Like most whistle players, I began with your basic soprano D’s, added a C and a Low D.
So my question to all you more experienced players and makers is, what are your favorite non-D keys, and what do you play on them? Also, consequently, what would you consider absolutely essential non-D whistles to have in one’s collection?
(Hoping for lots of juicey debate…)
-Bob
Hi Bob,
Of course the D whistle is the ‘workhorse’ of trad. music, but other than that, I’d say my favorite keys are C, G, and A. Not in any particular order. If you force me to dig any deeper, I’d have to add Bb and possibly Eb and maybe even my Generation high G.
B~
Beyond D: Bb, A, F (High and Low)
Dale
Leave it to me to be the weird one… I find a B natural to be a necessity, even though I rarely play anything in the key of B.
Maybe it’s just my taste in music, but I like several songs the key of E.
My hands are too small to play a low E, but I haven’t yet ran across a song I wanted to play that actually required one.
A High E has never been a necessity either… everything I want to play seems to fall somewhere in between high E and low E.
By using half-hole fingering to flatten the A# down to an A, I can play an E scale very nicely on a B natural whistle… it’s just like playing in G on a D whistle.
[ This Message was edited by: raindog1970 on 2001-07-14 10:14 ]
I am an A fanatic.
You aren’t the only weird one, Raindog
I own 4 different pakistani-type whistles in B that I like using with some slow airs. I don’t know anything about pakistani music, but evidently B natural is a common key for their whistles, since it seems that everyone I run across in import/knick-knack stores is in B.
However, in terms of favorites, I usually turn to whistles in these keys (in this order): D, low D, Bb, A, B. I have a couple low G’s, and Generations in every key they make, but these are the keys that I can make work with my repertoire. I’m pretty sure that the only song I’ve ever learned that I think sounds good played on a C whistle is Planxty Dale.
I tend to play my C more than my High D, but then I am not an Irish Trad fanatic. I find myself playing my F most of the time, but have felt a serious emptiness in my life lately and suspect it is a lack of G(low) whistle.
Thom has ordered a Tony Dixon alto flute head for me. I intend to use it on my F, but now I am kicking myself for not odering a G body as well. Thom, if you are out there, you can expect another call from me soon…
Blaine
My favorite key is Low F mainly because I can play it in Bb which I absolutely love.
Ronaldo
D, of course. But if I’m not playing with someone who it’ll frustrate, I like getting out the Eb, since it cuts through just that extra little bit (and because it’s a Good Generation), and the Bb (another Generation, although I want a Shaw) because the range is nice for airs, and the sound more appropriate than that which my Howard low D produces. (I love the Howard. It’s just unlike any other low D in the world, which is fine, because I’ll play a flute if I want a flute-ish sound.)
I just grabbed a Generation high G the other day – what I’m now calling my “portable whistle” – and it’s fun if impractical.
Keys I don’t see myself buying a whistle for anytime soon: F. A. B. E.