My recommendations for beginner friendly & intermediate tin whistles...
- Leyna Robinson-Stone
- 6d
- 11 min read
Hi, welcome back to my blog!
I often get lots of lovely messages and comments on my music videos from some of you who want to start playing the tin whistle, or have just started playing. It's always really heartwarming to hear that my videos have inspired some of you to take up this wonderful instrument!
I wanted to write this post for anyone who wants to start playing the whistle and needs some advice for choosing a beginner instrument, or anyone who has started playing and wants to upgrade to a more intermediate whistle.
Many whistle players start out by playing 'penny whistles' - these inexpensive instruments are a perfect starting point. It's a good idea to buy a 'high D' whistle as your first instrument, as this key is very universal and many traditional songs are set in this key as well - so all the whistles I talk about in this post will be high D.
As you advance you can diversify and add other keys to your collection which will allow you to play a broader spectrum of songs and join in with other musicians when they're playing in other keys!
When you're first starting out I recommend getting a 'narrow-bore' whistle which doesn't require too much breath to reach the second octave notes. These can be made of different types of material such as brass, nickel, aluminium, copper, metal alloys, plastic, wood, etc. - each material will have different tonal properties. Choosing the material the whistle is made from will mostly come down to personal preference, but the important part is choosing something with easy playability so that you can get the hang of the instrument.
I will give some recommendations for whistles that would be suitable if you're a beginner, starting with the less expensive options and progressing to the more costly end of the spectrum. I would suggest that if you're just curious and want to give the tin whistle a go, then buying one of the less expensive models is the way to go, but if you are a bit more serious about playing then you could go for one of the slightly more expensive, higher quality whistles from the beginning because you'll likely find it immediately more rewarding, and you'll most likely improve quicker and be able to achieve a nicer sound - therefore you'll want to play more!
Below are some of my recommendations plus a demonstration video where I have played 'Swallowtail Jig' on each whistle so that you can directly compare the sound! I have also included links to where you can buy the whistles below....
Beginner friendly whistles -
Generation Whistles -
When I first started playing I initially learned on a Generation whistle. This is a classic penny whistle design which is played by musicians around the world - some of the top traditional players of old would use this whistle, and some current players use this whistle for studio recordings. It's a really good one to begin with - you'll be able to get a clean, bright tone and good intonation (this means that the whistle is in tune with itself), and it doesn't require a huge amount of breath to reach the second octave notes - it's easy to play. These whistles are also very 'responsive' which means that when you play fast pieces and ornamentations the sound comes out quickly and cleanly, and it also has a bit of attack to it which gives you what is known as a 'chiffy' or gritty sound.
Generation whistles come in either brass or nickel - there's only a subtle difference between the materials but brass will give a slightly warmer and more mellow sound and is usually favoured by the traditional player (over time the golden colour of the brass will tarnish to a more dull colour unless you polish it). Nickel is the more hardy finish and has a slightly brighter tone - you can choose the material based on your preference.
They also have some interesting patterned 'boho' designs which look very cool whilst still being budget friendly. They have a simple plastic mouthpiece which is comfortable to play.
It's not going to give you the finesse of sound, playability or quality of materials that a more highly crafted whistle will give you, and its worth noting that with these whistles you can get manufacturing variability (so some may play better than others), but it is still a great starting point. Players also often modify Generation whistles to enhance the sound and playability!
Generally priced at around £8 - £12 it's always worth having one of these classic whistles in your collection.
brass, nickel and coloured finishes
very beginner friendly
Bright 'chiffy' traditional Irish sound
You can find Generation whistles here -
Brass Generation whistle - https://bigwhistle.com/product/generation-d-brass-whistle/?ref=Leyna
Boho Generation whistle - https://bigwhistle.com/product/generation-boho-high-d-whistle-green/?ref=Leyna
Feadóg -
Feadóg are also a great beginner friendly whistle, quite similar to the Generation in style with brushed brass or nickel plated finishes and a plastic mouthpiece - again there are many top traditional players who have played these whistles.
Compared to the Generation whistle, the Feadóg probably has slightly more reliability and manufacturing consistency, is equally as responsive and has good intonation. The tone of this whistle can be relatively smoother and slightly less gritty than the Generation, however some players prefer the slightly more gritty sound with a bit more attack that the Generation has. It's really a personal preference, and if I had to choose between the two I would probably go for the Feadóg, but I had both of these in my collection as a learner player!
generally priced between £7 - £12
beginner friendly
brushed brass or nickel finish with coloured options available
reliable and consistent, smooth traditional sound
responsive
You can get a Feadog whistle here - https://bigwhistle.com/product/feadog-c-nickel-plated-whistle/?ref=Leyna
Clarke -
The Clarke whistle is another really good entry level whistle, and in fact this company were the original makers of the tin whistle, so you get a little piece of history with this one as well!
