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To my probably inadequate knowledge, I own most tracks that Davy Spillane's low whistle has a significant presence on. But one sticks out as different from all the rest in terms of its sound, and I've been wrestling with it as I try to transcribe it since the sound is most noticeable in the ornaments. Corcomroe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAg3gHDUfqM from the CD, Pipedreams, has a kind of distorted sound — I'm not sure how else to describe it. But my question is, is it technique (in which case what is he doing to get it) is it processing or is it the whistle itself? Admittedly, I think it's played on a Low A, which I haven't come across elsewhere in his playing but I've not heard such a sound in any Overton or indeed any other low whistle.

My first impression is that it is a Native American Flute, it has that haunting kind of sound.

An interesting thought! I know nothing about NAFs though I assumed they were all wooden and the sound here does sound metallic to me.

It's a whistle because the album sleeve says 'Davy Spillane — Uilleann Pipes and Low Whistle' and it's not uilleann pipes. I'd concur with low (bass) A, but don't hear anything that unusual (e.g. 'distortion'), and suggest that, if it sticks out as different from all the rest in terms of its sound, it's simply because of the lower pitch.

Sounds like perfectly normal whistle sound to me, too.

That's what I thought. Bog-standard low whistle sound, unless I'm missing something.

Yes, whistle. The sound doesn't seem like NAF to me. When these types of questions arise I'm always curious why the question doesn't get asked of the musician him or her self. That is provided the musician is still with us.

ytliek wrote:Yes, whistle. The sound doesn't seem like NAF to me. When these types of questions arise I'm always curious why the question doesn't get asked of the musician him or her self. That is provided the musician is still with us.

Depends what you mean by "with us".

Davy doesn't usually reply to e-mails otherwise I would have asked him. Okay, fair enough. You think it sounds like a normal Bass A. I can accept that. But the ornaments don't sound as crisp to me as on a Low D and maybe that is to be expected with a much lower key.

Mikethebook wrote:But the ornaments don't sound as crisp to me as on a Low D and maybe that is to be expected with a much lower key.

Okay, now I see what you mean. Yeah, I think that's the case. I checked out some other low whistle vids for comparison and the ornamentation was overall pretty much to the same effect: that is, the ornaments themselves were crisply done, but all the same the sound is rather liquid.

I confess I really hadn't thought of it before.

benhall.1 wrote:

ytliek wrote:Yes, whistle. The sound doesn't seem like NAF to me. When these types of questions arise I'm always curious why the question doesn't get asked of the musician him or her self. That is provided the musician is still with us.

Depends what you mean by "with us".

Still alive, and perhaps still playing a session occasionally.

Mikethebook wrote:Davy doesn't usually reply to e-mails otherwise I would have asked him. Okay, fair enough. You think it sounds like a normal Bass A. I can accept that. But the ornaments don't sound as crisp to me as on a Low D and maybe that is to be expected with a much lower key.

E-mail isn't the only means for contact. There must be some one on this forum who could get a message to Davy and inquire about that particular YouTube tune.

I can understand why a musician wouldn't want to reveal every trade secret about how their music is created, particular techniques for unique sound or special effects, so why try to copy that sound? Just saying.

Nanonhedron, you've answered my query really. Most of my questions with the sound concerned the ornaments and "liquid" describes them very well. When slowed down many of them are difficult to distinguish; there's just a gloopy sound. And the fact that you have found on YouTube vids of other very low whistles with a similar liquid sound suggests it is down to a characteristic of bass whistles as Peter suggested. I guess I'm not not used to hearing bass whistles being played.

Thanks for the suggestion ytliek. Not needed right now.

I'm only a newbie around here, & it did sound good, so I'd better check out some 'low whistles' ........ on the other hand, I don't want to be tempted into getting one, I've got enough learning to do already.

its a low A, i use to play this years ago,, its not an NAF, i used to make those and there is no way you can make sounds like that or 3rd octave or even a full 2nd octave those NAFs