Looking For Something, Maybe You Can Help =)

[MichaelLoos]

Or kaval or ney, though standard sized ones are fairly large.

Although the kaval is fairly long, the fingerhole spacing is not very wide. However, the scale is peculiar, and the embouchure is definitely nothing you would pick up within a day.

I'm always respectful when people think that their hand size is a limitation. But honestly, it's hard to imagine that a guy with even smallish hands can't handle an alto recorder that even many school kids can manage. As with any wind, hand stretch and flexibility is not something that happens instantly. You need to spend some time to let your hands adapt.

I'm 1.65 metres (= 5 feet 5,or thereabouts) high and have accordingly small hands. I play an old Overton low D whistle without problem (but of course after practice!), and I can play a low A whistle albeit not too comfortably (by the way, I have a low A kaval which I find a hell to play - not because of the finger stretch but because my arms seem to be too short).
Have you seen the 11-year-old boy playing a Bb set of uilleann pipes (in the uilleann pipes forum, youtube thread)? His hands won't be so big, I suppose... it's all a matter of getting used to.

[Yuri]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12IKuuvFgW4
Have a look at this one. I'm not going to tell what it is, but I think it might very well be the solution. Certainly no squeekyness, and no real cost, eithr.

[mutepointe]

I'm double checking facts here. You said you've played a D whistle. Have you tried a Low D whistle? I have a cheapie Low D bamboo whistle. I play Blues and old Jazz standards on it. It's anything but shrill. The hole size permits a person to slide into a note.

I don't play ITM but I play everything else (except Rap) on my whistles, flutes, fife, ocarina, and harmonicas. I've not tried the more exotic instruments but only because my wife called a halt to wind instrument purchases. If I had to be satisfied with one instrument, I would have to choose a bamboo flute which I don't own but I do covet.

[MichaelLoos]

By the way, the low whistle was developed because somebody had sat on Finbar Furey's bamboo flute which he used to play, so he wanted basically the same, but unbreakable (that's the story he's telling, anyway). The finger stretch and the size of the holes may be frightening at first sight, but are well manageable with a bit of practice, even for people with smaller hands than mine.

[toasterburn]

I haven't tried a low whistle, but I didn't like the wide finger spacing on an alto recorder so I'm guessing I wont like the low whistle for the same reason. And it starts getting expensive buying instruments just to try them out (trust me, I know).


I'm starting to think these three ideas might more-or-less work: a susato wide-bore recorder, a bamboo sax, or a bamboo flute.

The last two would require me to learn some new techniques, but they would probably come closer to the sound I want. The wide-bore recorder on the other hand would allow me to instantly play songs I've already memorized. I wish I could find a video or sound sample of the recorder, if there's only a slight difference in sound from what I have now it would be a large waste of money, for me anyway.

[mutepointe]

Well, a cheapie Low D bamboo whistle cost me $8 at amazon.com. The piper grip where you use the middle joint of your finger rather than the fingertip to close the hole makes the reach practical. I taught myself and this just made sense to me. The first time one of my friends who was in band saw me playing like this she said I was playing wrong. She just didn't know.

I would like someone else to confirm this but I hear the bamboo sax only has a one octave range.

Let us know what you decide to do and what you ultimately find that pleases you. I'm not into this ITM stuff at all but I like the sounds of all these instruments. I'd like to hear what another non-ITM player had to say about things.

[Innocent Bystander]

I second Mutepoint's recommendation of a Low whistle.

If price is a problem, go on Guido Gonzato's website and follow the instructions for making one.
The Low Tech Whistle Site.

And if you are worried about the finger-stretch, make a Low G. It's easy, it's cheap, and there is little or no stretch to the fingers. And it is mellow.

[toasterburn]

Well thanks for all the advice, I've decided to go ahead and get the blues penny whistle, the bamboo sax, and a flute. Just going to bite the bullet and learn some new techniques to get the sound I want. Between the three of those instruments, I think I can play most of the music that I want to.

And I will probably build a few a wind instruments soon too. I've already built a few guitars, diddly bows, and electric kalimbas. Why not a whistle or two?

[Thomas-Hastay]

You may want to reconsider the Bass Triple Ocarina
http://www.stlocarina.com/basstriple.html

...Or maybe the family of Crumhorns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crumhorn

There are other simple reedpipes as well, like the Mey, Launeddas, etc.

You could, of course, join the 21st century and try the Yamaha WX5 MIDI electronic woodwind controller???
http://www.patchmanmusic.com/wx5info.html

Thomas Hastay.

[Steve Bliven]

As far as native american flutes go, I like the pentatonic scale for improvising, but I don't want to figure out how to play songs on it. I've considered trying to get a native american flute custom made with a major scale, I think that would work and it would probably have a neat sound. Might be expensive though.

Several Native American flute makers make diatonic/major scale flutes as a standard item. Try Leonard McGann (Lone Crow Flutes) or Charles Littleleaf. There are also "Native American flutes" in various other scales other than the "standard" pentatonic minor.

Best wishes.

Steve