B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

[TxWhistler]

....... I won't be doing sessions, but just playing around the Kitchen Table.

.......I have never needed a Bb whistle......

Ben you are doing what I and thousands more like me are doing. We are not playing in sessions but playing around the house. For our own enjoyment and to possibly play for family and friends.

For the hard core Irish Traditional Musician I suppose the high D whistle is really all you "need" if you want to play traditional Irish music on the whistle; however, for the thousands of us who are just playing around the house for our own enjoyment, it's fun to play whistles other than high D. It is fun to see how a song can take on a different character or emotion when played on something other than a high D. I am also enjoying learning songs other than Irish trad songs and having more than just a high D whistle helps when the song is written in something other than D or G.

So Ben, I agree with the suggestion someone made earlier, get both the C and Bb in the cheaper mass manufactured whistles and see what you like. It won't break the bank. Then you can get a more expensive C or Bb if you think that is what you want to to.

Have fun!

[Mr.Gumby]

For the hard core Irish Traditional Musician I suppose the high D whistle is really all you "need" if you want to play traditional Irish music on the whistle; however, for the thousands of us who are just playing around the house for our own enjoyment, it's fun to play whistles other than high D. It is fun to see how a song can take on a different character or emotion when played on something other than a high D. I am also enjoying learning songs other than Irish trad songs and having more than just a high D whistle helps when the song is written in something other than D or G.

I realise that, obviously. What I said was more or less factual and to provide a bit of context and perhaps an illustration different people have different needs and preferences: until very recently I didn't have a Bb whistle that I'd play and just never felt the need to get one. Playing around, in the kitchen or otherwise, people have different wants and needs and they will vary from one person to the next. I feel everybody must do what they feel they need/want to and in that context 'best choice' is a rather subjective sort of thing to ask.

I had a look into the Killarney Bb when they were first out but decided there was no point spending €95 on something that probably wouldn't get any use. That old Generation is best choice for my situation, it plays well, sounds fine, should the mood take me (and I did play it for a bit earlier this week when a question about these came up on the forum). But the reality is that I have a limited number of whistles standing in a mug on the table that I use for daily playing (2 O'Briain 'improved' D, Generation C, D and Eb and a Potter D) and those more than cover the playing around the house. The small number of designer whistles (Sindts and Killarneys) only come out on special occasions, keeping them seperately in a whistle roll means in practice I don't bother taking them out. But that's just me, I suppose.

[ecadre]

Its funny, but I rarely play my C recorder as I find it shrill and my ears hiss afterwards for a few minutes. But I don't get that with the D whistle, despite the fact it's higher pitched.

Actually, a "C" recorder (descant/soprano) is at the same pitch as a "D" whistle. It's just that the recorder has on extra hole (or double hole) in the foot that takes it down one note to C.

It's obviously something to do with the tone and volume of the recorder and whistle in question.

[bruce.b]

I’d get a Killarney Bb. I got one about a month ago and love it. I have a good Generation Bb and the Killarney is clearly better, IMO. It has a stronger, better tone and is a bit more responsive and easier to play. I also love my Killarney D. I haven’t played a C. I’ve sold all my other high whistles.

Where did you get a Killarney Bb? They aren't on their website

From their website. They were there when I ordered. Maybe they are out?

[Mr.Gumby]

Maybe they are out?

They're not, they are listed on the buy now page on the website @ €95 right now, €99 with pouch

also:

The Killarney Whistle not only looks great, it has all the qualities that a musician needs in their instrument. These include:

Bright clear tone in both octaves
Good volume in both octaves
Excellent responsiveness
In tune with itself and manually tuneable with a tuning slide
Solid ergonomic feel when played, with a comfortable mouthpiece
Triple Nickel-Plated body for a bright sound
Available in the Keys of D, C, Bb and Eb
Now available with Brass body

[AuLoS303]

Its funny, but I rarely play my C recorder as I find it shrill and my ears hiss afterwards for a few minutes. But I don't get that with the D whistle, despite the fact it's higher pitched.

Actually, a "C" recorder (descant/soprano) is at the same pitch as a "D" whistle. It's just that the recorder has on extra hole (or double hole) in the foot that takes it down one note to C.

