Tin whistle quiz
Which tin whistle should I buy?
There are dozens of whistles out there and most buying advice assumes you already know what you want. Tell me how you play, what music you love and the sound you are after, and I will point you at the whistle I would hand you in person, plus two good alternatives. Five or six questions, about a minute.
Question 1 of 5
How the quiz picks
Every whistle in it is one I would recommend to a friend. The quiz weighs the sound you want first, then where and what you will play, then your budget. It never shows prices, because they change daily. Want to compare everything side by side? The tin whistle buying guide has the full list with pros and cons.
Quick answers
Which tin whistle should a beginner buy?+
A budget high D whistle. Most Irish tunes, and nearly every tab on TinWhistleTab, are written for D, and a Feadóg, Generation or Clarke Sweetone is what a great many good players started on. Spend more once you know what sound you like.
Should I start on a low whistle?+
You can, but a high D is the easier start. A low whistle needs more air and a much wider finger stretch, and it costs a lot more. If the low whistle sound is the whole reason you want to play, go for it and pick one with kind hole spacing.
Is a more expensive tin whistle easier to play?+
Up to a point. A mid-range tunable whistle is more consistent from note to note and lets you match other players, which matters once you join a session. It will not fix technique, and plenty of professionals still play cheap whistles they picked out carefully.
What key of tin whistle should I get?+
D. It is the key of Irish traditional music and the key the tabs on this site are written for. A C whistle makes a handy second whistle for songs that sit lower.