learning tin-whistle

[Pyro8]

I've been trying to learn the whistle on and off for the past two or three years. I can't be 100% sure but I know I started before meeting my wife. I started by buying one of those Waltons book and whistle sets. It's a C whistle I understand (since that's what's written on it and I trust the manufacturer to be honest with me on this point).
Admittedly, I've not put enough time into my practicing. This is a mixture of not having a lot of time free to practice, especially with the baby and everything but it's mainly down to being stuck in a rut. My major problem is that I struggle with the high notes. I can get F in the higher octive but anything above that is too shreaky. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I bought a new whistle, turns out it's not a manufacturing fault, it's me.
Being unable to progress past this point, I'm stuck repeating Wild Rover over and over again and that upsets the wife and she throws things at me. So I elect not to use as much of my limited free time to practising as I'd like.
Is there anyone who can give me pointers? I've tried varying how hard I blow but it still seems to be those higher notes that are the problems.
Thanks also to the Streams of Whiskey tabber. Is there anyone who has tabbed Turkish Song of the Damned? That said I should probably stop being lazy and do it myself! Haha!
Thanks everyone!

Pointers...umm 0x00000000
Ok, not too funny
You can check Ryan Duns' tutorials on youtube (he plays some tunes, and he has tutorial videos as well), it should guide you through basics. Anyway, for traditional music, I think it can hardly be ever stressed out enough, how listening is important - if you listen to Paddy Moloney, for example, he's a daemon on the pipes, the whistle and the box - that's because he's got the music in his head. And if you know what you want to play, it gets much easier.

[welshwhistler]

Thanks both for your advice.
I bought a new whistle from the local music shop just to see if it was it or me. Turns out it was 80/20 against me. But since buying it I seem to have been able to achieve a lot more of the notes and am building my confidence. Am particularly pleased with how the Galway Races is coming on after I nearly threw the whistle through the window the first few times (that was 100% me and not the whistle's fault).
Have set myself a target of perfecting 10 songs by the end of November and will buy a C whistle if I achieve it.
Have figured out some rudimentary versions of a few Pogues songs, such as Turkish Song of the Damned, Thousands Are Sailing and Repeal of the Licensing Laws. Am sure Spider would be horrified by my attempts at the moment but I'm only starting out and I'm sure I'll refine them over time!
Have got tickets to see the band in Birmingham in December. Really looking forward to it. My first Pogues gig. Really hope they play Sunnyside of the Street, its my ambition to learn that bad boy
Thanks again for all the advice. I'll be sure to check out the youtube tutorials.
All the best
Liam

[Roger Whittaker]

Spider,hi ! have you ever used or ever considered using a small amp or pickup ?I saw Micheal McGodrick playing with one on THE TRANSATLANTIC SESSIONS week,it made the whistle stand out among the other instruments.Sometimes i think us whistle players get a raw deal and by the way that is my real name,i live in Antwerp where the Famous Roger Whittaker has a cult following,i bet he could not sing Durham Town[sic]in Flemish though......

[Mr Azmo]

Hey everybody. New member, etc.

My girlfriend plays the classical recorder, and she is fed up with the stigma attached to it. It's understandable, here in Australia we are tormented with squeaky recorder-playing preschoolers butchering 'Merrily We Roll Along' in 3 part unharmony. She plays AMAZING things tho, there is a lot of great baroque music for the recorder and she can play an Irish ballad that will melt your heart. As well as experimental stuff that involves tapping the recorder on the desk as part of the score, or imitating birdsong. Great recorder players ARE out there, they just hide behind a piano or violin as people are less likely to take the piss. There are many types of recorders too, some more like whistles and some that are more like a didgeridoo in tone. 'Ruby Tuesday' is about the only pop song I can think of that rocks the recorder tho...

I'm learning some whistle, I got sick of just playing stringed and key instruments plus I like the idea of being able to carry your instrument in your pocket. Getting the high notes without squealing is troubling me actually...all the dogs in my neighbourhood must cringe in agony everytime I start a-whistlin'. Pogues got me into it, of course!