"Down by the Sally Gardens" - beginner, Mellow Dog Pennywhistle

I just got this Jerry Freeman Tweaked Mellow Dog Pennywhistle. Freeman takes $10.00 whistles, mixes and matches parts, and reworks the fingertubes and mouthpieces. This whistle was constructed with a Walton Mellow D tube with a bit of extra brass added on the end, and combined with a mouthpiece from a Feadog C whistle, because the Walton D has a wider bore than the Feadog D. This "tweaked" whistle sells for $36.50. Freeman has many other models, some are cheaper than this one, but none cost more. This whistle is challenging for a beginner like myself. It requires noticeably more air than the Clarke Sweetone I've been using, and at first it is hard not to get a train whistle sound while hitting the upper D and E notes. It's a more comfortable whistle to hold than the Clarke, cuz there's no seam on the back, and because of the wider bore. My fingers cramp quicker playing the Clarke, but to sound good on this one is going to take more practice. I'll be playing this one more often, because I can practice longer without discomfort.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• mellow dog
• jerry freeman
• pennywhistle
• tin whistle
• irish whistle
• Irish tune

[aerialdreams]

I just got my new mellow dog whistle today, and I'm really excited! I just tested it out, and I noticed that even when I play an open note, there's a slight... buzzing sound (I'm not really sure how to describe it). Is it suppose to sound like that? it feels like the sound isn't pure, and I haven't heard this on the other sound samples of a mellow dog. I was wondering if it was defective or something, or my breathing technique is wrong, or it's supposed to sound like that

[heartywhistler]

@aerialdreams Freeman whistles can sound reedy - " a buzzing sound. " The one I got that I am playing in the video is only a little reedy, and I practiced a lot.

The Bb whistle I bought later is a LOT more reedy - supposed to sound like that (I think).

Freeman changes (tweaks) his mouthpieces.

He's good about refunds if you've bought directly from him. He's got an ebay site.

If you bought from another company and want a refund, you'll have to check with them. I hope it works out.

[OverdogTunes]

Sounds nice, keep it going man ^^

I will be getting my whistles soon and i was wondering what are some good beginner songs, this one seems good to start with.

[heartywhistler]

@OverdogTunes And for free whistle sheet music there's a good site called thesession,org. I've gotten some tunes from there.

[OverdogTunes]

@heartywhistler

Thanks a lot pal ^^, i will check all of these out right away.

[heartywhistler]

@OverdogTunes You are welcome. I wish you well in your whistling endeavors.

[heartywhistler]

@OverdogTunes Creative name!

Some good beginner tunes : "Amazing Grace," "Loch Lomond," Lift the Wings," Scarborough Faire," "The Butcher Boy," "Black Velvet Band," "Scotland the Brave," and a Bob Marley tune I figured out (see vid) called "Redemption Song."

There are some tunebooks that don't require music reading, but provide systems based on a number for each soundhole, or fingering chart for each note.

[heartywhistler]

@dspmusik81 yes, it's an excellent whistle! took some getting used to, but worth it! 

[dspmusik81]

I love my mellow dog! It has an amazing pure sound. My favorite high D as of now.

[DXMorpheus]

Never heard "Weep No More" The tune is "Maids of the Mourne Shore". It was Herbert Hughs who took William Butler Yates poem "Down By the Sally Gardens" and added this tune to the words.

If you hear "Down by the Sally Gardens" with lyrics, then this is the poem with this tune, otherwise, just the tune its "Maids of the Mourne Shore" when its a tune with no lyrics being sung.