Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hi,

I'm an Uilleann piper and am looking for a tin whistle with piping finger (the 4th finger hole on the lower hand I'm not so worried about), which I'm told exist. Thought I'd have better luck here than the whistle forum.

Does anyone know who might make these? Any links would be appreciated.

Many thanks,
Icturret

Are you looking for a 7-holed whistle? Your wording isn't particularly clear on whether you're asking for a top hand thumb hole or a lower hand pinky hole.

The 7th bottom hand pinky hole on those fairly uncommon whistles is normally for an extra C note below bottom D. The back thumb hole is (from what I've been told) related to the C natural note rather than the "Back D".

You'd be much better off just sticking to your everyday 6-holed whistle in my opinion, but I know that Burke makes whistles with the thumb hole.

Piping fingering also implies closed fingering: only one or two finger holes are open for any note, the rest are closed. I think getting a whistle even close to in tune and physically playable with that fingering would be next to impossible.

[/quote]Burke makes whistles with the thumb hole.[/quote]

Thanks. Its the thumb hole I am really after.

Thanks. Its the thumb hole I am really after.

Then do take note, as TR above already mentioned, the whistle will have a C natural sitting under your thumb so it will be a completely different thing from what you get from your chanter.

Icturret wrote:Thanks. Its the thumb hole I am really after.

Musique Morneaux makes the whistle.
http://musiquemorneaux.com/whistlesflageolets/

I must have bern misinformed that whistles existed with D thumb holes. Nevermind. Thanks for your help.

Many years ago I was in Maine, Bar Harbour I think. And there was a shop selling an Uilleann fingering whistle made out of a susato Bb I think and it had a tube running up to the mouth. It had a (back d) and was closed off at the leg.
I tried it but wasn’t inspired to buy one. It may have worked somewhat.

dunnp wrote:Many years ago I was in Maine, Bar Harbour I think. And there was a shop selling an Uilleann fingering whistle made out of a susato Bb I think and it had a tube running up to the mouth. It had a (back d) and was closed off at the leg.
I tried it but wasn’t inspired to buy one. It may have worked somewhat.

That would have been Song of the Sea in Bar Harbor. I believe they've been out of business for several years, but back in the day they did advertise something like you describe. Never heard of anyone who owned one, however.

Best wishes.

Steve

Apparently Song of the Sea's "Uilleann Whistle Chanter" had a drone available as well.
Here's a blast from the past from the Internet Archive, including an illustration of somebody playing it: Link

I’ll confess I’m completely mystified by Uilleann Pipe fingering. Why CAN’T you make a whistle with the same fingering?

Here's a partial answer. Part of the fingerings for uilleann chanters involve stopping the chanter on the knee. Try that with most fipple style instruments. Granted you can play many notes, and on some chanters, all the notes 'off the knee', but often only with alternate fingerings to get anywhere near good intonation.

Bob

There have been heated discussion about the use of mouthblown practice chanters and whistles in the past. Truth is, there's no real alternative for the real thing that will enable you to -learn the basics of good piping.

an seanduine wrote:Here's a partial answer. Part of the fingerings for uilleann chanters involve stopping the chanter on the knee. Try that with most fipple style instruments. Granted you can play many notes, and on some chanters, all the notes 'off the knee', but often only with alternate fingerings to get anywhere near good intonation.

Bob

Right but I'm not understanding why. You have a tube with holes in it, or a conical bore tube with holes in it. I'm not understanding the physical differences here. The flute and the whistle are the same. A recorder has more holes for more notes, but has to labor under the same principles of physics under which all windy musical tubes labor.


I'm not arguing here, just not understanding, and speaking for complete inexperience

Tunborough also makes a good point above about closed fingerings.