I made a good A Whistle using a Generation Bb head and some Electrical conduit from B&Q the diameter is too large to fit the head directly but they do a joint that fits the outside of the head at one end and the tube at the other. You have to saw a piece of the head end of the joint to get the Bb head down to half way were there is spacer that it abuts to.
John S
Tweakers-change a Generation B flat into an A whistle
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buddhu
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How does that work, please Jerry? And if I were to try this, how would I go about it - hole size/placement etc?Jerry Freeman wrote:Or, you could drill a thumbhole for the note.
Best wishes,
Jerry
I've seen whistles with the thumb hole but never really understood how or why it works...
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
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Jerry Freeman
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Drill a small hole (smaller than your expected finished size) halfway between the two top holes, but on the back of the whistle instead of the front. Continue enlarging the hole until it sharpens to your target pitch.
It's easy, and it works. It gives you a pure Cnat (Gnat), rather than the often weaker sound you get with cross fingering. If you decide don't want to use the Cnat thumbhole, cover it with tape.
It works accoustically just like any other tonehole. The sound waves don't care if the hole's on the front or back of the whistle, or whether you cover it with a finger or thumb. Since the distance between B and C# is one whole step, and you want to create a note halfway between the two, the placement is simple.
Best wishes,
Jerry
It's easy, and it works. It gives you a pure Cnat (Gnat), rather than the often weaker sound you get with cross fingering. If you decide don't want to use the Cnat thumbhole, cover it with tape.
It works accoustically just like any other tonehole. The sound waves don't care if the hole's on the front or back of the whistle, or whether you cover it with a finger or thumb. Since the distance between B and C# is one whole step, and you want to create a note halfway between the two, the placement is simple.
Best wishes,
Jerry
The fipple head also provides an effective tweak to lower the pitch of your Bb.Building up a 5mm wall around the window using bees wax or something similar will revoice the whistle to play at least a demi semitone lower.This means less adjustment on the barrel since the head need not be pulled back as far.Insert a small ball of wax inside the end of the barrel to flatten the bell note to A and tape the bottom three holes as you have done but leave the top three holes as they are.This combination of head and barrel adjustment provides better tuning . Good luck. Mike
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lisdoonvarna
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questions about window walls and demitones
3 questions-
what's a demitone - a half semi-tone?
How do you build a wall aound the window and make it tough enough not to get knocked off in the rough and untidy world of performance venues with the set up and packing and the occasional whistle drop?
How many sides of the window do you build it around? 2 or 3?
By the end of the barrel you mean the far end from the mouthpiece right?
I lied - that's four questions.
Pat
what's a demitone - a half semi-tone?
How do you build a wall aound the window and make it tough enough not to get knocked off in the rough and untidy world of performance venues with the set up and packing and the occasional whistle drop?
How many sides of the window do you build it around? 2 or 3?
By the end of the barrel you mean the far end from the mouthpiece right?
I lied - that's four questions.
Pat
if at first you don't succeed, buy a new whistle
Re: questions about window walls and demitones
lisdoonvarna wrote:3 questions-
what's a demitone - a half semi-tone?
How do you build a wall aound the window and make it tough enough not to get knocked off in the rough and untidy world of performance venues with the set up and packing and the occasional whistle drop?
How many sides of the window do you build it around? 2 or 3?
By the end of the barrel you mean the far end from the mouthpiece right?
I lied - that's four questions.
Pat
Your first Q is correct.As to Q2,epoxy putty would withstand the rigours of the road,gotta work fast though as it sets pretty quick.Q3...3. Q4 yes.Actually,I think this is better suited for home or temporary use where an A whistle is needed but not immediately at hand .Making a new barrel in the key of A with a Bb head is probably your best solution for a roadworthy instrument.Mike
This is what I am doing as well.tansy wrote:I've toyed with the Bb-A on the generation and I finally decided one day to order some of the same diameter tubing a bit longer and make a whole new tube. I think it would make a decent whistle. [...]
My toying:
After several attempts of making tubes og the Bb Gen diameter I bought a second Whistle and cut off aprox. 40 mm of tubing. This piece II soldered to the top end of my other Gen body (looks quiet messy as I was annoyed with my failed tube making experiments). Then I started to get the holes in tune by ear (next time I will use a tuner) starting with the lowest hole: I filed them on the upper side and taped them on the lower. The higher the holes the more filing/taping you need (nearly no filing on the lowest hole).
The tone is nice and the tuning is ok. The sound is affected by the tape I used because it crackles while I play (souds like a camp fire). Tuning can be improved if you make a new body using a fitting tube.
Always wondered why non of the whistle tweakers ever produced A bodys for Bb Gen heads. If one day I find the time to get the right tube I will do it myself:o)
Näx
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lisdoonvarna
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"I finally decided one day to order some of the same diameter tubing a bit longer and make a whole new tube".
Where could someone order brass or aluminum tubing to fit correctly in the Generation whistlehead (To make an A whistle) I would like it to be the same thickness wall and same diameter as the Generation Bb tubing. Half inch copper water pipe didn't work. I think the walls are too thick.
I could order online if I knew where and what to order.
Pat
Where could someone order brass or aluminum tubing to fit correctly in the Generation whistlehead (To make an A whistle) I would like it to be the same thickness wall and same diameter as the Generation Bb tubing. Half inch copper water pipe didn't work. I think the walls are too thick.
I could order online if I knew where and what to order.
Pat
if at first you don't succeed, buy a new whistle