Penny Whistle

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8 inch long, golden metal tube with six holes in the top and a black mouthpiece.

This absolute DIVA of an instrument belongs to the ‘fipple flute’ family, meaning it is a wind instrument with a ‘fipple’ that you simply blow into without needing to produce a special embouchure (mouth shape). The penny whistle (AKA tin whistle) is basically like a recorder, but easier to learn because the fingerings intuitively correspond with the diatonic scale (Do, Re, Mi, etc…). Also, I prefer the tone of the penny whistle to that of the recorder. It has a two-octave range, incredible agility, and can produce dreamy high notes. It is closely associated with Irish and Celtic music, as well as the theme from ‘The Titanic’ and ‘Lost Woods’ from the Legend of Zelda series. It is acoustically ideal for playing outside or in large indoor spaces.

How to Obtain

Yes, it was originally named “The Penny Whistle” because of its low price! You can find a decent one (Waltons brand) for around $8 that works perfectly well. I started with a Waltons and then, later, purchased a nicer quality Tony Dixon whistle for $30 that has a richer tone quality. The standard penny whistle is in the key of D, but they can be found in many different keys and sizes. Lark in the Morning has a great selection.

How to Learn

Look up a fingering chart to use as a guide while you explore the different notes. To start with, I recommend covering the top three holes (completely) and slowly increasing the speed of your breath until you produce a healthy ‘G’ note. Then explore higher and lower notes from there. In addition to changing your finger positions, you must supply slower air for low notes and faster air for high notes. It takes a little practice to supply steady air that is slow enough to hit the lowest notes.

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