for this exercise is on the previous
page)
The tap is played by playing the note immediately below the note to be ornamented.
Use of the Tap

As with the cut, I use the tap in several different contexts.
Use of the Tap 1 : Separating two identical notes.
Like the cut, the tap is often used to separate two repeated notes. In my playing, I tend to use it in this context in
jigs, rather than reels or other tunes.
Here is the first part of Mulhare's Jig, showing possible uses of taps in this context:
I prefer to use taps rather than cuts to separate double notes in jigs, when the notes are the second and third in
the group of three, as above. (This is a personal, stylistic decision, as I know some players also use cuts here)
In practise, I wouldn't tap all the repeated notes as marked in the example; I'd more have a tendency to tongue
the majority, and tap one or two. I also tend to privilege taps played on the right hand G, F and E (another
personal decision)
I sometimes use a tap followed by a cut in this context, as in the opening bar of the Eavesdropper below:
In the example above, I have simply tongued the repeated Ds; in fact, I rarely ornament the D on the whistle.
Tap Exercise 1
Exercise in jig rhythm, following the examples above.
Tap Exercise 2
Use of the Tap 2 : On accented notes
I very often use taps rather than cuts on accented notes; they give a more “discreet” accent than the cuts, which
are more obvious. I use taps in this way either on the beat or off-beat, in all tune types.
Here is the opening bar of The Boyne Hunt, with cuts and accents as seen earlier. I have used a tap on the
second F in the first bar. Here, we have 4 accented beats, with three different elements used for the accent: 2
cuts, a tap, and articulation – giving an interesting and varied interpretation of what is in fact a basic melody.
Here is Mulhare's Jig, with taps separating notes as earlier, but also on the accented Gs:
The Eavesdropper, with some extra taps added in bars 2, 6 and 7 :
The second part of The Eavesdropper, with suggestions for both cuts & taps:
Tap Exercise 3
Tap Exercise 4
Tap Exercise 5
The Tap in Jigs
This section is a development of the previous section on cuts; the same tunes are used as examples, with
suggestions for placement of both cuts & taps.
The Tap in Jigs, Example 1
The first example is Mulhare's Jig:

I use taps to separate the repeated A and E notes in this tune; often the ornaments are in a “tap-cut” pattern, as
in bars 3 and 6
The second example is Coleman's Jig:

I use taps quite often on on the off beats in this tune, as in bars 1 & 4
The third jig is The Maid on the Green:

Here I use taps to separate the repeated Gs in bars 3 and 7.
The next example is the Trip to Athlone. I have added 2 taps, one in bar 2 in the “tap-cut” pattern seen earlier,
and one in bar 10.
Jerry's Beaver Hat

Here, I have taps on the off-beats in bars 3 and 6, and on the beat in bars 10 and 15
The Tap in Hornpipes
The Tap in Hornpipes, Example 1
Our first example is The Harvest Home
The next example is Dunphy's

Here, I use taps in bars 2, 7, 12 & 15
Poll Ha'Penny
Taps in bars 3, 7, 10, 15 & 16
The Tap in Reels
The Tap in Reels, Example 1- The Boyne Hunt
Here, I use taps to accent the offbeats in bars 1, 2 & 3
The Tap in Reels, Example 2 - The Shannon Breeze
The Tap in Reels, Example 3 - Maud Millar
I have added taps on G in bars 1, 3 & 12, and a tap on E in bar 12.
Ornamentation 3 – The Slide
The slide is a melodic ornament, usually used between two successive notes; it can also be used on isolated
notes, for example at the beginning of a tune.
The slide is played by sliding rather than lifting the finger between two adjoining notes, giving a portamento or
note-bending effect.
The Slide – Fingering Chart
The chart below is necessarily diagrammatic : slides are played in one smooth movement, between the initial
note and the end note. What should be heard is one smooth, ascending melodic note.

B - C sharp
B - C natural
A- B
G-A
The Slide - Fingering Chart (continued)
F-G
E-F
D-E
Here are all the slides above:
And an octave higher:
Use of the Slide
Use of the slide 1 : between consecutive notes
This is the simplest use of the slide, as outlined in the fingering chart above. A slide is used when the melody is
ascending, between two consecutive notes (by this I mean two notes that follow each other in the scale, like A –
B in the example below)
For example, here are the opening bars of Mulhare's Jig; I have put a slide between the final A of the first bar,
and the initial B of the second.
Here is the third line of Mulhare's Jig :
I have put a slide between the F and G of the final bar. Note the articulation : I tongue the beginning of the slide.
Listen to the difference between the two bars below: the first has a tongued G, without a slide; while the second
has the slide added also.
Here is the same idea used in Coleman's Jig: in the third bar, I have tongued a slide between the D and E :
Slide Exercise 1
In this exercise, the slide is on the last note of each group of three and should be played as quickly and
discreetly as possible.
Use of the slide 2 : on single notes
The use of the slide in this context is quite similar to that of the first example above, except that slides cen be
used on any single note, regardless of the melodic context (whether the melody is ascending or descending) and
regardless of the preceding note.
For example, here is the first line of Mulhare's Jig; I have put a slide on the final B of the third bar.
To play this slide, you need to first finger the A note, then quickly slide off to land on the B. It should be done as
quickly as possible, and sound as discreet as possible. I call this ornament a short slide, and find it quite similar
to the tap.
Listen to the example below: in the first bar, I use a tap on the B, in the second a slide:
Slide Exercise 2
In this exercise, the slide is on the first note of each group.
Slide Exercise 3
This time, the slide is on the last note of each group.
Note that slides are always done from below, even when the melody is descending, & the note
immediately preceding the note is higher :
For example, in the first bar of the previous exercise, the slide on A is always played G-A, and
never B-A
Use of the slide 3 : on long notes
What I call a long slide is used on longer notes, and the slide is more pronounced and less discreet than the
short slide above.
For example, here is the second part of Coleman's Jig, with a long slide on the opening G, and a short slide in
the third bar :
This longer slide should be used in moderation! As a rule of thumb I'd say once per tune.
Here is the final line of The Maid on the Green, with a long slide in the second bar:
Use of the slide 4 : C natural
The C natural is a note that is often given a unique colour on the Uilleann Pipes; this technique can be imitated
on the whistle, by using a half-holed fingering for the c natural, rather than the standard cross-fingering.
C Natural – Fingering
The diagram on the right shows the regular

and alternative fingering for c natural.
Thomas O'Cannain says that the C natural on the pipes is a note “with a distinctive sound and varying pitch”,
that is usually emphasised in performance. On the whistle, this note can also be emphasised, by employing a
sliding, half-holed fingering, that gives a note that is not constant in pitch.
The choice of fingering for the C natural depends on the melodic context of the note – whether the half-holed
fingering can be carried out. Here is the first line of the hornpipe Poll Ha'Penny, with half-holed C naturals in the
first bar:
In the descending phrase of the second bar, it is easier to place a cross-fingered C after the high D.
Here is the second line; this time I have used a half-holed C in the same descending motif, but have modified the
fingering of the high D to make the sequence easier and more fluid:
Note that this is not necessarily the “correct” fingering for the high D, but is quite OK in this context, on an
unaccented note.
Here is the full tune, with half-holed C naturals in bars 1, 7 & 15
The Slide in Hornpipes
The Slide in Hornpipes, Example 1
The first example is Dunphy's Hornpipe.

I have added a tongued slide on the opening G in the first bar; a slide on the high F in bar 6, and a half-holed C
natural in bar 15.
The Slide in Hornpipes, Example 2
The next example is Poll Ha'Penny, already seen above. Here I have added slides to the cuts & taps, in bars 1,
7 & 15.
The Slide in Jigs
The Slide in Jigs, Example 1
The first example is Mulhare's Jig, with slides in bars 2, 12 and 15.
The Slide in Jigs, Example 2
The next example is Coleman's Jig.
Here, I have used a slide on the opening B, and a long slide on the G in bar 11
The Slide in Reels
The Slide in Reels, Example 1- The Boyne Hunt
Slides in bar 3 & bar 11
The Slide in Reels, Example 2- The Shannon Breeze

Slides in bars 4 & 7
Ornamentation 4 – The Roll
The roll is a 5-note ornament, with the rhythmic value of the dotted crotchet.
It consists of the main note, followed by a cut and a tap.
Noted Played
The roll has a very precise rhythm which must be respected. The cut and tap must be precisely placed and
executed crisply, otherwise the roll will sound “muddy”.
Rolls are difficult ornaments to master, and take time and practice. I would advise beginning rolls one by one,
beginning with whichever you find easiest, and taking the time to master one before moving on to the next.
Fingering chart - Rolls
Note Notation Fingering Alt. Fingering

B
Use of the Roll
The roll can be used in place of a single long note, or group of notes.
Use of the Roll 1 – On Long Notes or Repeated Notes
Rolls on Long Notes
This is the most obvious use of the roll, where it is used to apply a rhythmic accent to long notes.
Here is the first line of The London Lasses, with rolls on the long Gs in bars 1 and 3
Writing out the rolls as cuts followed by taps gives us this:
Another example is Jim Ward's Jig, where again a long G can be replaced by a roll:
Remember, the system of variation still applies : rolls should not be applied systematically, to
every long note in the melody.
An example of non-use of rolls on long notes can be seen in the final bar of Mulhare's:
Here, following the above logic, we could add a roll on the final A; however, with the A already being repeated, I
prefer an interpretation like this (a tap followed by a cut):
Or simply with a cut, as seen earlier:
It's important to remember when using rolls that the tune also needs space to “breathe”, and that
variation and interest can just as easily be added by leaving things out as adding elements.
A tune with too many rolls will sound untidy and cluttered, especially if the rhythm of the rolls is
not 100% accurate.
Rolls on repeated notes
Rolls are also used to apply a rhythmic accent to repeated notes.

