Chiff and Fipple Forums

We are trying to explain the different key whistles, & why you would buy them

Playing another key, say G on a D whistle, is part of the learning curve. Buying a new whistle only to use it for its basic key really defies the purpose. I don't think pointing out the common alternative interferes with your explanation, it complements it.

Diatonic instruments are not the best for playing all keys, for that you are far better off with a chromatic instrument.

It is common practice to use a D whistle to play in D and G, Am (dorian if you like) and Em (dorian again) and A is within, relatively easy, reach as well. Works perfectly fine.


This



doesn't make it easier to play in all keys. Even a keyed whistle or (simple system) flute isn't really a fully chromatic instrument. Keys will help with the accidentals but you don't quite step into playing in any key at all ( though some will be easier to fall into than others).

I see that a low D and a high D sound the same...except for the low huskiness.

That's all I need to know, and Im very grateful for all who have taken time to explain it to me...thanks

The last couple of posts are going somewhere that I don't understand, like when your satnav says you are on a motorway but you're actually driving through a forest, that wide eyed "what?" look. That's how lost I am with keys, pitches, Gs Bs and other notes.

So thanks again for the help, I'm sorted

Maybe this will help. Western music has a set of notes that sound right to us.

Do re mi fa so la ti do

That is a set of intervals, a set of pitch relationships that sound right and pleasing. Its called "the major scale," BTW.

You would probably sing "doe, a deer a female deer" starting on a C note (do) and you would be in the key of C.

But you might start out singing the song on a D. All the intervals between the notes would be the same, but it would be in the key of D. Or you might start on B; then it would be in the key of B Nobody would notice unless they had perfect pitch: the song would sound normal and right. Your first note would be in a different pitch, but all the intervals between the notes would be the same.

So if you pick up a C whistle and play "doe, a deer" the first note is C and you are in the key of C. If you pick up a Bb whistle and play "Doe a deer," the first note is Bb and you are in the key of Bb. But all the fingering stay the same, because the fingerings express note intervals.


Why the major scale, and why does it sound good to us? I dunno, I was told there's a reason it's called "music theory" and not "music fact."

The easy way to change key with a whistle is to just pick up another whistle. Guys who are good at half holing can play in a lot of keys. I saw a guy hang at a jazz jam once with a homemade PVC flute in D. He just half holed the hell out of it and played around the missing notes.

With a chromatic instrument (piano, sax, guitar, trumpet, boehm system flute or clarinet etc.) changing keys involves a more complicated process of using different fingerings. Guitar players often cheat and use a capo

@ afl2277
Apologies for taking your thread further than you wanted.

PB+J wrote:Maybe this will help. Western music has a set of notes that sound right to us.

So re mi fa so la ti do

That is a set of intervals, a set of pitch relationships that sound right and pleasing. Its called "the major scale," BTW.

You would probably sing "doe, a deer a female deer" starting on a C note (do) and you would be in the key of C.

But you might start out singing the song on a D. All the intervals between the notes would be the same, but it would be in the key of D. Or you might start on B; then it would be in the key of B Nobody would notice unless they had perfect pitch: the song would sound normal and right. Your first note would be in a different pitch, but all the intervals between the notes would be the same.

So if you pick up a C whistle and play "doe, a deer" the first note is C and you are in the key of C. If you pick up a Bb whistle and play "Doe a deer," the first note is Bb and you are in the key of Bb. But all the fingering stay the same, because the fingerings express note intervals.


Why the major scale, and why does it sound good to us? I dunno, I was told there's a reason it's called "music theory" and not "music fact."

The easy way to change key with a whistle is to just pick up another whistle. Guys who are good at half holing can play in a lot of keys. I saw a guy hang at a jazz jam once with a homemade PVC flute in D. He just half holed the hell out of it and played around the missing notes.

With a chromatic instrument (piano, sax, guitar, trumpet, boehm system flute or clarinet etc.) changing keys involves a more complicated process of using different fingerings. Guitar players often cheat and use a capo

This makes sense, thinking of how I would sing something I see what you mean. Thank you so much for taking the time to think of a way to explain it to me. I think I get it

fatmac wrote:@ afl2277
Apologies for taking your thread further than you wanted.

Oh my sweet boy, you have been really helpful in a few of my threads...never feel the need to apologise for anything


(The elderly lady, Ange, scuttles off away from the forum for a couple of hours after being seriously politically incorrect to fatmac )

"boy" - I'm 68 - thanks for that, Ange.

fatmac wrote: "boy" - I'm 68 - thanks for that, Ange.

Mmmmm...3yrs older than me, so I can't really call you a boy can I

afl2277 wrote:Mmmmm...3yrs older than me, so I can't really call you a boy can I

No, not really.

afl2277 wrote: I don't understand buying an instrument in one key and being able to play other keys on it...

Much of the whistle's flexibility regarding playing in different keys comes from commonly using two different C's

C sharp OOO OOO

C natural OXX OOO

<- top of the whistle... bottom of the whistle ->

In other words put down the middle and ring fingers of your upper hand.

Just having two C's gives you a variety of scales.

So a D scale would go like this, starting at your whistle's lowest note and going up to that same note an octave higher:

D E F# G A B C# d

But now instead of starting on your lowest note (bottom D) start on G, and use C natural instead of C sharp:

G A B Cnat d e f# g

Now you've played a G scale.

That's really what it is, using a different segment of the notes available to you.

afl2277 wrote: If I buy a low D whistle ....obviously discounting the lower husky tone...will the notes be the same? ...the notes in the same place ...but obviously lower...

Yes exactly.

But as you'll find out, playing a Low D is rather different than playing a High D, in how you hold it, how you breathe into it.

pancelticpiper wrote:

afl2277 wrote: I don't understand buying an instrument in one key and being able to play other keys on it...

Much of the whistle's flexibility regarding playing in different keys comes from commonly using two different C's

C sharp OOO OOO

C natural OXX OOO

<- top of the whistle... bottom of the whistle ->

In other words put down the middle and ring fingers of your upper hand.

Just having two C's gives you a variety of scales.

So a D scale would go like this, starting at your whistle's lowest note and going up to that same note an octave higher:

D E F# G A B C# d

But now instead of starting on your lowest note (bottom D) start on G, and use C natural instead of C sharp:

G A B Cnat d e f# g

Now you've played a G scale.

That's really what it is, using a different segment of the notes available to you.

afl2277 wrote: If I buy a low D whistle ....obviously discounting the lower husky tone...will the notes be the same? ...the notes in the same place ...but obviously lower...

Yes exactly.

But as you'll find out, playing a Low D is rather different than playing a High D, in how you hold it, how you breathe into it.

Thanks. I think I'm starting to understand it more now