Bass D whistle WITHOUT KEYS! And beyond?

[Deleonja]

Updated picture link:
http://s160.photobucket.com/user/deleon ... %20Whistle

Hello all,
You may have seen my previous post about building a low G whistle. Instead of building one of these, I decided to take it a step further and build a Low Low D (one octave below a standard low D) without keys! I know this sounds crazy but all of the holes are within reach! Not only that but I don't even need to use pipers grip to play this huge beast. You can see the instrument in the link above. The small black instrument resting on top of the whistle is a standard recorder.
So how is it possible to make such a big instrument without keys?
Well it's quite simple. Rather than placing the tone holes where they will generate the best tone, I placed them where I could reach them. So how bad is the tone?...
It's actually quite good. It has a rich, full volume that is easily audible from a short distance. Part of this is due to the fact that the walls are quite thin (about 1/8 of an inch, another advantage to not having to mount keys on the instrument). The fingerings are also the same as any tin whistle.
Intonation?
The intonation is quite good. No note is more than 10 cents off and the scale is quite even.
So what's next?
A bass D is nothing new, the only thing that is unique about this whistle is the lack of keys. My plan is to build the first CONTRABASS whistle in Low Low Low D. My plan is to start work during spring break but I'll need help. What I need is ideas on how to accomplish this. I need some easy, practical designs for keys. I will also take any design ideas. When I'm done I'll post pictures and upon request the design specs of the whistle.
Also if anyone wants the design specs of the Bass D whistle please feel free to ask.
Thanks in advance for your help!

[syn whistles]

I'd love to see what you have done, but that link doesn't work for me!

[MTGuru]

Please go to the site below to view photos:
http://s160.photobucket.com/user/deleon ... %20Uploads

"This album is Private."

[Sirchronique]

You said a bass D whistle is nothing new? I can't say I've ever seen one , with or without keys. I'd be interested to see the picture. As mentioned, the album is private.

[Mr.Gumby]

Bingamon Bass whistle

[Tommy]

I will concur with Mr Gumby, it has already been done several times. This one without keys and with a sound clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIEu_YAFsJ8

We look forward to your pictures and sound clip.

Now where is that utube of the giant recorder?
http://www.urlesque.com/2009/05/07/cont ... e-biggest/

[Deleonja]

The link has been updated, please check out the photos!

[syn whistles]

That's better! Interesting. When you say no note is more than 10 cents off, are you talking about 2 notes being in tune and 4 notes being off by that much to achieve the ergonomics required for the lack of keys?
I must say too that you have a big mouth! That is interesting by itself.
A sound clip next?

[Feadoggie]

Nice work! Soundclip?

The bocal looks like it is a hard tube. Is that right? I have short arms and smallish hands. When I have messed with these things I used a longer, flexible vinyl tube for the blow tube. That allows me to get the top of the whistle up higher and avoid the long stretch to the finger holes. I also avoid the knick or bend in the head tube. Your design looks nice and clean.

Feadoggie

[Nanohedron]

I must say too that you have a big mouth! That is interesting by itself.

???

All I see in the OP's link is the instrument.

[Deleonja]

That's better! Interesting. When you say no note is more than 10 cents off, are you talking about 2 notes being in tune and 4 notes being off by that much to achieve the ergonomics required for the lack of keys?

I mean that the instrument plays a prefect D scale (A=440) and no note is out of tune by more than 10 cents. Ironically the two small holes are actually very well in tune.

The bocal looks like it is a hard tube. Is that right?

Yes, it is a piece of PEX pipe bent into that shape via a blowtorch.

This one without keys and with a sound clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIEu_YAFsJ8

I'll admit the fujara was an inspiration for this instrument but the two are not the same. The fujara has 3 holes while mine has six. Unlike a fujara my instrument can play a full diatonic scale in its lowest register.

[Sirchronique]

Bingamon Bass whistle

Interesting, thanks for sharing. The bottom one looks like something a Jawa would play.

[pancelticpiper]

Rather than placing the tone holes where they will generate the best tone, I placed them where I could reach them.

It has a rich, full volume that is easily audible from a short distance.

The intonation is quite good.

Sorry, but since all of this violates the laws of acoustics, I'll not believe it till I hear it... well actually not really even then, because YouTube videos can be misleading and deceiving. I'd believe when I played it.

The "easily audible from a short distance" is perhaps a clue to what's going on.

If all this was possible (placing toneholes according to comfort, and still getting good volume and tuning) all Low D whistles would have the finger-spacing that people find most comfortable, say, the finger-spacing of an ordinary C whistle. Line up several of the best Low D whistles from various makers and guess what? They all have pretty much the same tonehole configuration. Did all these makers conspire in a dark room somewhere, saying "let's make the fingerholes far apart so the poor suckers that buy our whistles won't be able to play them comfortably"? No, the configuration was forced upon all makers by the cold merciless laws of acoustics.

About the Fujara, that seems to be a bass Tabor Pipe rather than a bass whistle, as it only has three holes and plays in higher harmonics to get a full diatonic scale (or in other words, an overtone flute with a few toneholes). And of course it does follow the laws of acoustics: note how far apart those toneholes are.

[sfmans]

The rectangular instruments in the photos are Paetzold recorders, http://www.lazarsearlymusic.com/Paetzol ... orders.htm. The Swedish folk-rock band Hedningarda use one, heavily processed and electronicised, to great effect. They'd certainly be an interesting approach to low-low whistles.

I, too, look forward to a sound clip, especially if the holes are placed for comfort not tuning

[edited to remove erroneous information about the consequences of Paetzold retiring, I should have read the page I linked to more thoroughly ]

[Deleonja]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?app=deskto ... 6JcMxA-fTo

Here it is, the long awaited video clip! I apologize in advance for the sound quality, I had to use my phone as my camera is broken. I will try to post a better sound clip later.