Chiff and Fipple Forums

I don't know if it's allowed but rather than a photo here's a video where you can hear them all. Note that I don't receive a cent from Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-fQhvleWq8 And here's a photo taken at around that time (4 years ago). I periodically swap whistles in and out. The Burkes ...

Now, Low D whistles are usually a bit wider than D flutes, nearly all the makers I've measured are between 21.5mm and 22.25mm (around 7/8 inch). And most makers use that same tubing for their Low C whistles. I did get one Low C that had a 25mm (1 inch) bore and its 2nd octave was too stiff, probably...

I remember visiting Rod Cameron's shop many years ago and what he told us was fascinating. He made Baroque flutes, high-end instruments, played by some prominent flutists. First he explained his philosophy, which I got the impression wasn't his alone but common in the Baroque flute world. That is th...

Necessity is the Mother of Invention! I had something not unlike that, but without the long handle :) I found a wood tie-rack in a charity shop, a strip of moulding a bit over two feet long and around 3 inches wide with a dozen wood pegs sticking out. Laid horizontally it made a perfect whistle stan...

I think that's why Ralph Sweet (bless his soul) offered as the initial stepup from keyless "Irish flutes" a one-key flute with Eb/D#. Sure enough he made Baroque flutes too! (One such was my first Baroque flute at Uni.) And it could be said that he's mistakenly transferring Baroque flute b...

If you want something a bit more subtle, Susato makes clip-on thumb-rest things in black or cream plastic. They come in a variety of sizes to suit various whistles, though since Susatos have thick plastic walls I don't know if the smallest Susato thumbrest will fit metal-tube High Whistles. https://...

I haven't even tried the forked Cnat, as I've always half-holed that note... For me, 40 years of Irish flute, whistle, and Uilleann pipes under my belt, there are two observations I'd point out 1) There's a certain amount of shared fingering and technique between those three instruments, and the cr...

Like Terry says, if you reduce the tone-hole size (either by drilling a smaller hole, or partially covering it with tape, or partially filling it with tuning wax, or "shading" it with a finger) the tone will suffer. There's no way around it. Yes you could develop a more focused powerful em...

I looked it up, the stand I bought back in the 1980s seems to still be around. Konig & Meyer (K&M) Germany which I should know because the sheet-music stand I use is K&M too. It's so compact, sturdy, and practical. Here's one on Ebay with a clarinet attachment & Boehm flute attachmen...

That works!

I wouldn't have thought of that solution.

Jerry Gibson?

Looks like it could be the Stainless Steel and Nylon that he used, him being about practicality and durability more than looking fancy.

I play the Great Highland Bagpipes with a Celtic/Americana band, and I've recently started playing whistle with them. Ohio? Does your band play at the Dublin (Ohio) Irish Festival? Do you do Pipe Band or Highland pipe solo stuff? Ohio Scottish Games in The Village of Wellington? Though in Californi...

I've played a variety of wood flutes and whistles, as well as uilleann pipes, onstage since the 1980s. Back then I cobbled together this stand, which has served me well for 40 years of gigs. It only holds 5 instruments which might not be enough for many gigs. It's a standard folding stand for which ...

My experience was just one box, as I recall two dozen, Generation D's straight from the factory. It had to be at least 20 years ago. With those caveats in mind, as I've said on these pages one was absolutely superb and another was nearly like it. I don't think there are any D whistles at any price t...

The tunes are meticulously transcribed, perhaps using slightly unusual ways to reflect some ornamentation. It's always a challenge trying to capture Irish fluteplaying (or indeed a trad performance on any trad instrument) on the white page. I will say that it is possible to transcribe an Irish flut...

I've seen wood headjoints for Boehm flutes with both the square Boehm blowholes and the traditional oval blowholes. Depends on the maker (though I suppose there might be makers who offer both styles). I should point out that graduated tone-holes aren't a recent invention but were an original part of...