Look at the opening line of The London Lasses again; a roll can be played on the 2 G notes in bar 2:
Here, we are basically treating the repeated notes as one long G on which we can play a roll.
Another example is in Drowsy Maggie, where a roll is played over 2 repeated Es in bar 2:
Written out, it looks like this:
In the second part of Coleman's Jig, a roll can be played over 2 repeated Gs, as below:
In Maud Millar, we have 2 possibilities:
Use of the Roll 2 – Replacing Groups of Notes
The roll can also be used to replace a group of notes in a melody.

Here is the opening line of The Maid on the Green:
The opening GFG in the first bar can be replaced with a G roll. I notate it as follows:
* This notation isn't perfect, but I choose to use as it represents the “base” melody of the tune, while showing the
ornament and which notes it replaces
Here is Drowsy Maggie, with a B roll in place of BAB in bar 4:
In Jerry's Beaver Hat, we have 2 possibilities in the first line : an A roll in bar 3, and E in bar 4.
The Roll – Accent and Articulation
The roll can be interpreted and articulated differently, depending on where it falls : the first note of the roll can
either fall on or before a strong beat.
Roll Accent 1 – Roll Falls On the Beat

Here is the opening line of The London Lasses, as seen above. Note that the to G rolls fall on the beat, that is on
the first (strong) beat of each bar.
In this case there is only one choice of articulation : whether or not to tongue the first g note of the roll:
In general, in a context like this, the accent falls on the first note of the roll, as noted.
In the Maid on the Green, a G roll falls similarly, on the strong beat at the start of the tune:
Again the choice is whether to tongue the first note, or not:
Roll accent 2 – Roll Falls Before the Beat
In the Boyne Hunt below, a roll can be placed on the repeated E in the second bar:
Note that here, the first note of the roll falls before the strong beat, or between two beats. In this case we have
several choices of articulation:
(a) Non-accented roll
In this case, the roll is played without any particular accent or articulation; in the example below, the accent falls
on the beat before the roll:
(b) Accented roll (1)
The roll is played with the strong accent on the second note (the cut note) The note is accented by tonguing:
(c) Accented Roll (2)

The strong accent is still on the second note; the first and second notes are tongued
G Roll
G Roll – Fingering
G Roll – Exercise 1 – Jig Rhythm
G Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
G Roll – Exercise 3 – Reel Rhythm
G Roll Exercise 4 – Accented Roll (1)
G Roll Exercise 5 – Accented Roll (2)
G Roll Example – London Lasses
F Roll
F Roll – Fingering
F Roll – Exercise 1 – Jig Rhythm
F Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm 1
F Roll – Exercise 3 – Reel Rhythm 2
F Roll – Exercise 4 – Accented Roll (1)
F Roll Exercise 5 – Accented Roll (2)
F Roll Example – Roaring Mary
E Roll
E Roll – Fingering
E Roll – Exercise 1 – Jig Rhythm
E Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm 1
E Roll – Exercise 3 – Reel Rhythm 2
E Roll – Exercise 4 – Roll Accent (1)
E Roll – Exercise 5 – Roll Accent (2)
E Roll – Example – The Fermoy Lasses
A Roll
A Roll – Fingering
A Roll – Exercise 1 – Jig Rhythm
A Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm 1
A Roll – Exercise 3 – Reel Rhythm 2
A Roll – Exercise 4– Roll Accent (1)
A Roll – Exercise 5– Roll Accent (2)
A Roll – Example – The Silver Spear
B Roll
B Roll – Fingering
B Roll – Exercise 1 – Jig Rhythm
B Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
B Roll – Exercise 3 – Roll Accent (1)
B Roll – Exercise 4 – Roll Accent (2)
B Roll – Example – Toss The Feathers
The Roll in Reels
The Roll in Reels, Example 1- The London Lasses
This tune has several rolls on G, and a roll on B in bar 14.
The Roll in Reels, Example 2 - The Boyne Hunt
This tune has rolls on E, A and G. In bar 5, I group together the two A notes to make a long roll; likewise with the
two G notes at the beginning of bar 10.
The Roll in Reels, Example 3 - Anderson's Reel
This tune has rolls on F in the first part, with two rolls on A across the barlines in the second part.
The Roll in Reels, Example 4 – Maud Millar
Rolls on G in the second part. This tune has more space for short rolls, which will be covered later.
The Roll in Reels, Example 5 – The Redhaired Lass
This tune has rolls on G in the first part, with a roll on E replacing a group of notes in bar 11, and a roll on long B
in bar 15
The Roll in Reels, Example 6 – The Green Fields of Rossbeigh
This tune has several E rolls, with a B roll in Bar 10 and a G roll over a group of notes in bar 13.
The Roll in Reels, Example 7 – Roaring Mary
This tune is good for practicing rolls, with F and E rolls in the first part, and repeated G and F rolls over a few
bars in the second part. If you find there are too many rolls to play comfortably, leave some out!
The Roll in Reels, Example 8 – The Drunken Landlady
This tune has several E rolls in the first part, with a roll on A in bar 12
The Roll in Jigs
The Roll in Jigs, Example 1 – Coleman's Jig
One roll, on G in bar 9
The Roll in Jigs, Example 2 – Jerry's Beaver Hat
Rolls on E in bar 4, A in bar 7 and G in bar 13. Note that all rolls are replacing groups of notes.
The Roll in Jigs, Example 3 – The Maid on the Green
Rolls on G in bars 5 and 8
The Roll in Hornpipes
The Roll in Hornpipes, Example 1 – The Harvest Home
Rolls on the repeated A notes in bars 9 & 10.
The Roll in Hornpipes, Example 2 – Poll Ha'Penny
Rolls in bars 5, 9, 12 & 13
Ornamentation 5 – The Short Roll
The short roll is a 4-note ornament, with the rhythmic value of a crotchet. In contrast to the long roll, the short roll
begins with the cut rather than the main note.
Noted Played
Fingering chart – Short Rolls
Note Notation Fingering Alt. Fingering

B
Use of the Short Roll
Use of the Short Roll 1 – On Long Notes
The short roll can be used in place of a single crotchet. This is the most common use of the short roll; and it is
most commonly used in reels.
Here is the opening of The Redhaired Lass
I have used a short roll on the long G in the first bar, and a long roll between the first and second bars
Here is the same passage with the ornaments written out:
Here are the first bars of the second part of The Trip to Athlone, with a short roll on the first F:
And again with the ornamentation written out:
Here is the first part of Dunphy's Hornpipe; a short roll can be used on the G in the last bar:
Use of the Short Roll 2 – Replacing Groups of Notes
Like the long roll, the short roll can sometimes be used in this context.
Here is The Trip to Athlone again:
There is already a short roll in bar 1 of this extract; in bar 3 it is possible to use a short roll on F in place of the
first two notes (F & E) :
G Short Roll
G Short Roll – Fingering
G Short Roll – Exercise 1 – Reel Rhythm
G Short Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
G Short Roll – Exercise 3 – Jig Rhythm
G Short Roll – Exercise 4 – Jig Rhythm
G Short Roll – Example – The Sally Gardens
F Short Roll
F Short Roll – Fingering
F Short Roll – Exercise 1 – Reel Rhythm
F Short Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
F Short Roll – Exercise 3 – Jig Rhythm
F Short Roll – Exercise 4 – Jig Rhythm
F Short Roll – Example – The Carraroe Jig
E Short Roll
E Short Roll – Fingering
E Short Roll – Exercise 1 – Reel Rhythm
E Short Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
E Short Roll – Exercise 3 – Jig Rhythm
E Short Roll – Exercise 4 – Jig Rhythm
E Short Roll – Example – Drowsy Maggie
B Short Roll
B Short Roll – Fingering
B Short Roll – Exercise 1 – Reel Rhythm
B Short Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
B Short Roll – Exercise 3 – Jig Rhythm
B Short Roll – Exercise 4 – Jig Rhythm
B Short Roll – Example – Cregg's Pipes
A Short Roll
A Short Roll – Fingering
A Short Roll – Exercise 1 – Reel Rhythm
A Short Roll – Exercise 2 – Reel Rhythm
A Short Roll – Exercise 3 – Jig Rhythm
A Short Roll – Exercise 4 – Jig Rhythm
A Short Roll – Example – The Bag of Spuds
The Short Roll in Reels
The Short Roll in Reels, Example 1 – Maud Millar
In this tune I have added several short rolls – in bars 2, 6 & 10
The Short Roll in Reels, Example 2 – The Redhaired Lass
Short rolls on G in bars 1 & 5
The Short Roll in Reels, Example 3 – The Green Fields of Rossbeigh
Short roll on B in bar 5
The Short Roll in Reels, Example 4 – The Shannon Breeze
Short roll on G in bars 2 & 6; short roll on F in bar 5.
The Short Roll in Jigs
The Short Roll in Jigs, Example 1 – The Maid on the Green
Short roll on A in bar 10
The Short Roll in Jigs, Example 2 – The Trip to Athlone
Short roll on F in bar 9
The Short Roll in Jigs, Example 3 – Coleman's Jig
Short roll on G in bar 2
The Short roll in Hornpipes
The Short Roll in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's
Short roll on G at the end of bar 8, and in bar 11.
The Short Roll in Hornpipes, Example 2 – Poll Ha'Penny
Short rolls added in bars 1 (A) and 2 (G)
Ornamentation 6 – The Triplet
The triplet is a 3-note ornament, usually with three consecutive ascending or ascending notes. Triplets are
usually made up of melodic notes, rather than grace notes like cuts and taps. Triplets are most often used
between two melody notes a full tone apart. (Note that the rhythm is different to that of triplets in classical music)
The Triplet – Notation and Fingering
Written Played
The Triplet – Notation and Fingering (continued)
Written Played
The Triplet – Exercise 1
A series of ascending triplets in reel rhythm.
The Triplet – Exercise 2

