Tin Whistle Terminology Handbook

This is a complete handbook on the terminology, definitions, and idioms of the Irish tin whistle (also known as the penny whistle). Whether you're a beginner just starting out with the instrument or a novice player, this tin whistle dictionary is packed with useful information.

Tin Whistle Parts

This section covers the physical parts of the tin whistle and how the instrument is constructed, including variations in design. It also explains how the tin whistle produces sound.

Tin Whistle Mouthpiece:

The mouthpiece, also known as the "head," is the top part of the whistle that goes into the mouth while playing. It is usually made of durable plastic, such as ABS or Delrin.

Tin Whistle Fipple:

The fipple is a part of the mouthpiece, which is a block plugged into its cavity, creating the "windway." It is a crucial part responsible for air requirements and playing capability. The fipple can be made of the same material as the mouthpiece or body, or it can be made of a different materials.

Tin Whistle Wind Way:

The wind way is a narrow hole where the player blows into the whistle. Generally, the narrower the wind way, the more breath is required to produce sound. The term "easy" refers to whistles that do not require a lot of breath to produce sound because the windway is slightly wider.

Tin Whistle Tube:

The tube is the main body of the tin whistle, which is a pipe with six holes. It can be made of various materials, such as brass, nickel, aluminum, copper, metal alloys, plastic, wood, etc.

Tin Whistle Bore:

Although some sources refer to the bore as the same thing as the body or tube, it is best defined as the inner diameter of the whistle body. The bore can be conical (or tapered), meaning the diameter of the body decreases from top to bottom. The Clarke brand is a well-known example of a conical bore tin whistle. A wider bore typically produces more volume.

Tin Whistle Tuning slide:

The tuning slide is the part where the tin whistle can be separated into two parts to adjust the pitch and get it in tune with other instruments. Whistles constructed this way are called "tunable," while single-piece models that cannot be separated are called "non-tunable." Many whistles are tunable by detaching the mouthpiece from the body. Alternatively, tuning slides can be placed on the body itself, between the holes and the mouthpiece.

Characteristics of Tin Whistle Sound

Although it's difficult to describe the sound of a tin whistle in words, certain characteristics can help us understand it better. These characteristics are a combination of several factors.

Clear/Pure

This means that you hear more of the tone and less of the sound artifacts from the mouthpiece, body, and material.

Soft/Mellow

Mellow whistles are darker, more rounded, and less shrill, and are usually in lower keys.

Airy/Breathy

This refers to the sound of the air escaping along with the original tone.

Crisp

This means that notes are more responsive and accented, making ornamentation better heard when played.

Sweet

This refers to a sound that is tiny and rounded, not shrill, and balanced. High whistles generally have a sweet sound. Low whistles are less sweet.

More Tin Whistle Terminology

Tonguing vs slurring on Tin Whistle

Tonguing and slurring are terms you may hear from classical musicians, which are synonymous with staccato and legato, respectively. When you tongue a note, you accent it by using your tongue, creating a more rhythmic sound. On the other hand, slurring is a more relaxed technique where you connect notes without using your tongue, resulting in a smoother and more connected sound.

High and Low Tin Whistles

Tin whistles in the key of C and above are considered high whistles, while those below the key of C are considered alto or mid-range whistles. Whistles starting from the lower F key and below are considered low whistles. While all high and low whistles are tin whistles, people typically use the term "tin whistle" for high whistles and "low whistle" for the lower keys.

Tin Whistle Keys

The key of a tin whistle represents the major diatonic scale of 7 notes that the whistle can play. For example, a whistle in the key of D is designed to play the D major scale. In Irish traditional music, D is the most common key followed by the C key, but some makers and brands offer many other keys. 

Tin Whistle Bell Note

The bell note is the lowest note on the tin whistle, obtained by covering all six holes with your fingers. It corresponds to the whistle-specific key, so the bell-note on a key of D whistle is the bottom D note.

Tin Whistle Ornamentation or Embellishments

Ornaments are note decorations that embellish and color a melody, and there are various standard ornamentation techniques typical for Irish traditional music, such as cuts, taps, long rolls, short rolls, slides, and vibrato. You can learn more about all of these at The Tin Whistle Academy. 

Tin Whistle Half-Holing/Covering

Half-holing is a technique where you cover half of the hole with your finger to play the semi-tone note that doesn't belong to the current whistle key. For example, half-holing the A note produces a note one semi-tone above A, which is B flat.

Tin Whistle Piper's Grip

Piper’s grip is a tin whistle holding technique that comes from uilleann piping and is typical for playing low whistles. Due to the whistle body's length, it requires stretching the fingers and slightly rotating the palms to cover the holes adequately using the first and second finger pads, rather than just the first.

Tin Whistle Back Pressure

Back pressure is the indicator of the amount of air that the whistle "keeps" when you blow. A tin whistle with high back pressure usually requires more push when blowing, but it doesn't waste a lot of air. In contrast, an easy-blowing tin whistle typically has low back pressure, takes air fast, and requires more frequent breaths. Most entry-level whistles are easy-blowers and have low back pressure.

Mouth Peice Clogging

Mouth peice clogging occurs when breath condensation and saliva create water drops inside the mouthpiece, leading to a squeaky or muffled sound. Whistles with narrow wind ways tend to clog more frequently. You can learn how to clean this at The Tin Whistle Academy.