Chiff and Fipple Forums

After a couple of decades away from the instrument I am returning to the lovely sound that is the flute. I had around 8 years as a concert flute player but now feel more attracted to Celtic and other folk traditions of the British Isles. I recently purchased a Susato D whistle and have been playing that as well. Now wish I had gotten the low G since those D's are really high pitched. Today I ordered, after reading many recomends here, a Doug Tipple D flute. Can't wait to get it.

Welcome aboard.

I came hear looking for flute info, & ended up buying a load of whistles too - recently purchased a Damian Thompson delrin keyless, to go with my Boehm flute & piccolo, (also have a Tony Dixon ABS piccolo, & a couple of fifes). I lost my embouchure for flute, but am slowly regaining it now.

I’m sorta returning to the flute after a lay off. What the heck is a Chiff (I know what a fipple is)?

Chiff - another thread says it's the sound you get when you start a note.

Newbie here too. Looks like there are a few flautists returning to playing after a long pause. I recently took up the instrument again after almost 30 years and must say I am loving it again. Joined a bush band to stay motivated, love the Celtic sounds and foot tapping folk tunes, and have ordered a blackwood keyless over the weekend which I cant wait to get my hands on.

OldPan wrote:I’m sorta returning to the flute after a lay off. What the heck is a Chiff (I know what a fipple is)?

Chiff is: " the initial sound made by air leaving the mouth of a wind instrument (such as an organ flue pipe or a flute) at the attack of a note" according to Merriam Webster. It's when the initial air stream splits into two on hitting the edge. It is an initial short transient as the air moves from static to vibrating. It's a highly characteristic sound with lots of upper harmonics. The term is most often used by organ builders. Some pipes are deliberately voiced to have a lot of chiff, as part of the sound, and other ranks are voiced to minimise it. It adds interesting colour to the initial attack. Any wind instrument that produces sound with an edge tone has a greater or lesser degree of chiff. Recorders can have quite a lot. Whistles have it, and so do flutes, both wooden and metal. The design of the embouchure hole and the players embouchure affect the amount. It's fipples that make chiff!