Descending triplets, again in reel rhythm.
Use of the Triplet

The triplet is used in all tune types, most often when two notes are a tone apart.
Here is the frist part of Maud Millar, with ascending (BCD) and descending (BAG) triplets in bars 2 & 4:
Note that triplets are either used on the beat or on the offbeat, and not between beats: for example in bar 1 of
Maud Millar above, it's not possible to substitute the d and B for a descending dcB triplet.
Here is the second part of the same tune, with descending bag & agf triplets towards the end:
Here is the second part of Anderson's Reel, with two possible uses of Bcd triplets:
The second part of Coleman's Jig, with two possible uses of Bcd triplets:
FED Triplets on D
One particular use of the triplet is as an ornament on a long D, replacing the cran (which will be seen later)
Written Played
A tune that uses FED triplets is the Floating Crowbar. Here is the opening line:
And the opening line with the triplets written out:
The Red Haired Lass can also use FED triplets, in the second part as below:
The Triplet in Reels
The Triplet in Reels, Example 1 – The Floating Crowbar
This tune has FED triplets in bars 1-2 and 5-6, a Bcd triplet in bar 13 and gfe in bar 15.
The Triplet in Reels, Example 2 – Maud Millar
This tune has an ascending Bcd triplet in bar 6, and descending bag in bar 15
The Triplet in Reels, Example 3 – The Drunken Landlady
This tune has FED triplets in bars 3 and 11.
The Triplet in Jigs
The Triplet in Jigs, Example 1 – Coleman's Jig
This tune has triplets in bars 12 & 15.
The Triplet in Jigs, Example 2 – The Maid on the Green
One Bcd triplet in bar 4.
The Triplet in Hornpipes
The Triplet in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's
This tune has an FGA triplet in bar 3 and a Bcd triplet in bar 13.
Ornamentation 7 – The Bounce
The bounce is a percussive 2-note ornament, similar to the tap. It is also known as a “strike” or “tap”; I prefer the
term “bounce” which was coined by flute player June McCormack (Fliuit, p12)
The Bounce – Fingering Chart

B
The bounce is easiest to play when the note preceding it is higher than the note being bounced. It must be
executed as quickly and snappily as possible, giving a percussive effect.
Use of the Bounce

The bounce is used in all tune types, on shorter notes (quavers). It can be used on the beat, offbeat or on
unaccented notes.
Use of the Bounce 1 – On Accented Notes
(a) On the beat

Here is the second part of the Shannon Breeze, with possibilities for bounces in bars 2 & 3 :
In each case the note preceding the bounce is higher.
Here is the second part of Coleman's Jig; here we have 4 possibilities for using bounces on accented notes.
The Bounce – Exercise 1
This exercise is in reel rhythm, with bounces on the accented notes.

Same exercise

Jig rhythm, with bounces on accented notes
(b) On the off-beat
Here is the second part of Anderson's Reel, where it is possible to use bounces on almost all of the offbeats:
Here is the Maid on the Green, with bounces on the off-beats:

Reel rhythm, with bounces on the off-beat

Jig rhythm, with bounces on the accented off-beats
Use of the Bounce 2 – On Non-Accented Notes
The bounce can also be used on notes that are not accented; in this case it must be carried out as discreetly as
possible.
Here is the Maid on the Green again, with possible bounces on non-accented notes:
Be careful not to use too many ornaments on non-accented notes. A possible interpretation of the first line above
would be the following:
We have three repetitions of the notes gfg, in bars 1, 2 and 3. In the first, I have used a bounce on the non-
accented f, the second a cut on the first G and in the third a roll.
The Bounce in Reels
The Bounce in Reels, Example 1 – The Redhaired Lass
I have added bounces in bars 3 (a cut on G followed by a bounce on F) and 12.
The Bounce in Reels, Example 2 – The Green Fields of Rossbeigh
Bounces in bars 13 & 15.
The Bounce in Reels, Example 3 – The Shannon Breeze
I have added bounces in bars 1, 3 & 8
The Bounce in Reels, Example 4 – The Boyne Hunt
One bounce on A in bar 12
The Bounce in Jigs
The Bounce in Jigs, Example 1 – Coleman's Jig
Bounces in bars 7, 12 & 14.
The Bounce in Jigs, Example 2 – The Maid on the Green
Bounces in bars 13 & 15
The Bounce in Hornpipes
The Bounce in Hornpipes, Example 1 – Dunphy's Hornpipe
One bounce added in bar 14.
Ornamentation 8 – The Cran
The cran is an ornament that is originally from the uilleann pipes, and is specific to the note D (and sometimes
the E). It is used in place of the roll, which is not possible on the D. A cran can be played with two or three grace
notes, as illustrated below.
The Cran – Notation and Fingering
(a) Cran with two grace notes
Written Played
This cran is similar in rhythm to the roll:
(b) Cran with three grace notes
Written Played
This cran has an extra note, but the same musical value of a dotted crotchet:
The Cran – Exercise 1
2-grace note cran in reel rhythm.

2-grace note cran in jig rhythm.

3-grace note cran in reel rhythm.

3-grace note cran in jig rhythm.
Use of the Cran
I use the cran mainly on low Ds, in all types of tunes. The cran can also be played on E, or on high D.
Here is the Floating Crowbar; we saw earlier how to ornament the low Ds in the first bars with FED triplets;
crans can also be used here.
Like the roll, the cran can also be used in place of groups of notes, as in I Buried My Wife and Danced on her
Grave below, where crans are used in bars 1 & 5:
Crans can also be used on high Ds, as in The Redhaired Lass below.
The Cran in Reels
The Cran in Reels, Example 1 – The Repeal of the Union
There are four crans notated in part 1; this is just to illustrate the four possible uses; in practice I would choose
one or two of the four.
The Cran in Reels, Example 2 – Boil the Breakfast Early
Crans in bars 1, 3 & 5
The Cran in Jigs
The Cran in Jigs, Example 1 – The Blarney Pilgrim
Crans can be used at the end of each part.
The Cran in Jigs, Example 2 – The Carraroe Jig
A cran can be used here to replace the opening notes of bar 1.
Ornamentation 9 – Combining Ornaments
Tap & Cut
I use this combination most often on crotchets, to replace a short roll, usuallly when the melody is descending. It
is like a “reverse short roll”, that starts with the tap rather than the cut:
Tap & Cut - notation
I use this combination in the Maid on the Green, on the long E notes in bars 1 and 14:
Slide and Cut
I use this combination mostly on long notes, especially on F and G. It can also be used on short notes.
To play this combination, I start with the cut, and then slide up to the note. It is easiest on notes that can be cut
with the left hand – that is, the notes E, F and G.
I prefer to notate this ornament with the letters SC above the note:
Slide & Cut - notation
I use this ornament in the London Lasses, on the long G in bar 13:
Slide and Roll
A slide can also be placed with a long roll. In this case, the slide is played quickly to land on the note to be rolled.
I notate this by using both the slide and roll symbols:
Slide & Roll - notation
I use this ornament in bar 10 of the Boyne Hunt:
Tap and Roll
A tap can be played just before a roll, as in the slide + roll ornament above.
Tap & Roll - notation
I use this ornament in bar 9 of Coleman's Jig:
Ornamentation 10 - Staccato Triplets
One fairly recent development in whistle playing is what I call the “staccato triplet”. This is a tongued triplet that
can be used as an ornament, in place of a roll. I use this triplet quite seldom in my playing, and almost always to
replace a roll on a note where a roll is impossible – a C or high D, for example.
To play a tongued triplet, three identical notes are played using a T-K-T tonguing pattern; this pattern lets the
triplet be played faster than if using the usual “T” articulation for a triplet.
Here is an example of a tongued triplet in a reel; this can be used to replace a cran or triplet on high d:
I use this ornament very seldom in my playing; one possibility is to replace the crans on high d in bars 9 & 10 of
Toss The Feathers :
Ornamentation 11 – Summary
We have have now covered the principal ornaments on the Irish whistle. To summarise, here are some of the
main points to remember.
• Ornamentation is used to enhance the rhythm of the tune
• It mustn't obstruct the melody or break the rhythm of the tune.
• Ornaments must be executed as “snappily” as possible
• Ornaments should be used in the right places
The learning of ornamentation has two aspects : the technical – how to properly play the ornaments; and the
stylistic – how to use or place the ornaments with respect to the musical style. The technical side can be covered
by using the exercises and tunes in this book, whereas the stylistic side is best integrated by as much listening
as possible : to recordings of whistle players, identifying the types of ornaments they use, and where. One
recording I particularly recommend for this is Donncha O'Briain's album, re-released and currently available on
CD.
• Learning ornamentation is a long process, and can't be rushed. I would advise beginning with the
simplest ornaments – cuts and taps – only when you have a repertoire of tunes that you can play well,
without reference to sheet music or recordings, and in rhythm (although not necessarily up to tempo).
• Work on the ornamentation exercises as slowly and as deliberately as possible, and do the ornaments
one at a time. You might be impatient to start, but in my experience rushing the process will just mean
having to come back and redo it all later!
• Try to be systematic in your learning; when you feel you are competent in one element, move onto the
next. You may choose to follow the order of this book, or not: for example you could also learn
ornaments note-by-note – the cut on G, followed by the G tap, followed by the G roll, and so on.
Unit 13 – Other tunes
Polka
Polkas are fast rhythmic tunes in 2/4 time. Because they are quite simple melodically, they are often among the
first tunes taught to beginners. They can be deceptively easy, though, and although their melody is usually easy
to memorise, the rhythm can be hard to manage – in general I find them ill-suited to the whistle.
Polkas and slides are most common in the South of Ireland, especially in Cork and Kerry.
Polkas present little opportunity for ornamentation; in the example below, Denis Murphy's, I use mostly cuts,
with some taps and bounces.
Slide
A slide is a fast rhythmic tune similar to a jig, but with notes grouped by two in a long-short pattern. With polkas,
they are common in Cork and Kerry.
Like polkas, slides are quite simple melodically, with less scope for interpretation or ornamentation than more
complex tunes.
O'Keefe's Slide
Slip Jig
A slip jig is a type of jig in 9/8 time – it has three rather than two main beats in each bar. In interpretation it can be
treated like a jig.
A Fig for a Kiss
Set Dance
A set dance is a type of dance tune with a hornpipe or jig rhythm. Each tune had its own particular dance, which
was used to showcase the dancing master's or his student's skills. Today, set dances are most often played in a
non-dance context.
Set dances are unusual in having the second part longer than the first, as in the example below, The Blackbird,
which can be played in a hornpipe rhythm.
Barn Dance
A barn dance is a type of dance similar to a hornpipe, that was a popular social ballroom dance up to the 50's.
They are generally less complex than hornpipes, with more quaver movement. This tune is called The Curlew
Hills
Unit 14 – Playing in different
keys
The majority of tunes in the Irish traditional repertoire can be easily played on the D whistle. There is a small
minority of tunes that will require some adaptation, depending on the key of the tune.
Keys like A or D minor can be more difficult to manage on the whistle, as they have the notes G sharp and F
natural respectively; these notes are not part of the D whistle's normal scale and must be played either by half-
covering holes, or by cross-fingering.
Half-holing
Half-holing means half-covering a hole to obtain a semitone; the notes you are most likely to meet are G sharp
and F natural.
To play a G sharp, play a G normally, then half open the G hole. This gives an approximate note, and can be
easy or hard to place depending on the tune.
To play an F natural, play an E then half-open the second hole.
Cross-fingering
Cross fingering is also worth mentioning, although it is more or less reliable, depending on your specific whistle.
A note that is often cross-fingered is the C natural; otherwise you can try a G sharp by playing an A, and
covering the bottom three holes of the whistle; this may or may not give an approximation of the note (on some
instruments it can work quite well, on others not at all).
Example – The Cook in the Kitchen
This jig has several F naturals in the first part (Bars 2 & 6)
Whistles in Different Keys
A simple way to play tunes in more difficult keys is by using a different-keyed whistle. For example, a tune in D
minor can be played in E minor on a C whistle, and will sound at the right pitch.
The Broken Pledge is a reel in D minor; it can be played on the D whistle, by half-holing the F natural, as in the
notation below:
It can also be played on the C whistle, by transposing it up one tone. As the D whistle sounds a tone lower than
the D, it will sound in the right key
Unit 15 – Playing Irish Music
Repertoire
There is a vast repertoire of tunes in Irish traditional music. In the early 1900's, Francis O'Neill published 2
collections of over 1000 Irish tunes, and today there exist many thousands (it is difficult to put an exact number
on the tunes in the repertoire, as tunes are constantly being composed, modified, or “imported” from other
traditions).
In the days before the advent of mass communication and easy travel, many localities had their own specific
style and repertoire; today, these have become somewhat “universalised” . Many tunes that were once part of a
distinctive local repertoire have been adapted by the tradition as a whole – a good example is the music of East
Galway or Clare. The result of this is that the repertoire accessible to the learner is now enormous, compared to
the specifically localised styles of the past – some sort of conscious, stylistic choice is necessary to come to
grips with this mass of information.
Choosing your repertoire

