Woodwinds · Duct flute · Recorder family
Tin Whistle
Six-holed duct flute at the heart of Irish traditional music.
Quick facts
| Family | Woodwinds — Duct flute |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs | 421.221.12 |
| Pitched in | D |
| Transposition | Sounds a octave higher than written |
| Written range | D4 – D6 |
| Sounding range | D5 – D7 (587.33 – 2349 Hz) |
| Clef | Treble |
| Materials | metal, wood |
| Other names | flûte irlandaise, penny whistle, pennywhistle |
Player's notes
- Six-holed duct flute at the heart of Irish traditional music.
- The common D whistle sounds an octave higher than written.
- Ornamentation (cuts, taps, rolls) matters more than speed.
About the tin whistle
The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, a class of instrument which also includes the recorder and Native American flute. A tin whistle player is called a whistler. The tin whistle is closely associated with Irish traditional music and Celtic music. Other names for the instrument are the flageolet, English flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, tin flageolet, or Irish whistle (also Irish: feadóg stáin or feadóg).
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Tin whistle”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Listen
Recordings from Wikimedia Commons, found via Openverse.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the tin whistle?
The practical written range of the tin whistle is D4 to D6, which sounds D5 to D7 (587.3 Hz to 2349 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz).
Is the tin whistle a transposing instrument?
Yes. The tin whistle is pitched in D: sounds a octave higher than written. A written C sounds C.
What clef does the tin whistle read?
The tin whistle reads treble clef.
How is the tin whistle classified?
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system the tin whistle is classified as 421.221.12.
Historic examples in museums
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Related instruments
Soprano Recorder
Also called the descant; sounds an octave above written pitch.
Alto Recorder
The baroque 'treble recorder', written at pitch with its lowest note F4.
B♭ Clarinet
The most common clarinet: written C sounds B♭ a whole step lower.
A Clarinet
Slightly longer sibling of the B♭ clarinet; written C sounds A, a minor third lower.
E♭ Clarinet
The small 'piccolo' of the clarinet family; written C sounds E♭ a minor third higher.
Alto Clarinet
Pitched in E♭ a fifth below the B♭ soprano; written C sounds E♭ a major sixth lower.