The tin whistle (also called the penny whistle) is a six-holed woodwind instrument.
It is a type of fipple flute, putting it in the same class as the recorder, Native American flute, and other woodwind instruments that meet such criteria.
A tin whistle player is called a whistler.
The tin whistle is closely associated with Irish traditional music and Celtic music. Other names for the instrument are the flageolet, English flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, tin flageolet, or Irish whistle. In Irish, it is called a feadóg or "feadóg stáin"
The tin whistle in its modern form is from a wider family of fipple flutes which have been seen in many forms and cultures throughout the world. In Europe, common fipple flutes include the recorder, tin whistle, Flabiol, Txistu and tabor pipe.
Many cultures are thought to have had some type of fipple flute, and it is most likely the first pitched flute-type instrument in existence. There are many examples in pre-history, and fipple flutes are continuously recorded across recorded history.
The modern penny whistle is indigenous to the islands of Britain and Ireland, although it is now heard more often in Ireland. Factory-made "tin whistles" were produced by Robert Clarke from 1840 to 1889 in Manchester, and later New Moston, England.
The whistle's fingering system is a six-hole, diatonic system mimicing that of Boehm-style flutes.
As the penny whistle was generally considered a toy, it has been suggested that children or street musicians were paid a penny by those who heard them playing the whistle. However, in reality, the instrument was so called because it could be purchased for a penny. The name "tin-whistle" was also coined as early as 1825 but neither the tin whistle nor the penny whistle name seems to have been common until the 20th century. The instrument became popular in several musical traditions.
Due to its affordability, the tin whistle was a popular household instrument, as ubiquitous as the harmonica.
The Generation Whistle was introduced in 1966, and featured a brass tube with a lead fipple. Founded by businessman and engineer Alfred Brown in Oswestry, Shropshire, their most popular whistle, the Generation Flageolet, was introduced in 1968. The design was updated somewhat over the years, most notably the substitution of a plastic fipple for the lead fipple.
Gaining popularity as a folk instrument in the early 19th-century Celtic music revivals, penny whistles now play an integral part in several folk traditions. Whistles are a prevalent starting instrument since they are usually inexpensive; relatively easy to play, free of tricky embouchure such as is found with transverse flutes, and use fingerings are nearly identical to those on traditional six-holed flutes.
The tin whistle is a good starting instrument to learn the uilleann pipes, which has similar finger technique, range of notes and repertoire.
The tin whistle is the most popular instrument in Irish traditional music today.
In recent years, a number of instrument builders have started lines of "high-end" hand-made whistles, which are expensive in comparison to cheap whistles, but nevertheless cheaper than most other instruments. The instruments are distinguished from the inexpensive whistles in that each whistle is individually manufactured and "voiced" by a skilled person rather than made in a factory.
It is a type of fipple flute, putting it in the same class as the recorder, Native American flute, and other woodwind instruments that meet such criteria.
A tin whistle player is called a whistler.
The tin whistle is closely associated with Irish traditional music and Celtic music. Other names for the instrument are the flageolet, English flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, tin flageolet, or Irish whistle. In Irish, it is called a feadóg or "feadóg stáin"
The tin whistle in its modern form is from a wider family of fipple flutes which have been seen in many forms and cultures throughout the world. In Europe, common fipple flutes include the recorder, tin whistle, Flabiol, Txistu and tabor pipe.
Many cultures are thought to have had some type of fipple flute, and it is most likely the first pitched flute-type instrument in existence. There are many examples in pre-history, and fipple flutes are continuously recorded across recorded history.
The modern penny whistle is indigenous to the islands of Britain and Ireland, although it is now heard more often in Ireland. Factory-made "tin whistles" were produced by Robert Clarke from 1840 to 1889 in Manchester, and later New Moston, England.
The whistle's fingering system is a six-hole, diatonic system mimicing that of Boehm-style flutes.
As the penny whistle was generally considered a toy, it has been suggested that children or street musicians were paid a penny by those who heard them playing the whistle. However, in reality, the instrument was so called because it could be purchased for a penny. The name "tin-whistle" was also coined as early as 1825 but neither the tin whistle nor the penny whistle name seems to have been common until the 20th century. The instrument became popular in several musical traditions.
Due to its affordability, the tin whistle was a popular household instrument, as ubiquitous as the harmonica.
The Generation Whistle was introduced in 1966, and featured a brass tube with a lead fipple. Founded by businessman and engineer Alfred Brown in Oswestry, Shropshire, their most popular whistle, the Generation Flageolet, was introduced in 1968. The design was updated somewhat over the years, most notably the substitution of a plastic fipple for the lead fipple.
Gaining popularity as a folk instrument in the early 19th-century Celtic music revivals, penny whistles now play an integral part in several folk traditions. Whistles are a prevalent starting instrument since they are usually inexpensive; relatively easy to play, free of tricky embouchure such as is found with transverse flutes, and use fingerings are nearly identical to those on traditional six-holed flutes.
The tin whistle is a good starting instrument to learn the uilleann pipes, which has similar finger technique, range of notes and repertoire.
The tin whistle is the most popular instrument in Irish traditional music today.
In recent years, a number of instrument builders have started lines of "high-end" hand-made whistles, which are expensive in comparison to cheap whistles, but nevertheless cheaper than most other instruments. The instruments are distinguished from the inexpensive whistles in that each whistle is individually manufactured and "voiced" by a skilled person rather than made in a factory.