Choosing a repertoire – what tunes to learn – involves some conscious reflection on the part of the learner, much
like the choice of style or interpretation or the tunes themselves.
Although local repertoires are much less significant, there is still a responsibility of choice on the learner, based
on their experiences, contact with other musicians and personal style and preferences. Here are a few pointers
regarding choice of tunes to learn:
Standards
In the beginning I would strongly advise to learn “standard” or common tunes as much as possible. “The
standards” are often neglected by newcomers to the tradition, who sometimes tend to choose more obscure or
exotic tunes, that they see as richer melodically.
Having a good repertoire of standards under your belt has definite advantages, however:
• The standards are the “bricks and mortar” of the tradition; the more you learn, the easier it will be to
learn even more; many of the same tropes and patterns return again and again throughout these tunes,
making them easier to memorise and interpret the further one goes – learning one tune can often “open
the door” to learning several others.
• Learning standards will also develop your ear; there are many tunes that, with a bit of experience, can
be picked up very quickly, often on the first or second “go”.
• If you are learning this music, logically it is to one day play with others. Having a solid basic repertoire of
standard tunes can be your “passport” to playing in sessions, even with musicians you have never met:
standard tunes are often the common ground between musicians playing together for the first time.
• Finally, and perhaps most importantly, as these standard tunes are an integral part of the tradition, they
are also a logical entry point to this tradition – to learning the traditional style, idioms and expression.
Most of the tunes covered in this book are part of the standard repertoire, and have been chosen for their
relative ease of interpretation on the whistle. Once you feel comfortable with all or most of these tunes, you can
source new tunes elsewhere.
Sources of tunes
You can source new tunes from albums, music collections, other musicians or online. Here are a few pointers
towards sourcing tunes:
• Inasmuch as possible, try to source tunes from older players or recordings, rather than the latest jazzy
composition on the latest “hit” album; this is not a reflection on new compositions, many of which are
excellent, but rather a pointer towards music that has a sure footing in the tradition.
• It's also a good idea to source a tune from recognised musicians or stylists : for example, on the whistle,
Mary Bergin springs immediately to mind.
• Always learn a tune from an audio rather than a sheet music source; if you do decide to use sheet
music, use it in conjunction with an audio source. And remember, the audio source takes precedent over
the sheet music! If you find, as is often the case, that the written music does not exactly match the
version on your recording, change it!
Researching tunes
When learning a new tune, try to research where it has been played, and by whom. A good tool for this is Alan
Ng's database at .irishtune.info. Another useful tool is the website thesession.org, which gives a list of recordings
for any given tune, as well as alternative titles. Although thesession.org features sheet music in ABC format, I
would strongly advise making your own transcriptions of new tunes, from recordings, rather than learning directly
from online sheet music sources (this isn't a reflection on the sources themselves, many of which can be
excellent)
When researching tunes, try to find as many interpretations as possible before deciding on one particular
version to learn. The sources of your tunes can be as important as the tunes themselves in your repertoire,
particularly if you have a slightly different or unusual setting of a particular tune.
Versions of tunes
Some tunes exist in several different versions; and no two musicians will play a tune exactly the same note-for-
note; when possible, try to listen to as many different interpretations of a tune as possible, before settling on one
version to learn (this may be more or less possible, depending on your music collection or access to recorded
music; when this isn't possible, try to learn a version from a recognised player).
Types of tunes and instrumental repertoire
It may be stating the obvious, but jigs and reels are the “bread-and-butter” of Irish music; you should be learning
mostly these tune types. If you find yourself with a repertoire consisting of 20 mazurkas & waltzes, and one reel,
there's a problem somewhere...
It is also important to choose tunes that are suited to your own instrument – that is, from whistle and flute
players. There are many tunes from the fiddle traditions of Donegal and Clare, for example, that are very difficult
to interpret on the whistle. Try to choose tunes that fall under your fingers the best – this is done by
experimenting.
Style
As you advance in your technique and appreciation of the music, you will begin to discover your own personal
style. This takes time, work, and like repertoire-building, some conscious decisions on the part of the learner.
Style is... the consistent application of musical devices and concepts in different music-making
situations
E. Grasso - Melodic variation in the instrumental dance music tradition of Ireland
Finding your own style is in part a discovery, of what style you naturally tend towards, and part decision – you
may decide to take your influence from one particular musician or regional style. What is important in the above
definition is the idea of consistency, which in my opinion needs to be applied to both style and repertoire.
Again, research is important – try to listen to as many players as possible – both on whistle, and other
instruments.
Staccato vs legato styles
It can be difficult to qualify or quantify “style” in Irish music; for the sakes of simplicity we will say that whistle
playing can be broadly be separated into two styles – staccato and legato. Rather than being a strict separation,
there is a continuum between the two: between using almost no tonguing and playing in a very fluid style, to the
very staccato style that has been gaining in popularity recently.
As I have already said, it is my opinion that it is better to stick to a more legato style, with use of tonguing to add
accent, at least in the beginning. This may be the more conservative of the two styles, but it is more in keeping
with the general tradition of legato playing. Tonguing can and indeed should be used, but in the context of
general legato playing. Again, your best tool is your ears: listen to as many whistle players as possible, paying
particular attention to where they are situated on the staccato-legato continuum.
“Lift” and “swing”
“Lift” and “swing” are two terms often used when speaking of Irish traditional music; I've often had students
asking how to play Irish music “with the proper swing”.
In my opinion, the two terms are not interchangeable. Without getting bogged down in definitions, I view “lift” as
the combination of elements which make the music “danceable” - in the case of what we've seen so far in this
book, “lift” in the music results in the combination of all the different elements of rhythm, phrasing, note accent,
ornamentation and interpretation that we've covered. Lift can be a nebulous term, quite difficult to define, and
difficult to say exactly how it comes about (although it's easy to say if a particular performance “has a lovely lift”,
or even has “no lift” at all).
I see “swing”, on the other hand, as a concrete and definable rhythmic element, distinct from lift. We saw in Unit
11 that “swing” is a performance practice in which equal notes are performed in a long-short rhythm. In my
opinion, “swing” is part of the individual interpretation of the tune, and is not in itself synonymous with “lift”.
Whether to play with a marked swing, or very little, is one of the choices you will need to make as regards your
own style.
Other stylistic choices
As already mentioned, Irish traditional music is a fast dance music; however the notion of tempo is also quite
fluid, both between regional styles and personal styles. Music from Sligo, for example, tends to be a lot faster
than the music of Clare; as far as individual styles go, the music of Micho Russell is slower than that of Mary
Bergin. My own playing is towards the slower end of the tempo spectrum; rather than being a really conscious
decision, this is a natural preference to which I have slowly migrated over the years, and while I appreciate fast
rhythmic music, am much more comfortable playing slower.
The choice, use and placement of ornamentation is also a stylistic decision, and can also differ from region to
region – again, comparing Clare and Sligo, Clare music in general tends to be more sparsely ornamented.
Regional styles are perhaps much less marked in recent years, giving way to more personal styles – on the
whistle, for example, Mary Bergin, Sean Ryan and Micho Russell have three very different, marked individual
styles (incidentally, and in my opinion, Mary Bergin's style has become somewhat the “standard” whistle style in
the tradition at large, and is an excellent starting point for newcomers).
There is also a distinction between “traditional” and more “modern” of contemporary styles, as for example the
group Flook; it is my opinion that it is best to seek influence from more traditional styles and players, at least in
the beginning, when you are “finding your feet” in the traditional idiom. Forward momentum and innovation is a
natural part of the tradition, and always has been; however to make a meaningful progression to a more modern
style, I feel it is necessary to first appreciate, understand and put into practice what is “traditional”. Thus, if you
do decide to adapt a modern style, the progression and change is “from within”, more meaningful and lasting,
rather than being mere imitation of the latest big thing.
Conscious Choices
All of the above involves a conscious reflection and choice on the part of the learner; learning Irish traditional
music is thus a participation in the tradition as a whole, and not a simple learning off of a list of tunes.
Irish musicians in general don't tend to intellectualise about their music, particularly in a performance context
such as a session; there is often a lot happening but not much being said. Many of the technical and stylistic
elements of the music are not formalised, but picked up by demonstration and imitation. Everything I have
mentioned is an implicit part of the music, that may not be obvious at first glance but is nonetheless essential,
and which demands a constant reflection and questioning on the part of the learner. Often, it is difficult to have
100% concrete answers to your questions, which is normal too, particularly for those who have no access to
traditional music in a performance or teaching context with “tradition-bearing” musicians.
Again I return to the idea of listening, as closely as possible to as much music as possible. If you're unsure about
a certain stylistic or interpretive element – if it has been done before, by a musician who is himself part of the
tradition, then you can safely incorporate it. If you can't find a precedent, leave it out!
Learning by Ear
Learning by ear is central to Irish traditional music, which is indeed a living, orally-transmitted tradition.
Advantages of learning by ear
Learning by ear may seem difficult and even daunting at first, but it does have definite long-term advantages.
• It will help develop your musical memory, and greatly aid you in the learning of new tunes. Learning by
ear ties in perfectly to the listening and appreciation of Irish music discussed in Unit 8; once you begin
learning tunes on your instrument, it becomes impossible to listen “passively”.
• I find that tunes that I have learned by ear are “fixed” in memory much more than tunes that I learn from
sheet music; with a bit of experience, written tunes can be played straight away, but are forgotten just as
quickly!
• You will be more flexible and adaptable in your playing; if for example you play with someone who does
not have, note-for-note, the same version as you, it will be much easier to adapt “on the fly”. A tune
learned from a written source alone is much more rigid, and it can be more difficult to depart from the
initial version.
How to learn by ear
• Start by listening to the tune as much as possible. Close listening is important to appreciate the patterns
in and structure of the tune – this returns to what I discussed in Unit 8
• Once you can “sing” the melody in your head, start learning the tune by playing along with the
recording; it will probably be necessary to pause the recording every couple of bars or beats, depending
on the difficulty of the tune. Break the tune down into manageable “chunks”, that you can learn one-by-
one. Don't skip over difficult parts – return to them until you have them right. It may be helpful to keep a
pen & paper handy to note down more difficult passages, or even the whole tune.
• Try to play through the tune from memory, returning to the recording if necessary for passages you have
forgotten. You'll certainly have to do this a few times.
• Finally, when you can play through the tune completely from memory, and feel comfortable with it, return
to the source recording one last time, to check your version against what you learned from – often you
will find that you have made some changes, consciously or not! If you're not sure whether these changes
are valid, best stick to the recorded version.
Learning a tune in this way is much more time-consuming than simply playing a tune off from sheet music,
however it is sure to bear its fruit and be of a benefit in the long run.
Using Sheet Music
Notation is... a map to which the player must travel by their own taste, ingenuity and communally
derived aesthetics in order to play the piece “properly”
Companion to Irish Traditional Music, p 258
Sheet music can be a useful tool, once used properly and once the user has an understanding of the style of
music for which it is written. There are some important things to remember when using sheet music :
• Firstly, the written notes only represent an approximation of the tune, or the bare bones of the melody.
Sheet music in the Irish tradition is a sort of shorthand or memory aid, and should not be interpreted like
sheet music in classical music, which presents all the “instructions” necessary for the correct
interpretation of the piece.
• The written note is always subordinate to the performance of the tune; if you have a written and
recorded version of the same tune, always go with the recorded version.
Irish traditional music has its own unique idioms and patterns which can be very difficult or impossible to
translate into musical notation (an example is rhythm – notes noted equally as quavers in jigs and reels do not
have the same rhythmic value). An intimate knowledge of these idioms – of the musical style – is absolutely
necessary to interpreting notated Irish music, especially without a corresponding audio source.
Playing in public
Sessions
A session is an informal gathering of musicians, playing tunes with no prearranged program or setlist. A session
may seem at first like a friendly free-for-all, but as a cultural phenomenon, they do have some quite rigidly
codified rules, which although not explicit must be respected. Here are some tips to surviving your first sessions!
– A session is based on group participation, not individual performance. If you get called on to start a tune,
it's best in this respect to choose tunes that you think others will know, and always play "sets" rather
than individual tunes. Don't try to impress with your exotic repertoire that nobody else can play; rather try
to participate and include people.
– A session is not for trying to learn tunes, but for playing tunes that you already know. You may find
yourself sitting out some or even most of the sets in the session – this is completely normal in a music in
which the repertoire extends to over 10,000 tunes, and it is something that everybody goes through. It's
important not to feel demotivated at this stage – rather than focusing on what you don't know,
concentrate on the tunes that you do, and play them well.
– The standard rules of politeness also apply to a session! When joining a session, always ask if you may
participate. The answer will almost always be yes, but nonetheless it's polite to ask. Communicate with
others – by saying what you intend to play, for example. Respect other players and be attentive to what
is going on – for example, don't launch into a tune if it looks like somebody else might be going to.
– Be realistic – will your participation really add to the session? Is your own playing proficient enough to
keep up? Are there already one or more whistle players, and is another really necessary?
– Don't be intimidated! Everybody has to start somewhere, and most musicians will be and should be
understanding of you finding your feet, once you in turn are respectful of the company and the music
itself.
Sourcing music
I have spoken of the importance of listening to as much Irish traditional music as possible. It can take time to
build a music collection, not to mention the expense. Here are some invaluable online sources with top-quality
music available for free:
Comhaltas Live
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is a non-profit organisation involved in the preservation and transmission of Irish
music. Its excellent Comhaltas Live programme features musicians both amateur and professional from around
the world:
Website: comhaltas.ie/music/programmes
Na Píobairí Uilleann Source