It's obviously something to do with the tone and volume of the recorder and whistle in question.

So does that mean a sopranino has an extra 4 holes but is effectively a D? Doesn't really make sense

[bigsciota]

The small number of designer whistles (Sindts and Killarneys) only come out on special occasions, keeping them separately in a whistle roll means in practice I don't bother taking them out. But that's just me, I suppose.

Not just you! I have a D and an Eb Killarney, both lovely whistles, but I keep them in my flute case. Meanwhile, I have a Dixon two piece polymer that sits in my left front pocket most of the time. So, the vast majority of my whistle playing is on that whistle, not so much out of preference as practicality.

[ecadre]

Its funny, but I rarely play my C recorder as I find it shrill and my ears hiss afterwards for a few minutes. But I don't get that with the D whistle, despite the fact it's higher pitched.

Actually, a "C" recorder (descant/soprano) is at the same pitch as a "D" whistle. It's just that the recorder has on extra hole (or double hole) in the foot that takes it down one note to C.

It's obviously something to do with the tone and volume of the recorder and whistle in question.

So does that mean a sopranino has an extra 4 holes but is effectively a D? Doesn't really make sense

It's simply different naming conventions. That is orchestral versus British/Irish folk.What we think of as a D transverse flute would be called a C flute in an orchestra. Of course the instrument that is mostly used used in trad music has generally lost the lowest couple of notes.

Joanie Madden plays a Boehm system silver flute. In an orchestra it is a C flute, even if we think of it in our terms as a D flute.

If you see whistles made in the Indian sub-continent, then they are marked using a different convention. As far as I remember they use the fourth note (don't quote me, there are likely to be other conventions too.).

[Narzog]

If you go cheap like generation, you can easily get a C and Bb. If you are going more expensive, you could get one nice one in Bb or C and get a cheap one for the other.

For casual playing in the house I do think lower is just nicer on the ears. High whistles I pretty much avoid anywhere after the second half of second octave because its just too loud and high pitch.

[AuLoS303]

Whistles are meant to be cheap, hence the name penny whistle. But the prices some are paying for whistles is beyond me

[pancelticpiper]

About the usefulness of keys, I used to do a load of Church gigs and most of the time you only need whistles in D and C.

There have been many gigs where that's all I used.

EXCEPT if they're doing Be Thou My Vision! You always need your Bb for that one, unless you want to skreech it out on an Eb.

Since the Hymns in Hymnals go to four sharps and four flats I bring a Low Eb and a Low E.

I don't remember ever needing anything other than those five: Bb C D Eb E in 40 years of Church gigs.

That's just the perspective of somebody doing gigs. I know the discussion was playing for self enjoyment.

For me the most enjoyable whistles to play are probably my mezzo A and Bb, both Generations.

About trad sessions, most people make do with only a D. Many also bring a C for some tunes in D minor, G minor, C Major, etc.

[fatmac]

Its funny, but I rarely play my C recorder as I find it shrill and my ears hiss afterwards for a few minutes. But I don't get that with the D whistle, despite the fact it's higher pitched.

Actually, a "C" recorder (descant/soprano) is at the same pitch as a "D" whistle. It's just that the recorder has on extra hole (or double hole) in the foot that takes it down one note to C.

It's obviously something to do with the tone and volume of the recorder and whistle in question.

So does that mean a sopranino has an extra 4 holes but is effectively a D? Doesn't really make sense

Not forgetting that the barrel sounding length of a 'C' recorder will also be slightly longer too.

Soprano & tenor recorders are in the key of 'C', whilst bass, alto & sopranino are in the key of 'F'.

A high 'D' whistle has the first note equal to the second note of a soprano recorder, D5 on a piano scale.

[AuLoS303]

Actually recorders arent in keys, they are chromatic and can play in any key, so saying a soprano is in the key of C is misleading, or so I'm told.

[fatmac]

Well, it was how they were sold when I had mine, being their lowest note, they were classified by it - times change, maybe they are classified differently now(?).

Edit: It's the same with chromatic harmonicas, whilst they play all the notes, they are also sold by key.

[AuLoS303]

I still say C recorder and F recorder, its just what you're used to. Its probably more appropriate to say C range and F range but whatever floats yer boat.