Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hi all!
It's been a couple of years (5 years already, really?!!) since my first whistle purchase, a Susato Dublin V (a small bore).
So far I've been able to resist the urge to buy something new, but figured my upcoming 30th birthday would be a nice occasion to splurge.

The Susato small bore is supposed to be a quiet whistle... But alas, in my small apartment I've found it to be quite earpiercing still and I barely dare venture into the second octave. So I figured I could tape the blade, get a Parks whistle or get a low whistle. So far I'm thinking of the latter. I've got some questions for you!

1) Am I correct in assuming a low whistle would be quiter? I read they're supposed to be quiter that a standard bore, high whistle equivalent. But how do they compare to a narrow bore one like my Susato? Will a Low G be quiet enough? Or would I be disappointed that I can't play it quiet enough?

2) I've got my eye on an MK Pro Low G. Any thoughts?

3) I've been reading up on transposing and fingering and the like between different keys but I can't quite figure it out. Music theory has never been my talent. So I'm hoping you could answer this simple question instead. If I were to play Concerning Hobbits (normally played in the key of G on a High D, whatever that means) on the Low G, could I use the same fingerings as on my high D and it would sound correct, just transposed? I deciphered, perhaps incorrectly, that G and D are easy to change between.

Thanks my friends!

Lower whistles are much less ear piercing, so yes, a low whistle will sound less 'noisy' - it's really to do with pitch.

Using the same fingering on a different key will just transpose a tune to that key - I prefer the lower pitches, myself.

I have an MK low F, it's a good whistle, (also an aluminium Shearwater low F, bought previously).

The low G whistles that I have are a Trad brass Dixon, & a pre used ABS Dixon that I happened across, it is a mellower player than the Trad.

I have owned a number of low G whistles. My favorite is the Jerry Freeman. He makes his own brass tone body and couples it with a modified Generation Bb head. It is tuneable and plays higher notes sweetly. The volume is average so it fits my needs and taste perfectly. Actually, Jerry classifies it as a mezzo G.

Im selling an immaculate low G mk pro if your interested . Pm me

I know this is kind of late, but I find low Gs to be all over the place, depending on the philosophy of the maker. There are high whistles and low whistles, but A and G are in this weird middle place where they can go either way, depending on how the maker chooses to balance the characteristics. Some borrow the bore size of the higher whistles, and those whistles end up having sweet second octaves, quieter tones, and they play similarly to high whistles. The Freeman Generation-style A and G come to mind. Others use the bore size from the lower pitches, and have a more robust, fuller tone, harsher second octaves, and play like their low cousins. The Reviol A and G and the Chieftain G are in that category. And it's a spectrum, so you can get any combination of bore sizes and characteristics. The Carbony G is a bit closer to a high whistle, but a little more full than the Freeman I used to own. All are quieter and more mellow than a high D, at least all the ones I've come across, but my Carbony G gets lost in a session, whereas the Chieftain Thunderbird G could be heard.

Here's my comparison of a few models, if it helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWTrqNpufvk&t=301s

AngelicBeaver wrote:I know this is kind of late, but I find low Gs to be all over the place, depending on the philosophy of the maker. There are high whistles and low whistles, but A and G are in this weird middle place where they can go either way, depending on how the maker chooses to balance the characteristics. Some borrow the bore size of the higher whistles, and those whistles end up having sweet second octaves, quieter tones, and they play similarly to high whistles. The Freeman Generation-style A and G come to mind. Others use the bore size from the lower pitches, and have a more robust, fuller tone, harsher second octaves, and play like their low cousins. The Reviol A and G and the Chieftain G are in that category. And it's a spectrum, so you can get any combination of bore sizes and characteristics. The Carbony G is a bit closer to a high whistle, but a little more full than the Freeman I used to own. All are quieter and more mellow than a high D, at least all the ones I've come across, but my Carbony G gets lost in a session, whereas the Chieftain Thunderbird G could be heard.

Here's my comparison of a few models, if it helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWTrqNpufvk&t=301s

I just watched that twice, as well as your "Chieftain Thunderbird Set" video. That's such an important point of how the bore and other design factors can make an alto range whistle or A, G, or F whistle seem either as a lower extension of the soprano whistles, or as an upper range of the "low" whistles. Each to their own, but so good to see that demonstrated and talked about! My preference is for the alto and low whistles to have volume, power, clarity and rich tone and lots of expressive options (soul and humour) like with the Chieftain/Reviol examples, and high whistles to be in a variety, depending on what's needed. Lots of variables in the designs going on. But you hit an essential point underlying everything else.