The online archive of Na Píobairí Uilleann, the Irish organisation for the promotion of the uilleann pipes. Features
many excellent concerts of uilleann pipers, and other instruments.
Website: source.pipers.ie
ITMA Digital Library

The online library of the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin, with audio and video files as well as texts and
photographs.
Website: itma.ie/digitallibrary/
In addition to these sites, the radio station Clare FM provides weekly podcasts of it's traditional music
programmes, with 5 programmes to download per week.
Website: clare.fm/music/
Unit 16 – Putting It Together 2
Learning and playing tunes

By the end of this tutor, you should have a basic repertoire of common whistle tunes, and will hopefully be well
on your way to learning many more! As with all the material covered in this book, it is important to take your time
in learning tunes, paying attention to detail. If you use sheet music, I advise using it in moderation, as an
occasional memory aid rather than a "crutch", and always with an audio source. Never perform music from sheet
music; it just doesn't "look right"!
As soon as you know a few tunes, try putting them into sets of at least two, and try to vary your sets as much as
possible – for example, playing a set of two random tunes each time. This is important for two reasons – firstly, it
will get you used to playing and managing your breathing for longer periods of time, and secondly it will get you
used to changing between tunes without losing the rhythm or forgetting melody. In sets, tunes are played at least
twice each, and sometimes three times – a good exercise is to choose a set of three jigs or reels, and play them
start to finish, three times each.
Practising
As mentioned in part one, you will benefit most from regular practice, even if only for short periods. Ideally, you
should make some time to practice each day, and work to a plan – choosing one element to work at for a
particular period, and choosing your tunes accordingly. For example, a reel such as Silver Spear can be used to
work on the A roll.
Be careful not to work too fast, or to take on too much – this is easier said than done! Although the prospect of
learning new tunes may be exciting, you will gain much more by working slowly and methodically – patience and
determination will pay out in the long run. It can be useful to use a practice chart to set yourself definite goals,
and keep track of your progress. To gain the most from limited time, try to pick out where you have problems –
this may range to the general, such as a particular tune type, to the specific, such as one passage in a certain
tune – and organise your practice accordingly. This can be done by recording yourself and listening back, to
realistically asses your own strengths and weaknesses, in order to maximise your strengths, and of course
minimise the weaknesses.
Practise can be organised in advance – for example by listening to the tunes you plan to learn. One way is to
make playlists or discs of tune selections you like, to listen to over a long period – when you begin to learn the
tunes one-by-one, the melody will already be firmly anchored in memory.
Unit 17 – Tunes
This final unit contains a selection of 40 further tunes to learn, based on the lessons in this book. All tunes have
examples of ornaments notated.
Jigs Reels Hornpipes

