| The Irish Tin Whistle is a deceptively simple | | | | The "Flat Tap" Technique |
| instrument. The basics are very easy to pick up, | | | | With taps explained, you can go on to learn the "flat |
| thanks to the very straightforward fingering system | | | | tap" variation of it. This ornament is also a tap, but |
| and limited number of tone holes, and yet there are | | | | instead of tapping the tone hole directly below the |
| a number of more advanced techniques that really | | | | note you are currently playing, you skip down over |
| define the sound of the whistle in Celtic music. This | | | | two or more tone holes and tap that one. The flat |
| article presents a brief overview of some of those | | | | part of the tap comes from the way the tin whistle |
| techniques, then introduces a variation of one of | | | | works. Simply covering a lower tone hole like this can |
| them which produces its own unique sound for a | | | | alter the pitch of the note, and allow you to play a |
| whistler to add to his or her repertoire. | | | | flat version of the note. Usually, three holes down is |
| Basic Irish Tin Whistle Ornamentation | | | | the right amount to get a noticeably lower pitch. In |
| Two of the most basic ornaments -- or "accents" | | | | the A note example above, this would mean to do a |
| added to notes that are not meant to be notes | | | | "flat tap" on the A note, you would tap with your |
| themselves -- that Irish tin whistle players learn are | | | | right middle finger, as shown here: |
| cuts and taps. Both are generally used to emphasize | | | | X |
| transitions between notes, and occasionally to break | | | | X |
| up a longer, held note, and are essentially variants of | | | | O |
| the same technique. To "cut" a note, you simply lift | | | | O |
| the finger above the lowest one on the instrument | | | | O -- Tap here. |
| while still playing that note, then quickly put it back | | | | O |
| down, and to "tap" a note, as the name implies, you | | | | Most traditional music does not require the use of |
| tap the tone hole below your lowest finger. If that | | | | flats (or sharps) from the tin whistle, so instead this |
| sounds confusing, a visual example might simplify | | | | technique can be used as a form of ornamentation. |
| things. Imagine the X's and O's below as the tone | | | | The flat tap can use to accent a note transition more |
| holes of a whistle going from top to bottom, where | | | | subtly than a basic cut or tap, but a more common |
| X is a covered hole and O is an open hole: | | | | use is to rapidly tap the same note, producing a |
| X -- Cut here. | | | | vibrating or trilling effect, especially on long held notes. |
| X | | | | An excellent example of this latter technique can be |
| O -- Tap here. | | | | found in the resources section, wherein John |
| O | | | | Sheahan, fiddler and occasional whistler for the |
| O | | | | Dubliners, puts the vibrating variant of the technique |
| O | | | | to great use in a musical rendition of the poem |
| If this imaginary whistle was a tin whistle in the key | | | | Raglan Road. |
| of D, you would be putting your left index and middle | | | | The "flat tap" is a technique that is rarely used in |
| fingers over the top two holes and playing an A | | | | traditional Irish music, but when used sparingly on the |
| note. To cut that note, you would lift your left index | | | | right songs, it can be an excellent, subtle |
| finger, and to tap it, you would tap your left ring | | | | enhancement to the sound, and a worthwhile skill for |
| finger. | | | | whistlers to add to their repertoire. |
