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The “Celtic” Whistle:

Six-Hole Fingering Chart

The KelticDead Music initiative uses only two, six-hole whistle

types for the music projects that are created; the C whistle and the

D whistle. Technically, each whistle type offers a diatonic, two

octave range of the C scale and the D scale, but by the application

and use of half-hole fingering, alternate fingering, and breath

control, each whistle can become almost fully chromatic within

their respective C and D ranges of tones.

These tone hole placements are recommended by the KelticDead

and are suggestions only. As with all wind instruments, the tones

are near approximations of the true tones produced, and can vary

slightly depending upon the player, the fingering, and the force of

breath that is used in creating the sounds. This means that while

the C and D scale whistles are used, they can cover several

different “keys” that are used in the Celtic and Folk music genre,

making the six-hole whistles extremely versatile and competitive.

Prior to the 1930s, almost all “six-hole” whistles were designed to

play in the “natural” scale with the Pythagoras tuning at A = 432

Hertz. After the ISO Standard of making A=440 Hertz, the whistle

designs had to be retooled. Fortunately, after the Celtic

Renaissance period during the 1950s and 60s, whistle makers

took up the challenge, and now six-hole whistles are very

competitive in orchestration settings as well.

The KelticDead Music initiative does not rely upon “tone-hole

tabs” in the sheet music presentations themselves, and

encourages the players to become very familiar with this six-hole

fingering chart to learn how to play the notes in the sheet music

arrangements. The extra effort makes playing the six-hole whistles

more rewarding as one reads the sheet music directly and

facilitates a faster playing technique.

KelticDead Music