The Haunted House The Skylark The Home
Ruler
The Rose in the Heather The Ashplant
Kitty's Wedding
The Kilavil Jig Jackie Coleman's
The Boys of
The Ship in Full Sail Ships are Sailing
Bluehill
Saddle the Pony Sheehan's
The Humours of Glendart Over the Moor to Maggie
Out on the Ocean The Heather Breeze
The Leitrim Jig Lady Ann Montgomery
The Frost is All Over The Teetotaller
The Rambling Pitchfork St. Anne's Reel
Pay the Reckoning The Cup of Tea
Club Céili Silver Spear
The Battering Ram The Humors of Tulla
The Blackthorn Stick Green Mountain
The Mist On The Meadow Miss Monaghan
The Monaghan Jig Sean Reid's
The Wind That Shakes The
Barley
Micho Russell's
The Earl's Chair
The Galway Rambler
The Haunted House
The Rose in the Heather
The Killavil Jig
The Ship in Full Sail
Saddle the Pony
The Humours of Glendart
Out on the Ocean
The Leitrim Jig
The Frost is all Over
The Rambling Pitchfork
Pay the Reckoning
Club Céilí
The Battering Ram
The Blackthorn Stick
The Mist on the Meadow
The Monaghan Jig
The Skylark
The Ashplant
Jackie Coleman's
Ships are Sailing
Sheehan's
Over the Moor to Maggie
The Heather Breeze
Lady Ann Montgomery
The Teetotaller
Saint Anne's
The Cup of Tea
The Silver Spear
The Humours of Tulla
The Green Mountain
Miss Monaghan
Sean Reid's
The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Micho Russell's
The Earl's Chair
The Galway Rambler
The Home Ruler
Kitty's Wedding
The Boys of Bluehill
Appendix 1 – Troubleshooting
Some common problems and their solutions.
Sound
If your whistle doesn't sound right, first of all eliminate the instrument itself as a possibility. If you have a mass-
produced instrument with a moulded plastic head, there may be some jagged pieces of plastic from the moulding
process left in or around the windway. These can be removed with some fine sandpaper or a small file ; be
careful when when sanding, not to damage the windway itself.
A second cause could be your fingering – if a hole is not properly covered and leaking, it can cause the sound to
crack. You can find out which finger is causing problems by playing a descending scale from C# ; the sound will
be lost at the offending finger.
Tuning
Your whistle may sound sharp (too high) or flat (too low). With a tuneable whistle, tuning is simple – you slide the
head out (lengthening the whistle) to lower the sound, and slide it in (shortening the whistle) to raise it. It's
usually better when possible to tune to a fixed instrument, such as a piano or keyboard, and tune to the A or G
note.
If you have a mass-produced whistle, the plastic head may be glued and impossible to move. In this case, put
the whistle head-down in a cup of boiling water to soften the glue. The head can then be removed, the glue
cleaned and you will have a tuneable whistle !
If the head slides too easily, a twist or two of plumber's teflon tape will tighten up the joint.
Rhythm and tempo

Irish music in general is played quite fast ; however, when learning, it is vital to resist the temptation to play too
quickly. Playing faster than you are able will result in a whole list of other problems, and you will pick up bad
habits that you will have to undo later.
It is important to play at a tempo that suits your ability ; once you have some tunes under your belt, an interesting
way to check this is to record yourself and listen back some time later (the next day for example). Whatever the
tempo, if the playing sounds rushed or hurried, you are playing too fast for comfort, and need to slow down ! It's
always best to play at a slow to moderate tempo, with a steady rhythm.
You may encounter some difficulties in keeping a steady rhythm, whatever your tempo. The rhythm needs to be
internalised, so you can keep a steady rhythm to your own internal beat, without relying on other players or
external sources - this takes time, effort and critical evaluation of your own playing. In my opinion, using a tool
like a metronome or backing track may seem like it's helping at first, but will cause more problems than it solves
– like using a crutch to learn to walk !
You can solve your rhythm problems by practising, and playing, slowly and deliberately. Work on tunes section-
by-section and bar-by-bar until they are fully memorised. If you are unsure of a tune, the rhythm will certainly
suffer. Try to listen critically to your own playing, by recording if necessary, and isolate where you have problems.
And, especially, don't forget that learning takes time ! I would measure the learning period in years rather than
weeks or months...
Learning tunes
If you experience some difficulties memorising tunes, it is important not to become reliant on sheet music, which
like the metronome can become a crutch. Before starting any tune, make sure you have memorised the melody
by repeated listening, and can sing it, vocally or in your head. Use the sheet music only as a memory aid from
one practice session to the next, and never in place of an audio source.
When learning tunes, it is also important to work slowly and deliberately, taking tunes piece-by-piece until you
are completely familiar with them. The work takes time, but can't be rushed. If you do take your time as
neccessary, this will make the difference between having a vague or an 'intimate' knowledge of the tunes. This
intimate knowledge is vital for playing in rhythm, in the right style and in applying variations on-the-fly.
Ornamentation
One common issue with ornamentation is that it sounds blurred or indistinct, rather than crisp and rhythmic. If
this is the case, it is probably because you are playing too fast.
When working on ornamentation, play each ornament as deliberately and as slowly as possible ; it can be more
difficult to execute an ornament in rhythm at a very slow tempo, so this is excellent practice. Aim for precision in
your finger movements at any tempo, rather than trying to play faster at all costs. Practice ornaments in tunes, in
exercises and also alone, and don't hesitate to isolate longer ornaments such as rolls into their constituent parts.
This covers the principal problems I have encountered in my teaching ; as you can see, most problems can be
solved by working slowly and giving yourself time to assimilate and consistently reproduce the sometimes
difficult elements that make up this music. Nothing is ever to be gained by rushing the process.
Appendix 2 – Reading Music
In this unit I will deal with the basics of music notation, as used in this tutor, and in Irish traditional music. These
basics are enough to read any of the sheet music included with this tutor; however this is not meant to be a
complete introduction to music theory.
Music Notation Basics

Notes and the Staff
The musical staff is made up of 5 lines; notes are represented by “dots” on or between the lines, as below:
Notes on lines:
Notes between lines:
Notes can also be displayed above or below the staff. Here is the range of notes you will meet most commonly in
Irish traditional music (although certain tunes may go higher or lower, this is the exception rather than the rule)
Note names
The notes are called by their letter names (C, D, E) rather than their tonic solfa equivalents (doh, re, mi).
Notes below the staff