Out of the Clarke whistles I have played, the 'sweetone' is my recommendation as the playability is very beginner friendly and it's easy to get up into the second octave with very little air required. It is made of thin sheet steel with a lacquered finish and is very lightweight with a plastic mouthpiece.
This whistle has a slightly more airy or breathy quality to the tone than that of the brighter sounding Genration or Feadog whistles. The simple rolled metal 'conical' design is also interesting, and they make this whistle in different colours which is very appealing.
It does have a seam running down the back where the rolled metal is joined together which can be a slight drawback, but isn't a huge factor.
Generally priced at around £10 - £15
very easy playability for beginners
sweet, breathy tone
lightweight
sheet steel with lacquered, coloured finish
Unique conical design
You can get a Clarke sweetone whistle here - https://bigwhistle.com/product/clarke-sweetone-d-whistle/?ref=Leyna
Waltons -
Waltons are also a popular beginner friendly budget tin whistle, with a bit more of a warmer and softer tone than the Generation. I had the Waltons 'little black whistle' in my collection when I was a beginner player, but you can also get the 'Waltons High D Mellow Whistle' which offers a warm, mellow but clear tone. This whistle has a slightly wider bore so will require a little more air, but you may prefer the sound of this one so it is worth a mention here!
Priced at around £7.99
beginner friendly
mellow, clear tone
You can get a Waltons High D Mellow Whistle here - https://bigwhistle.com/product/walton-high-d-mellow-whistle/?ref=Leyna
Higher Quality beginner friendly whistles -
The whistles below are in a higher price bracket, but I highly recommend these if you're looking to upgrade your sound and playing - higher quaity whistles will allow you to achieve more dynamics and expression in your playing as you progress. These are also whistles that you could buy as a complete beginner if you are happy to invest a bit more to begin with, and sometimes it's better to do this as you will get a more rewarding experience by playing these higher quality instruments - you'll want to keep playing more because the sound that comes out of these whistles should be more pleasing to the ear right off the bat...
Tony dixon -
I would highly recommend Tony Dixon whistles as a great quality beginner friendly to intermediate whistle - this whistle was the one I played the most when I was learning and it really helped to improve my playing. There are quite a few different models available in the Tony Dixon range, but the one I played was the aluminium body high D whistle.
This is a really decent quality instrument - it is sturdier than the less expensive designs, and has a different look and sound to the traditional penny whistles.
The tone is pure, clear and full-bodied with less 'shrill' overtones than cheaper whistles which also makes it a good instrument for recording with.
The intonation is pretty spot on too, and these whistles also have the benefit of being tuneable which is a huge bonus that the slightly cheaper whistles don't usually have - this will allow you to make adjustments to your pitch by sliding the head up or down and ensure you are in tune when playing with other musicians or on a studio recording.
I think that paying a little bit more for this whistle will improve your playing and make you want to play more!
Priced at around £57 (with other cheaper models available)
Aluminium body
Pure, clear and full-bodied tone
Great intonation
Tuneable
Easy to play
Great quality instrument
Good for recording
You can get the Tony dixon aluminium whistle here - https://bigwhistle.com/product/dixon-high-d-whistle-aluminium-body-nickel-slide/?ref=Leyna
The shush classic quiet tin whistle -
This is a whistle that I am currently playing a lot myself for practicing, and it's really suitable for beginner to intermediate players too. This whistle is designed specifically to be very quiet - in fact it's known as the quietest whistle on the market, which makes it a perfect practice whistle, especially for those who don't like the 'shrill' sounds that you can get with other whistles.
The design of the Shush whistle is based on the Feadog High D, but the Shush has a specially designed ‘Sh’ sound-absorption blade which sits inside the tone hole, and a 'secret acoustic compound' that further dampens the sound. The Shush original high D whistle is available with either a brass or nickel finish. You can also get the Shush Pro, which has a thicker brass body finished in black satin and offers a more full-bodied sound with less unwanted overtones. The pro version is tuneable!
You can read my more in-depth review of the shush pro whistle here - https://www.leynaofficial.com/post/the-shush-pro-high-d-the-quietest-tin-whistle-in-the-world
The Shush Original whistle is priced at around £47 or you can go for the Pro for £71 (I play the Pro).
Very quiet, soft but bright sound
beginner friendly
very good practice whistle
polished brass or nickel
Pro black satin brass tuneable version available
Good for recording
You can get Shush whistles here - https://shushinstruments.com/?ref=Leyna
Killarney -
One of my personal favourites of the slightly more expensive, but still highly affordable whistles. Produced in Ireland by Padraig and Tadhg Buckley, the Killarney whistle is a really refined, authentic and high quality design.
