FAQ Question
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Question
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But don't all the really good musicians just play Generations?
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Answer
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Nope. This is a bit of a whistle "urban legend". While it's true that many of the old players played Generations, some also played Clarkes. Back then, that was pretty much all they had to choose from! Nowadays, many good musicians from Ireland and around the world play all manner of whistles, from Sindts to Copelands. Even some of the old legends have begun playing high-end instruments. Mary Bergin, for instance, plays Sindts, Generations, O'Riordans and Copelands in her recordings. Finbar Furey played an Indian bamboo flageolet in the key of Ab-ish for his famous Lonesome Boatman tune. Later this bamboo instrument got broken, and that's basically how Bernard Overton got started making low whistles.
The important thing to remember is that good music comes from the whistler, not the whistle. A whistle suited to your style of playing may make playing more fun and enjoyable, but all the 'good stuff' is gonna come from you. That's isn't to say that having a good-sounding instrument won't inspire you to be a better player. It might. But only you can determine what "good sounding" means.
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