Like the fife, this particular instrument is constructed with six holes bored into the tube that are covered by the musician's fingers at different times when a different sound is required. It is known by a few other names besides the tin whistle, such as the pennywhistle or the Irish whistle and is known as an end blown fipple flute, because of the long hole that is present on the top of the mouthpiece, just below where the musician blows into the whistle.

While there does not appear to be a specific date on which this particular flute was created, which is the case with many musical instruments, the oldest whistles have been dated back to the 1100s. Though the tin whistle could have existed as far back as the 12 century, it was most noticed in the 16 century. In fact, it was during this time that the tin whistle earned its other name; penny whistle.

Apparently, the tin whistle was quite popular among the poor around this time and earned its title because the beggars would play this instrument on the street for money. The term that this particular instrument is best known by is actually a newer term than "penny" whistle. The term "tin whistle" appears to have only started being used in the early 1900s. This type of whistle also comes in different sizes. The smaller tin whistles will often have a higher sound, while the tin whistles that are larger in size will often have a lower sound than the smaller ones.

Regardless of the size, the whistles are made in such a way that they do not need to be tuned, much like the recorder. It is a simply made instrument that changes its sound when the musician covers different holes. For anyone who is new to music, this is probably one of the best instruments to learn how to play. It allows for someone to easily grasp how to play the instrument as well as to learn how to read sheet music at the same time.

This particular instrument is also relatively inexpensive to acquire, probably because of its simple design and build. It, like the recorder, is an instrument that can be great for someone who wants to get into playing any type of wind instrument. It calls for some discipline in a person's ability to control the amount of air they blow into the whistle and it gets a new musician used to the different combination of covering holes in order to create the right notes. It is also a great instrument for anyone who wishes to pick something up as a hobby. It is not an overly demanding instrument and can be quite enjoyable and relaxing to play on free time.