The Tin Whistle

A minimum of 3 maj  and  3 minor scales can be fingered out with any whistle in your hand :

[position 1] Play the whistle in its 'as made as' key
[position 2] Modify the scale with a flat note
[position 3] Try out the scale with a sharp note

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notation is in semitone-steps or in Chromatic Scale !

Follow this instructions

  • Look on your whistle and watch the key.
    The key is printed on your whistle. I assume you have a D-whistle.

  • Find the corresponding entry in the TW column. The signature in a music sheet is listed on the right. If the sheet was written in D-scale you will find 2#, will say that there are 2 sharp notes according to the the BASIC-Scale of "C". Because your D-whistle was manufactured in D, you will have 2 sharp notes allready included on your whistle. You have to do nothing, your whistle and the music sheet is fits. Just mention, this will further help us to calculate and transpose from one scale to another.

    On the other hand you can identify a music sheet , when you count the number of #=sharps or b=flats in a music sheet to choose your whistle.

    • Now watch the background colors to play along with your whistle in 3 maj and 3 minor scales:

  • i.e. with your-D-whistle you may play the
    D-maj-scale starting with the entry in column 6 light green / Grip 1
    B-minor-scale starting with the entry in column 1 dark green / Grip 1

  • add a flat note:
    G-maj-scale starting with the entry in column 3 yellow / Grip 2
    E-minor-scale starting with the entry in column 5 orange / Grip 2

  • or add a sharp note:
    A-maj-scale starting with the entry in column 2 ? / Grip 3
    E-minor-scale starting with the entry in column 4 ? / Grip 3

    • Grip 1 or 2 or even 3 ? look at this to get another tonal range

    Tin Whistle
    Grip-Table    		 6 Grip 2
    min 5    		 4 3 Grip3
    maj 2    		 Grip 1
    min 1    		 0 Grip 1
    maj 6'    		 Grip 2
    min 5'    		 4' Grip 2
    maj 3'    		 +
    TW signature key name of notes in this key
    D 2# = D or b D E F# G A B C# D E F# G
    1# = G or e G     G A B C D E F# G
    3# = A or f# A       A B C# D E F# G# A
    Bb 2b Bb C D Eb F G A Bb  
    3b Eb   Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
    ? n.a. 5# B C# D# E F# G# A# B  
    4# E   E F# G# A B C# D# E
    C - C D E F G A B C  
    1b F   F G A Bb C D E F
    ? n.a. 5b Db Eb F Gb As Bb C Db  
    6# F# F#=Gb F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#
    6B Gb Gb=F# Gb As Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb
    Eb 3b Eb F G As Bb C D Eb  
    4b As   As Bb C Db Eb F G As
    ? n.a 4# E F# G# A B C# D# E  
    3# A   A B C# D E F# G# A
    F 1b F G A Bb C D E F  
    2b Bb   Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
    ? n.a 6# F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#  
    6b Gb As Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb  
    5# B   B C# D# E F# G# A# B
    G 1# G A B C D E F# G  
    - C   C D E F G A B C
    ? n.a. 4b As Bb C Db Eb F G As  
    5b Db   Db Eb F Gb As Bb C Db
    A  3# A B C# D E F# G# A  
    2# D   D E F# G A B C# D

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