Penny Whistle

The penny whistle (also called the tin whistle or Irish whistle) is a six-hole, end-blown flute, traditionally made of tinplate but now most commonly nickel-plated brass. It's small, cheap, loud for its size, and the standard wind instrument in Irish traditional music — which is exactly what a shanty band needs.

The whistle is the easiest melodic instrument to start playing badly and one of the harder ones to play well. The fingering is straightforward; the breath control, ornamentation, and tone production are where the real work is.

Pick a D whistle

For trad work — and for everything in this songbook — get a D whistle.

"D" means the whistle's home key is D major. The six holes give you the notes D–E–F#–G–A–B–C# (the D major scale) on the bottom octave, plus the same scale an octave up by blowing harder. You can also play G major comfortably on a D whistle (the relative major below D, sharing most of the same notes).

Other keys exist (C, Bb, low D, low G — the "low whistle" is the haunting deep instrument from Titanic and Riverdance), and a band might want a low D for slow songs eventually. But start with standard D, learn it, and add others later.

The instrument itself

Cheap whistles are good. The penny whistle was literally a penny when it was named, and the entry-level instruments today (Generation, Feadóg, Clarke) are well-regarded by professional players. Some of the best whistlers in Ireland play instruments that cost $15.

Recommended starter whistles, all under $25:

Clarke Original — black-finished tinplate, breathy and traditional. The "old sound."
Generation D — brass body, plastic mouthpiece. Punchier, brighter. The standard session-pub whistle.
Feadóg D — Irish-made, slightly mellower than the Generation.
Waltons "Mellow D" — softer attack, easier to control quietly.

You will probably end up with several whistles over time — different brands have different voices, and players match the whistle to the song. Start with one Generation or Clarke and add others as you find them.

For a step up: Susato, Killarney, MK Pro ($30–$80) — better intonation across the octaves, tighter manufacturing. Worth it once you're sure you'll stick with the instrument.

The basic fingering

With the whistle held vertically, mouthpiece up:

All six holes covered = D (low D)
Lift the bottom hole = E
Lift the bottom two = F#
Lift the bottom three = G
Lift the bottom four = A
Lift the bottom five = B
All six holes open = C# (but use cross-fingering O–X–X–O–O–O for in-tune C# on most whistles)

Blow a little harder and the same fingerings give you the second octave (D'–E'–F#'–G'–A'–B'–C#').

To play in G major on a D whistle, you just avoid the C# (use C natural with fingering O–X–X–X–O–O — known as "all the bottom holes open below the top finger").

Breath control and tone

The penny whistle's tone comes from two things: how much air you blow, and how steady it is.

Low octave: gentle, steady airflow. If you blow too hard, it jumps the octave.
High octave: more pressure, but not more air volume — narrower, faster airstream. Use the tongue and lips to focus the air rather than blowing harder.
The transition between octaves: feels like flipping a switch, and on cheap whistles can be balky. Practise jumping between low and high D until it's smooth.
Long notes: support with the diaphragm (see Voice as Instrument — the same breathing applies). A whistle player who breathes with their belly sounds completely different from one who breathes with their chest.

A common beginner mistake: blowing too hard on the low octave (it squeaks up to the next octave) and too soft on the high (it cracks back down). The fix is conscious, controlled breath, not "more air" or "less air."

Tonguing and ornamentation

Single notes on the whistle are usually started with a soft "too" or "doo" tongue articulation — the tip of the tongue lightly touches behind the upper teeth to start the airflow cleanly. Without tonguing, notes slur into each other.

Irish traditional ornamentation includes:

Cuts — a fast finger flick on the note above, then back to the main note. Used to articulate without tonguing.
Strikes (pats) — a fast finger flick on the note below.
Rolls — a cut + a strike on the same note, executed very quickly.
Slides — bending into a note from below by uncovering a hole gradually.

You don't need ornamentation to play the songs in this book. It adds Irish character but is a long-term learning project. For a year, focus on clean notes, octave control, and good tone.

What the whistle does in a shanty band

Three roles, used selectively:

1. Melody on instrumental breaks

The whistle's main job. Between verses, play through the chorus melody. The whistle's piercing tone cuts through the band naturally; it doesn't need to be backed up.

This works on: Wellerman, Drunken Sailor, South Australia, the Irish songs (Whiskey in the Jar, Wild Mountain Thyme).

2. Counter-melody under the singer

The advanced move: while the shantyman sings the verse, play a slow line on the whistle that harmonises against the vocal but doesn't compete with it. Stays low (low octave), spare notes, lots of rests.

Hardest skill in this chapter. Don't attempt it until you can do everything else cleanly.

3. Silence

The whistle is loud. Sit out half the songs entirely. In particular:

Don't Forget Your Old Shipmate — voices only.
The verses of She's Like the Swallow — let the singer breathe; come in only on a long instrumental break if at all.
The verses of Northwest Passage — voices and guitar carry the story.

Practising

Long tones, low octave. Hold a low D for 8 seconds, steady. Then E, F#, G, etc. Build breath control.
The D major scale, up and down, evenly spaced. Five minutes. Don't rush.
Octave jumps: low D to high D, low E to high E. Smooth, no squeak.
Play the melody of Drunken Sailor by ear (it's just D–C–D notes mostly). Learn it cold.
Play along to the reference recordings in the Playlist — try to match the melody by ear. This is how trad whistlers learn the entire repertoire.

What not to do

Don't play in keys outside D and G on a D whistle. The whistle will be out of tune.
Don't play during quiet verses. The whistle cuts through everything; it will dominate.
Don't blow harder for volume. Blow more steadily for tone; volume comes from clean breath.
Don't ornament every note. Ornamentation is seasoning, not the main course.
Don't tune the whistle by pulling out the mouthpiece without warming the whistle up first. Most whistles drop in pitch when cold — warm it in your hand or pocket before adjusting.
Don't try to play whistle and another instrument in the same song. Pick one role per song.