Improvisation and Variation (Tin Whistle/Irish Flute)

Several folks have asked for a video on improvisation and the types of variations that I do and it took me a minute to figure out a way to put this down, but hopefully this will do. I'm using the very common reel The Silver Spear as my example and I break it down using both flute and tin whistle so that hopefully the variations will be easier to hear.
My Gear
Camera: Panasonic GH5 (amzn.to/33oJiCW)
Wide Lens: Sigma 16mm f/1.4 (amzn.to/33kBh1K)
B-Roll Lens: Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 (amzn.to/31iddtN)
Boom Mic: Rode NTG4 (amzn.to/3gtf59e)
On-camera Mic: Rode Video Micro (amzn.to/3i3n7pJ)
Lavalier Mic: Shure SM93 (amzn.to/2EQ0V4p)
Handheld Mic: Shure Beta58 (amzn.to/2EEGsiC)
Flute Clip-on Mic: Audio Technica Pro 35 (amzn.to/2Pj9Ywn)
Gimbal: DJI Ronin SC (amzn.to/2Xpeb6b)
Drone: DJI Mavic Air (amzn.to/3goEL7a)
XLR Interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo (amzn.to/31d3GnD)
Action camera: GoPro Hero 7 Black (amzn.to/3i8jxuJ)
DAW: Logic Pro X
NLE: Final Cut Pro X
VFX: Apple Motion
Whistles are made by Gary Humphrey: web.blomand.net/~ghumphrey/
Flutes made by Terry McGee (www.mcgee-flutes.com/) and Windward (www.windwardflutes.com/)
Follow me on Instagram: / whistletutor
My website for info about lessons and tour dates and stuff: whistletutor.com
BUSINESS INQUIRIES: [e-mail]

[@jikkepk8018]

Great video! Variation is something I've slowly been working on. I'm not yet at the point where I can play a lot of variations off the cuff, but it's fun to mess around and see what sounds nice. And of course to try it off the cuff anyway and screw up. Lots of learning to do by screwing up.
Interesting to see an analysis like this and it definitely gives me some inspiration for things to try out :)

[@whistletutor]

Thanks a bunch, trial and error is definitely the name of the game!

[@dmacseain]

Very well presented, making these subtleties understandable for us up & comers. Thx a million. (Couldn't catch the jazz text. LoL).

[@jamesbond2472]

Thnx Sean, Nice to see your still doing what you do best.. Wondering if you could do 'Tobins Favourite Jig' one day as a request.

[@dean84921]

Wonderfully helpful video. Variation is something that's always tripped me up. Most people I know who can do it really can't explain what they're doing (oh to be blessed with that much natural talent). Great to hear things broken down in concrete terms!- quick edit, I find variations are easier to pick up from other's playing rather than working in my own. Any recs for players/groups that use a lot of improv in their tunes?

[@whistletutor]

I listened a lot to Matt Molloy, Seamus Egan, Mike McGoldrick - they're monster flute players and are great at both subtle and not-so-sutble variations!

[@soslothful]

This is nicely timed. I have been playing two tunes, "Mominette" a 4/4 barndance and "The Plane Tree" a 6/8 jig. These seem to be the same tune in two different signatures. Is this really the case?

[@whistletutor]

I don't know those tunes myself (at least not by name) but there are definitely a bunch of tunes that are available in both jig and reel flavors.

[@soslothful]

@@whistletutor The two tunes are. of course, on The Session if you care to dabble with them. And two tutorials which may interest subscribers. A line or two of a tune on a whistle with chiff and then without. Then for those who may be interested in busking or similar public playing, copy right issues. How does one know if a tune is public domain or under copy right?