The Tin Whistle (also known as a penniestle), is a simple, inexpensive instrument. It’s just a small tube made from metal and has six fingerholes. The mouthpiece acts much like a recorder. While the price range is from a few bucks to a few hundred, the best players will only choose the most affordable brands.
Tin whistle is a very simple instrument. It’s easy to learn and to play simple tunes. It isn’t easy to master. It may be a cheap instrument, but mastery can only be achieved by practicing. The instrument’s deep soul is evident by the haunting whistle tracks from “Titanic”, a movie about it.
This instrument is typically made from metal (usually brass), and has a molded whistle. If you play it open, but not covering any of its six fingerholes, then cover each one in turn. You can play 7 notes in a diatonic. This is a simple Do-Re-Mi Scale — basically the white keys on the piano). Blowing a little harder will allow you to play the exact same note, but an extra octave. Although it’s a diatonic instrument you can still achieve sharps, flats, and even half-covering your fingerholes.
Because there are only two notes open — one note, and then the note an extra octave when you blow harder — each Tin whistle is considered to be a Key signature. If an open note sounds “D”, then the whistle will be considered to be in the D key.
A tin whistle can be tuned! By sliding the metal barrel into the mouthpiece, you can tune the whistle. Some whistles have the headglued to the barrel. It is possible to loosen glue by running hot water over the joint. Use hot water only, as boiling water can cause the plastic whistle to melt.
Celtic Music is commonly known for its key signatures, “D Major”, “G Major”, and other similar ones. Because they play a diatonic tone scale, all tin-tins whistles will default to being in a Major key. But, if all your fingerholes are covered (instead allowing them to be exposed), you can start your scale one step higher than a diatonic. This will result in a minor sign! If you start your scale by covering all the fingers, a tin-tune in “D” will play in E Minor. Celtic Music often uses the chord sequence “E Minor”, “D Major”, which is quite interesting. (This chord sequence is used in “What Would You Make with a Drunken Shipper?” A whistle in G Major would easily play in A Minor (A Minor & G are another well-known chord sequence).