The first two notes (B & C) in the above series are lower than the lowest note on the whistle; in this case, the
same note is played an octave higher – for example, in the above series, the middle B is played in place of the
low B.
Accidentals
Accidentals are symbols that change a notes sound, making it higher or lower. The accidental
you will meet the most frequently in irish traditional music is the “sharp”, represented by this
symbol: “#”.
Key Signatures
Key signatures are used at the beginning of a tune, to show which notes are sharp. The most common key
signatures in Irish music have 1 sharp (F) or 2 sharps (F and C). A minority of tunes have 3 sharps : F C and G.
The 3 key signatures are illustrated below:
1 sharp : F 2 sharps : F & C 3 sharps : F, C & G
Tunes with one or two sharps are by far the most common; tunes with three sharps tend to be quite difficult on
the whistle, and I tend to avoid them whenever possible.
Note Values
Note values show the length of each individual note.
The quaver, or quarter note, is the one you will meet most – much of Irish dance music consists of quaver
movement. In the first bar below are illustrated 4 quavers.
In bar 2, the crotchet is a longer note, with the value of two quavers.
In bar three, the minim has the value of 2 crotchets, or 4 quavers.
Dotted notes
A dot after a note increases its value by half; thus a dotted crotchet is equivalent to three quavers:
Appendix 3 - Bibliography
Breathnach, Breandán : The Dance Music of Willie Clancy, NPU 1983
Breathnach, Breandán : Folk Music and Dances of Ireland, Mercier 1986
Clarke, HJ : The New Approach to Uilleann Piping, Ossian 1998
Cotter, Geraldine : Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor, Ossian 1989
Cranitch, Matt : The Irish Fiddle Book, Ossian 1988
Grasso, Eliot : Melodic Variation in the Instrumental Dance Music Tradition of Ireland, University of Oregon 2011
Harker, Lesl : 300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty, Lesl Harker 2005
McCormack, June : Fliuit, June McCormack 2006
Ó Canainn, Tomás : Traditional Music in Ireland, Ossian 1993
O'Neill, Francis : The Dance Music of Ireland : 1001 Gems, Waltons 1986
Vallely, Fintan (Ed.) : The Companion to Irish Traditional Music, Cork UP1999
Winter, Dennis C : Doolin's Micho Russell, Dennis Winter 1990
Appendix 4 – Tracklist
Track Page - Title 51 p46 Roddy McCorley 102 p97 Reel Exercise 1
No.
52 p47 Amazing Grace 103 p97 Reel Exercise 2
1 p11 c# note
53 p48 Mursheen Durkin 104 p98 Reel Exercise 3
2 p12 b note
54 p49 Follow me up to Carlow 105 p98 Reel Exercise 4
3 p12 Exercise 1
55 p61 Mulhare's Jig 106 p98 Reel Exercise 5
4 p13 a note
56 p62 Coleman's Jig 107 p99 Reel Exercise 6
5 p13 g note
57 p63 Maid on the Green 108 p99 Reel Exercise 7
6 p13 Exercise 2
58 p64 Trip to Athlone 109 p99 Reel Exercise 8
7 p14 Mary Had A Little Lamb
59 p65 Jig Rhythm Exercise 1 110 p100 Shannon Breeze Rhythm 1
8 p15 f# note
60 p66 Jig Exercise 2 111 p100 Shannon Breeze Rhythm 2
9 p15 e note
61 p66 Jig Exercise 3 112 p101 Shannon Breeze Rhythm 3
10 p15 d note
62 p67 Coleman's Jig Offbeat Example 113 p101 Shannon Breeze Rhythm
11 p16 Hot Cross Buns
63 p67 Jig Offbeat Example 114 p102 Boyne Hunt - Note Accent
12 p16 Oranges and Lemons
64 p67 Jig Exercise 4 115 p103 Drowsy Maggie - Note Accent
13 p17 Exercise 1
65 p68 Jig Exercise 5 116 p104 Shannon Breeze - Breathing 1
14 p17 Exercise 2
66 p68 Jig Exercise 6 117 p104 Shannon Breeze - First Bar
15 p18 Exercise 3
67 p69 Mulhare's Jig Accent 1 118 p105 Shannon Breeze - Removing Notes
16 p18 Au Clair de la Lune
68 p69 Mulhare's Jig Accent 2 119 p105 Shannon Breeze - Breathing &
17 p19 Scale of D Phrasing
69 p69 Mulhare's Jig Offbeat 1
18 p19 Scale of G 120 p106 Drowsy Maggie - Breathing &
70 p70 Mulhare's Jig Offbeat 2 Phrasing
19 p20 Frere Jacques
71 p71 Mulhare's Jig Note Accent 121 p107 The Boyne Hunt - Breathing &
20 p20 Good King Wenceslas Phrasing
72 p72 Coleman's Jig Note Accent
21 p21 Rhythm exercise 1 122 p109 Cuts - Lower Octave
73 p73 Maid on the Green Note Accent
22 p22 Rhythm Exercise 2 123 p109 Cuts - Higher Octave
74 p74 Mulhare's Phrasing 1
23 p22 Rhythm exercise 3 124 p110 B Cut
24 p23 Tonguing Exercise 1 125 p110 A Cut
25 p23 Tonguing Exercise 2 126 p110 G Cut
26 p23 Tonguing Exercise 3 127 p110 F Cut
27 p24 Courtin in the Kitchen 128 p110 E Cut
28 p25 Mairi's Wedding 129 p110 D Cut
80 p78 Coleman's Jig - Phrasing
29 p26 Bog Down in the Valley 130 p111 Boyne Hunt - Cuts 1
81 p79 Maid on the Green - Phrasing
30 p27 Cockles and Mussels 131 p111 Mulhare's - Cuts 1
82 p81 Dunphy's Hornpipe
31 p28 Breathing 1 132 p112 Cut Exercise 1 - High
83 p82 The Harvest Home
32 p29 Breathing 2 133 p112 Cut Exercise 1- Low
84 p83 Poll Ha'Penny
33 p29 Breathing 3 134 p112 Cut Exercise 2 - Low
85 p85 Hornpipe Exercise 1
34 p30 Making Breath Space 135 p112 Cut Exercise 2 - High
35 p30 Making Breath Space 2 136 p113 Cut Exercise 3 - Low
36 p31 Making Breath Space 3 137 p113 Cut Exercise 3 - High
37 p32 Dawning of the Day 138 p113 Boyne Hunt - Cuts with Accent
38 p33 Mo Ghile Mear 139 p114 Boyne Hunt - Cuts with Accent 2
39 p34 Spancil Hill 140 p114 Cut Exercise 4
91 p87 Harvest Home Rhythm 1
40 p35 Irish Rover 141 p115 Cut Exercise 5
92 p88 Harvest Home Rhythm 2
41 p36 The Boys of Wexford 142 p115 Shannon Breeze - Nonaccented Cut
93 p89 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Note Accent
42 p37 Kelly from Killane 143 p116 Coleman's - Cut in Long Note
94 p90 Harvest Home Phrasing 1
43 p38 Einini 144 p117 Mulhare's Jig - Cuts
44 p39 Clare's Dragoons 145 p118 Coleman's Jig - Cuts
45 p40 Star of the County Down 146 p119 The Maid on the Green - Cuts
97 p92 The Shannon Breeze (Rolling in the
46 p41 Down by the Sally Gardens Ryegrass) 147 p120 The Trip to Athlone - Cuts
47 p42 I'll Tell Me Ma 98 p93 Drowsy Maggie 148 p121 Jerry's Beaver Hat - Cuts
48 p43 The Minstrel Boy 99 p94 The Boyne Hunt 149 p122 The Harvest Home - Cuts
49 p44 Spanish Lady 100 p95 Maud Millar 150 p123 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Cuts
50 p45 Whiskey in the Jar 101 p96 Reel Rhythm 1 151 p124 Poll Ha'Penny - Cuts
152 p125 The Shannon Breeze - Cuts 207 p151 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Slides 260 p172 A Roll Exercise 5
153 p125 Drowsy Maggie - Cuts 208 p152 Poll Ha'Penny - Slides 261 p172 A Roll Example - The Silver Spear
154 p126 The Boyne Hunt - Cuts 209 p153 Mulhare's Jig - Slides 262 p173 B Roll Exercise 1
155 p127 B Tap 210 p154 Coleman's Jig - Slides 263 p173 B Roll Exercise 2
156 p127 A Tap 211 p155 The Boyne Hunt - Slides 264 p173 B Roll Exercise 3
157 p127 G Tap 212 p155 The Shannon Breeze - Slides 265 p174 B Roll Exercise 4
158 p127 F Tap 213 p156 B Roll 266 p174 B Roll Example - Toss the Feathers
159 p127 E Tap 214 p156 A Roll 267 p175 The London Lasses - Rolls
160 p128 All Taps 215 p156 G Roll 268 p176 The Boyne Hunt - Rolls
161 p128 Mulhare's Jig - Taps 1 - Separating 216 p156 F Roll 269 p177 Anderson's Reel - Rolls
Notes
217 p156 E Roll 270 p178 Maud Millar - Rolls
162 p129 Eavesdropper - Tap & Cut
218 p158 London Lasses - G Roll 271 p179 The Redhaired Lass - Rolls
163 p129 Tap Exercise 1
219 p158 Jim Ward's - G Roll 272 p180 The Green Fields of Rossbeigh -
164 p129 Tap Exercise 2 Rolls
220 p159 Mulhare's - Final Bar 1
165 p130 Boyne Hunt - Tap - Accented Notes 273 p181 Roaring Mary - Rolls
221 p159 Mulhare's - Final Bar 2
166 p130 Mulhare's Jig - Taps - Accented 274 p182 The Drunken Landlady - Rolls
Notes 222 p159 Mulhare's - Final Bar 3
275 p183 Coleman's Jig - Rolls
167 p131 Eavesdropper - Taps 2 223 p160 London Lasses - Roll - Repeated
Notes 276 p184 Jerry's Beaver Hat - Rolls
168 p131 Eavesdropper - Taps 3
224 p160 Drowsy Maggie - Roll - Repeated 277 p185 The Maid on the Green - Rolls
169 p132 Tap Exercise 3 Notes
278 p186 The Harvest Home - Rolls
170 p132 Tap Exercise 4 225 p160 Coleman's - Roll - Repeated Notes
279 p187 Poll Ha'Penny - Rolls
171 p132 Tap Exercise 5 226 p161 Maud Millar - Roll - Repeated Notes
280 p188 B Short Roll
172 p133 Mulhare's Jig - Taps 227 p161 Maid on the Green - Opening
281 p188 A Short Roll
173 p134 Coleman's Jig - Taps 228 p161 Maid on the Green - Roll - Group of
Notes 282 p188 G Short Roll
174 p135 The Maid on the Green - Taps
229 p162 Drowsy Maggie - Roll - Group of 283 p188 F Short Roll
175 p136 The Trip to Athlone - Taps Notes
284 p188 E Short Roll
176 p137 Jerry's Beaver Hat - Taps 230 p162 Jerry's Beaver Hat - Roll - Group of
Notes 285 p190 Redhaired Lass Short Roll
177 p138 - The Harvest Home - Taps
231 p163 London Lasses - Roll Articulation 286 p190 Trip to Athlone Short Roll
178 p139 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Taps
232 p163 Roll Articulation 1 287 p191 Dunphy's Short Roll
179 p140 Poll Ha'Penny - Taps
233 p163 Roll Articulation 2 288 p191 Trip to Athlone Short Roll 2
180 p141 The Boyne Hunt - Taps
234 p164 Boyne Hunt - E Roll 289 p191 Trip to Athlone Short Roll 3
181 p141 The Shannon Breeze - Taps
235 p164 Boyne Hunt - Nonaccented Roll 290 p192 G Short Roll Exercise 1
182 p142 Maud Millar - Taps
236 p164 Boyne Hunt - Accented Roll 1 291 p192 G Short Roll Exercise 2
183 p143 B-C# Slide
237 p164 - Accented Roll 2 292 p192 G Short Roll Exercise 3
184 p143 B-C Slide
238 p165 G Roll Exercise 1 293 p193 G Short Roll Exercise 4
185 p143 A-B Slide
239 p165 G Roll Exercise 2 294 p193 G Short Roll Example - The Sally
186 p143 G-A Slide Gardens
240 p165 G Roll Exercise 3
187 p144 F-G Slide 295 p194 F Short Roll Exercise 1
188 p144 E-F Slide 296 p194 F Short Roll Exercise 2
189 p144 D-E Slide 297 p194 F Short Roll Exercise 3
243 p166 G Roll Example - London Lasses
190 p144 All Slides - Low 298 p195 F Short Roll Exercise 4
244 p167 F Roll Exercise 1
191 p144 All Slides - High 299 p195 F Short Roll Example - The
245 p167 F Roll Exercise 2 Carraroe Jig
192 p145 Mulhare's Jig Slide 1
246 p167 F Roll Exercise 3 300 p196 E Short Roll Exercise 1
193 p145 Mulhare's Jig Slide 2
194 p145 Mulhare's Jig Slide Articulation
195 p146 Coleman's Jig Slide 1
249 p168 F Roll Example - Roaring Mary 303 p197 E Short Roll Exercise 4
196 p146 Slide Exercise 1
250 p169 E Roll Exercise 1 304 p197 E Short Roll Example - Drowsy
197 p147 Mulhare's Jig Slide 3 Maggie
251 p169 E Roll Exercise 2
198 p147 Slide vs Tap 305 p198 B Short Roll Exercise 1
199 p147 Slide Exercise 2 306 p198 B Short Roll Exercise 2
200 p148 Slide Exercise 3 307 p198 B Short Roll Exercise 3
201 p148 Coleman's Slide - Long Note 308 p199 B Short Roll Exercise 4
255 p170 E Roll Example - The Fermoy
202 p148 Maid on the Green Slide - Long Lasses 309 p199 B Short Roll Example - Cregg's
Note Pipes
256 p171 A Roll Exercise 1
203 p149 Slide C Natural 310 p200 A Short Roll Exercise 1
204 p149 Poll Ha'Penny Slide 1 311 p200 A Short Roll Exercise 2
205 p149 Poll Ha'Penny Slide 2 312 p200 A Short Roll Exercise 3
206 p150 Poll Ha'Penny Slides 3 313 p201 A Short Roll Exercise 4
314 p201 A Short Roll Example - The Bag of 352 p227 Maid on the Green - Bounces - 392 p266 The Rose in the Heather
Spuds Interpretation
393 p267 The Killavil Jig
5 p202 Maud Millar - Short Rolls 353 p228 The Redhaired Lass - Bounces
394 p267 The Ship in Full Sail
316 p203 The Redhaired Lass - Short Rolls 354 p229 The Green Fields of Rossbeigh -
Bounces 395 p268 Saddle the Pony
317 p204 The Green Fields of Rossbeigh -
Short Rolls 355 p230 The Shannon Breeze - Bounces 396 p268 The Humours of Glendart
318 p205 The Shannon Breeze Short Rolls 356 p230 The Boyne Hunt - Bounces 397 p269 Out on the Ocean
319 p206 The Maid on the Green - Short Rolls 357 p231 Coleman's Jig - Bounces 398 p269 The Leitrim Jig
320 p207 The Trip to Athlone - Short Rolls 358 p232 The Maid on the Green - Bounces 399 p270 The Frost is all Over
321 p208 Coleman's jig - Short Rolls 359 p233 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Bounces 400 p270 The Rambling Pitchfork
322 p209 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Short Rolls 360 p234 Cran 1 401 p271 Pay the Reckoning
323 p210 Poll Ha'Penny - Short Rolls 361 p234 Cran 2 402 p271 Club Ceili
324 p211 Triplets Scale - Ascending 362 p235 Cran Exercise 1 403 p272 The Battering Ram
325 p212 Triplets Scale - Descending 363 p235 Cran Exercise 2 404 p272 The Blackthorn Stick
326 p213 Triplet Exercise 1 364 p235 Cran Exercise 3 405 p273 The Mist on the Meadow
327 p213 Triplet Exercise 2 365 p235 Cran Exercise 4 406 p273 The Monaghan Jig
328 p213 Maud Millar Triplets 1 366 p236 The Floating Crowbar - Cran 407 p274 The Skylark
329 p214 Maud Millar Triplets 2 367 p236 I Buried my Wife - Cran 408 p274 The Ashplant
330 p214 Anderson's Reel Triplets 368 p237 The Redhaired Lass - Cran 409 p275 Jackie Coleman's Reel
331 p215 Coleman's Jig Triplets 369 p238 The Repeal of the Union - Crans 410 p275 Ships are Sailing
332 p216 FED Triplet 370 p239 Boil the Breakfast Early - Crans 411 p276 Sheehan's Reel
333 p216 Floating Crowbar FED Triplet 371 p240 The Blarney Pilgrim - Crans 412 p276 Over the Moor to Maggie
334 p216 Redhaired Lass FED Triplet 372 p241 The Carraroe Jig - Crans 413 p277 The Heather Breeze
335 p217 The Floating Crowbar - Triplets 373 p242 Tap + Cut 414 p277 Lady Ann Montgomery
336 p218 Maud Millar - Triplets 374 p242 The Maid on the Green - Tap + Cut 415 p278 The Teetotaller
337 p219 The Drunken Landlady - Triplets 375 p243 Slide + Cut 416 p278 St Anne's Reel
338 p220 Coleman's jig - Triplets 376 p243 The London Lasses - Slide + Cut 417 p279 The Cup of Tea
339 p221 The Maid on the Green - Triplets 377 p244 Slide + Roll 418 p280 The Silver Spear
340 p222 Dunphy's Hornpipe - Triplets 378 p244 The Boyne Hunt - Slide + Roll 419 p280 The Humours of Tulla
341 p223 Bounces 379 p245 Tap + Roll 420 p281 The Green Mountain
342 p224 Shannon Breeze - Bounce - 380 p245 Coleman's Jig Tap + Roll 421 p281 Miss Monaghan
Accented Notes
381 p246 Staccato Triplet 422 p282 Sean Reid's
343 p224 Coleman's Jig - Bounces - Accented
Notes 382 p246 Toss the Feathers - Staccato 423 p282 The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Triplets
344 p225 Bounce Exercise 1 424 p283 Micho Russel's
383 p248 Denis Murphy's Polka
345 p225 Bounce Exercise 2 425 p283 The Earl's Chair
384 p249 O'Keefe's Slide
346 p225 Bounce Exercise 3 426 p284 The Galway Rambler
385 p250 A Fig For A Kiss Slip Jig
347 p225 Anderson's Reel - Bounces on Off- 427 p285 The Home Ruler
beat 386 p251 The Blackbird Set Dance
428 p285 Kitty's Wedding
348 p226 The Maid on the Green - Bounces 387 p252 The Curlew Hills Barn Dance
429 p286 The Boys of Bluehill
on Off-beats
388 p254 The Cook in the Kitchen
349 p226 Bounce Exercise 4
389 p255 The Broken Pledge D Whistle
350 p226 Bounces Exercise 5
390 p256 The Broken Pledge C Whistle
351 p227 Maid on the Green - Non-accented
Bounce 391 p266 The Haunted House