If I was going to recommend buying only one tin whistle that would suit you all the way from beginner to advanced level and always give you a pleasant and classic Irish whistle sound with lovely playability then I would probably recommend this one!
Killarney whistles come in brass or nickel plated finishes, and as I have said before I find that the brass has a slightly warmer and more mellow tone, whereas nickel is a bit brighter and will maintain its shiny appearance - so it depends on your preference!
These whistles are very light and nimble, with a bright and clear tone - they will give you a very jolly and lively sound and can also be highly expressive! The volume of this whistle is great because it's not overly loud, yet it is very audible because of its bright and concise timbre.
Because this whistle has such a pure sound, it's also very good for recording purposes because you won't get harsh overtones, and it will sit very nicely in its own space alongside other instruments in a recording.
The playability of the Killarney whistle is outstanding - there is no point at which you feel you have to push excessively hard with your breath in order to reach the high notes - it simply glides very smoothly from the low octave all the way to the top notes in the higher octave. These whistles also have a tuneable head which is a big plus!
The body of this whistle is very lightweight, but the head is comparatively heavier than some other whistles, so the balance point is a bit different if you've been used to playing something with a lighter head, however I personally find it really comfortable to play.
Priced at around £96
Brass or nickel plated finishes
Bright, lively traditional sound
Amazing playability
Great intonation
High quality, authentic whistle
You can find Killarney whistles here - https://killarneywhistle.com
Compass -
Compass whistles are similar in design to Killarney and Mcneela Wild (another popular whistle in this price bracket) - however, the Compass has its own different tonal qualities and dynamics. This stylish whistle has a lovely playability and a nice bright, lively and stable sound. The brass of the body is heavier and thicker than that of a Killarney whistle, so it is more body-heavy in balance when playing and it produces a sound which is 'thicker' and a bit louder in volume. This whistle also has nicely finished note holes, which seem to fit to the curves of your fingers which is a nice touch and feels smooth and comfortable in the hands. Compass whistle bodies are of solid brass, with customisable finishes in a range of metals or gloss paints.
priced around £72 - £76
Bright, lively tone
stylish design
great playability
You can get a Compass high D whistle here - https://bigwhistle.com/product/compass-d-whistle/?ref=Leyna
Lír -
A very nice whistle which is highly regarded by many whistle players from beginner to professional level. I have played the Lír pro, which is the higher end aluminium model, so I will be talking about the pro here...
This whistle is a great all-rounder and has a very smooth, full-bodied sound with a slightly breathy quality. I feel that playing this whistle is quite similar to my Tony Dixon aluminium whistle, but I find the design of the Lír to have a more high-end feel and look.
The playability between octaves is excellent and I would say that this whistle would be a really reliable instrument if you're planning on performing live, as it is very consistent and stable with a good volume level.
With this high quality instrument, you will also be able to achieve more expression in your playing once you master good breath control.
You can also get the Lír original whistle which is made with stainless steel, it is less expensive than the Pro but still a very highly regarded whistle. Again, you could have this as your sole high D whistle and it would be apt for every level of playing.
Priced at around £98 for the original or £150 for the Lir pro
stainless steel or aluminium
smooth, slightly breathy sound
excellent playability
Great quality all-rounder
Reliable and consistent
You can find Lir whistles here -
Lir original high D whistle - https://bigwhistle.com/product/lir-original-high-d-in-steel/?ref=Leyna
Lir pro high D whistle - https://bigwhistle.com/product/lir-pro-high-d-whistle/?ref=Leyna
Below is a compilation video featuring all of the whistles I have reviewed in this post - in this video I am playing a slow air called 'Lough Erin Shore' so that you can hear the individual tone of each whistle.
I hope you enjoyed reading and that this has given you some insight and recommendations into beginner-friendly and intermediate whistles! These are just a few of the high D whistles that are out there on the market that I have played and recommend, there are also many more to choose from - you will most likely end up wanting to add more and more to your collection!
If you would like to get access to my exclusive discount code which gives you 10% off on the 'Big Whistle' website where you can find many of the whistles mentioned above, then you can subscribe to be a member of my Patreon community! You'll also get access to behind the scenes content, and if you join my 'Woodland Whistler' tier you also get regular tin whistle tabs to play along with my music videos, as well as joining in my community where you can ask me questions about whistles and join in discussions!
You can become a Patreon member and support my music here - https://www.patreon.com/c/leyna_robinson_stone/membership
Stay tuned as I will also be publishing a blog post with my recommendations for more advanced level high D whistles soon!
Happy whistling!
Leyna
Some of the links included in my blog are affiliate links, which means if you click on one and go on to purchase a whistle, I will earn a small commission and you will also be supporting me! I only endorse instruments that I play and love ☺️