First Lessons Tin Whistle

The tin whistle has an alluring voice — yearning, melancholy, joyous, playful — both youthful and ancient. Its music can sound like wind, birdsong, flowing water.

With this book, you can learn to make beautiful whistle music:


even if you’ve never played a musical instrument
even if you don’t read music
no matter how young or old you are

First Lessons® Tin Whistle is for beginners and for those who have tried to play the whistle (also known as a pennywhistle) but need more help. This book leaves no stone unturned, offering valuable insights and detailed instruction you won’t find anywhere else — expert guidance that will smooth your way and steer you clear of the pitfalls newcomers often encounter.

In addition to music notation, this book offers two highly accessible alternatives:

A much-improved tablature system
Suit Code — a new and inventive fingering shorthand using the suits of the deck of cards

With this book you’ll get:


Access to audio and video downloads
23 tunes from Irish, Scottish, Northumbrian, Welsh, English, Breton and African American traditions, along with melodies from Beethoven and Dvorák
An introduction to Irish tin whistle ornamentation

Grey Larsen is a master musician who performs and teaches internationally. He has played the whistle since the 1970’s and has written nine books, including the best-seller The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle. The author recommends using a tin whistle in the key of D with this book.