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Tin Whistle

A Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on

Originally from Athlone, Stephen Ducke now lives in a

Copyright © 2012 Stephen Ducke. All rights reserved

About this book

Once these basics are acquired, how far you go is up to you!!

Holding the whistle

• Black dots = covered holes

• Circles = open holes

• Hold the whistle between your lips; no need to bite!

Don't blow too hard, or the sound will be too high-pitched

Don't blow too soft, or the note will waver

The note A The note G

• Learn the song by using the recordings

This Note is called F# and is represented by the

This note is called E:

Song: Oranges and Lemons

* notice that the fingering changes

Octaves left hand

Song: Au Clair de la Lune

Good King Wenceslas

Playing Irish music on the whistle –

On the following pages is a selection of 3 more Irish folk songs to practice.

- Shorten a long note

- Cut out certain notes altogether.

Breathing after long notes

Here's the first line:

Rhythm – the practical side

Tune types, the practical side

Illustration 1: 8-bar "parts"

Illustration 3: 2-bar phrases

Ornamentation structure and rhythm

Ornamentation structure – the practical side

Tomas O'Canainn, p41

Fast tempo – the practical side

Why is listening so important?

What to listen for

Style and technique

Some players and recordings

Rhythm and tempo

Jig Rhythm 1 - Basic Jig Accent

Jig Rhythm Exercise 1

Articulating the off-beat in jigs

This is a descending sequence like in exercise 5, with some second-octave notes.

Placing the off-beat in jigs

Where to place the “strong” beat

Where to place the off-beat

- The Jig is in 6/8 time, with 2 strong beats per bar

Note Accent in Jigs Example 1 : Willie Coleman's Jig;

Breathing at phrase ends

The second time round, this pattern can be inversed:

First, the most obvious places to breath:

Next, with some “overflowing” phrases:

Breathing and Phrasing – Example 1 – Coleman's Jig

Rhythm and Tempo

This is a very common tune that also appears in O'Neill's Collection.

This tune appears on Mary Bergin's “Feadoga Stain”.

On the following pages are some more examples of hornpipe rhythm.

– The rhythm and tempo must remain solid and unbroken

Note Accent in Hornpipes – Example 1 - Dunphy's Hornpipe.