Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle

By Grey Larsen

Book Overview

For the beginner to the highly advanced player of Irish flute, tin whistle, or Boehm-system flute. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786686839
• ISBN13: 9780786686834
• Release Date: January 2016
• Publisher: Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 3.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 8.7" x 11.7"

Customer Reviews

The Bedrock of Instruction in the Irish-Style Flute

This is one of the finest books of musical instruction for any instrument that I have ever read. Grey starts the book with the assumption that the reader knows next to nothing about the Irish style flute and its traditions. Layer by layer he inculcates you into the playing style and the musical heritage of Irish pipers and flutists. He has developed a logical, comprehensive notation system showing the learner how to accurately reproduce the rapid fluttering ornamentations used by Irish pipers/flutists/pennywhistlers. Virtually every aspect of making music with a wooden flute (or pennywhistle) is covered, including ergonomic hand and body positioning, musical breathing, fingering exercises, but mostly how to get THE SOUND of that gorgeous instrument, the Irish-style flute. Grey is a keen observer and analyst who apparently compiled notes for years in order to write this book. This is a labor of love from a great teacher and performer. It will be the foundation of instruction for Irish style flutists for many, many years to come.

The Complete and Essential Tin Whistle books

They are both very good books but not really aimed at a complete beginner. These are more for someone who is trying to build a better foundation to their basic playing. Especially if you are trying to undestand ornamentation. These books have very good clear explanations and plenty of exercises to practise them. If you buy the Essential Guide then you do not really need to buy the Essential Toolbox as most of it is contained in the Essential Guide.

Excellent, and not just for fluters

The first few chapters, in which Larsen covers the basics of Irish traditional music, are required reading for anyone wanting to participate in this musical culture, especially if not born into it. The rest of the book is a must have for fluters and whistlers, and will also prove extremely helpful to Uilleann pipers. There hasn't been as thorough an examination of how Irish music works, from any perspective. He introduces a new, clear way of notating tunes that will become the standard. As technical and scholarly as the content is, Larsen is never dry or academic. The two CDs are an added bonus.

A "must-have" for dedicated musicians and performers

The Essential Guide To Irish Flute And Tin Whistle by master musician Grey Larsen is a combination history and instruction book which is enhanced with the inclusion of a set of two audio CDS intended to aid the reader in mastering both basics and advanced techniques to playing the Irish Flute, Tin Whistle/Pennywhistle, Boehm-System Flute, and/or Piccolo. Black-and-white photographs; meticulously detailed instructions concerning everything from rhythms to finger placement; a fascinating and informative body of history and tradition concerning the Irish Flute; a veritable wealth of musical transcripts; as well as the music playing of masters recorded and released from 1925 to 2001 on the CDS, mark The Essential Guide To Irish Flute And Tin Whistle as a "must-have" for dedicated musicians and performers determined to make the most of their talent with these tradition and folk music instruments.