B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

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Ben Shaffer
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B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by Ben Shaffer »

Well, I have not played Irish Music in years.
Ive been playing Clarinet mainly in Community Bands
When I did play Irish Music, sessions etc,I played Flute, as well as the C and high D Whistles
Ive been thinking about buying a Whistle.
I won't be doing sessions, but just playing around the Kitchen Table
I'd like to get either a C or a B flat whistle, as these sound a little more mellow than most high D Whistles
Any opinions on the best choice of between these Keys for just noodling around?
Ive heard a lot of good things about the Killarney Whistles, so I'm looking in that Direction to make a purchase of one of these key Whistles
Could buy one key first and then done the road the other
Thanks in Advance for any Opinions!
Ben Shaffer
Greensboro,NC
BTW, do you use a Pipers grip with the B flat Whistle?
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by facet »

Everyone’s sensitivity differs but to me a long session with a D starts to irritate like dragging fingernails over a chalkboard. The same time with a C isn’t harsh like that. But, if I had to keep only one whistle it would be the Bb. It's sweet and mellow, the lowest of the highs and a good compromise in physical size. For me, it doesn’t require the Piper’s grip. I tend to favor the Burke for its quality and clarity.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by Sedi »

I quite like the Generation C and Feadog C. In fact they are both so good that I never considered getting anything more expensive. The Generation Bb is also nice. I play it with normal grip.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by AuLoS303 »

Sedi wrote:I quite like the Generation C and Feadog C. In fact they are both so good that I never considered getting anything more expensive. The Generation Bb is also nice. I play it with normal grip.
Tempted to get a Generation Bb actually
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by TxWhistler »

I don't think you could make a wrong choice here. The C and Bb are very nice keys for the whistle.

The C whistles are easier on the ear in the 2nd octave than the D and the Bb (in my opinion) is a cross between a high whistle and a low whistle. It is small enough that you don't need to use the pipers grip on it and the first octave notes are very pleasingly lower than the D.

I very much enjoy my Feadog, Generation and Walton C's and my Generation Bb's.

Whichever way you decide to go I think you will be pleased.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by 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.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by 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.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by AuLoS303 »

Hmm kilarneys are too expensive for me. Very tight budget here.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by Sedi »

AuLoS303 wrote: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.
That's because the tone of the recorder is clearer and more focussed, less overtones. The purer the sound the harsher it is on the ears in my experience. That's why I had to stop playing ocarina. Very pure tone and high sound pressure -- very bad for the ears.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by fatmac »

You won't need to use pipers grip until you get down to perhaps a low 'G', if you have small hands, or more likely, a low 'F'.......

I like lower whistles than 'C', but I do have a very nice Tony Dixon Duo which has a somewhat mellow tone to it, probably why I like it. :thumbsup:

Generation 'C' & 'Bb' could be bought, they're not expensive - then you could decide whether to spend more money on a better quality whistle, in the key you prefer.

My personal favourite key is the 'A', very easy to handle, & low enough not to grate on the ears - I have a Tony Dixon Trad brass & a Thunderbird one piece aluminium.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by pancelticpiper »

Ben Shaffer wrote: do you use a Pipers grip with the B flat Whistle?
I have whistles going from the little Eb up to a huge 36 inch long Bass A.

When I paid attention to it I noticed that I have three different grips. I don't think about which one I'm going to use, I just pick up a whistle and play.

1) Pretty much like the typical Boehm flute grip, with the six fingers all slightly curved (the natural gentle curve my hands have when relaxed, not an artificial exaggerated arch) and the holes sealed with the fleshy pads on the underside of each finger's end joint (NOT the finger tips! not much flesh there). I only use this with the smallest whistles, High Eb, and sometimes with High D.

2) Still using the fleshy pads on the underside of each finger's end joint, but with the fingers nearly flat. I use this for most of the smaller sizes down to some of the mezzo sizes.

3) The so-called "piper's grip" with the fingers still flat, but using the endjoint pad on both ring fingers, and the middle joint pad on both index and middle fingers. I'll use this for the Low and Bass sizes, but sometimes also for some of the mezzo sizes.

Here's a video where you can see me playing all those sizes. I wasn't putting the slightest thought into the "grips" and it was interesting for me to see how I was holding the various mezzo sizes. I'm using my #2 grip described above from the High Eb down to the mezzo A, then when I go to the Burke mezzo G and below I go to the piper's grip.

However if I've been playing Low Whistle for a while I might pick up the mezzo A or Bb and use piper's grip, out of habit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-fQhvleWq8
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by PB+J »

bruce.b wrote: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
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by busterbill »

Since you aren't trying to play with others it really is up to you. I have heard that of all the current Generations out there the Bb is particularly good as is. I don't particularly like my Generation D or C but I know you'll find folks here swear by them. I have a Bb and find it fine. (I had a plastic Dixon Bb at one point that was very mellow too.)

I personally enjoy playing an A. But it is a Sindt. I don't know how other As play.

I doubt you'd have trouble reaching any alto whistle with a modified grip that you may not even notice you are modifying. Once you get past thinking you need close the holes with the pads of your fingers you'll find your hands move to the right spots in a few practice sessions. This varies slightly with each person's hand size and flexibility. Which fingers you curve, which you flatten, and how you angle your wrist will settle into place.

I have whistles down to F with which I don't really have to think about my fingers until I pull out the low D. And I am sure if I played it every day my muscle memory would take over.


I'd just try to run a search of videos of whistles played in different keys and see which range inspires.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by Mr.Gumby »

It's really a 'how long is a piece of string' type of question. Having other people decide what is the best whistle for you is at best a bit of a fool's errant.

I have never needed a Bb whistle but one came with a bunch of other ones I picked up a few years ago. I don't think I will ever need another one. It's a Generation. I have a number of Generation Cs, all a bit different and all fine, they'd do me although I got me a Killarney C at one point. I used that a year ago to do a little gig in memory of Kitty Hayes, just before Christmas. Haven't played it since. To be honest, if you ask m the Generations handle better, take less effort and are just more enjoyable to play. But I am not one for the lower whistle keys so perhaps I am not the right person to give an opinion on this

I can only suggest you make up your own mind, according to what you need and want from these whistles.
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Re: B flat or C whistle...Best Choice?

Post by Sedi »

PB+J wrote: Where did you get a Killarney Bb? They aren't on their website
But they are -- for 95€ apparantly:
https://killarneywhistle.com/whistles/
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