Question about types of whistles for sessions
- sjcavy
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:25 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I love uilleann pipes and I have become obsessed with them. But now the antispam software is just irritating the hell out of me so I am typing random crap to get past the minimum 100 character limit.
- Location: Temple, TX
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
I knew that many of the best/"better" players liked to stick with the cheapies, but I always figured they did some home tweaking.
Personally I have a few cheapies, but then I have a three expensive high d's. I happen to be a beginner, but I chose my instruments with the same care that I have always choose my orchestral instruments. I've been playing music since kindergarten. I listened to any sound file of the whistles I could, and knew that once I had achieved my goals I would (hopefully) be able to achieve the same effects.
Personally I cannot stand my feadog. that's why I got a blackbird, which I like a lot better.
IMHO there is no formula for what you should buy; no beginner's instrument. You play whatever you want, and pretty much let everyone else play with what they want.
But if I ever run into a guy telling me I cannot play my oz whistle at a session because it's too expensive, I'll be sure to bring in my cello for the next time, and show him that he needs to get his foot out of his mouth.
Personally I have a few cheapies, but then I have a three expensive high d's. I happen to be a beginner, but I chose my instruments with the same care that I have always choose my orchestral instruments. I've been playing music since kindergarten. I listened to any sound file of the whistles I could, and knew that once I had achieved my goals I would (hopefully) be able to achieve the same effects.
Personally I cannot stand my feadog. that's why I got a blackbird, which I like a lot better.
IMHO there is no formula for what you should buy; no beginner's instrument. You play whatever you want, and pretty much let everyone else play with what they want.
But if I ever run into a guy telling me I cannot play my oz whistle at a session because it's too expensive, I'll be sure to bring in my cello for the next time, and show him that he needs to get his foot out of his mouth.
Just a newbie making his way through the world.
- Bloomfield
- Posts: 8225
- Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: Location: Location:
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
Yeah, it happens. But does it happen more at a session than at a softball game, a party, a business lunch, or in the subway?MTGuru wrote:Well, the rebuke I cited above was very public and very vocal, in earshot of the other players. Along the lines of "anyone (me) who pays more than $5 for a whistle is a fool." It was partly a (grossly ineffective) attempt to educate, and mostly a case of an alpha session male marking his territory. It happens.Bloomfield wrote:Where do you get the "put down" notion?
Anyway the point of what whistle you play is moot if you can play it and it's moot of you can't play but are respectful at the session.
Yes: Prejudice = natural, necessary, and rational (cf. Roland Barthes). Unwillingness to revise a prejudice is unhelpful, of course.talasiga wrote:prejudiced V condescending.Bloomfield wrote:.......
What Nico said is that expensive whistles are often "a sign" that the musician isn't very good at Irish trad music. It doesn't follow that such players are "put down" at a session.
......
Yes, you're right - there is a distinction.
/Bloomfield
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
When it comes to negative prejudice, it is often a disincentive to willingness .....
qui jure suo utitur neminem laedit
- MTGuru
- Posts: 18663
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:45 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: San Diego, CA
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
I guess I don't really know. When not attending sessions, I live in a cave under a rock.Bloomfield wrote:Yeah, it happens. But does it happen more at a session than at a softball game, a party, a business lunch, or in the subway?
Back on topic ... I think the OP question for you would be: What is the prevailing situation in Milwaukee at established sessions in your area, apart from your own personal preferences?sjcavy wrote:Personally I have a few cheapies, but then I have a three expensive high d's.
Vivat diabolus in musica! MTGuru's (old) GG Clips / Blackbird Clips
Joel Barish: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.
Joel Barish: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
I'd say it can depend a lot on the kind of session, too. I've been to a small session that was primarily whistle and flute players, and of course, you couldn't really sit in with a cheap whistle because 5 wind instruments playing each out of tune with the other doesn't exactly sound good.
- FJohnSharp
- Posts: 3050
- Joined: Thu May 30, 2002 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I used to be a regular then I took up the bassoon. Bassoons don't have a lot of chiff. Not really, I have always been a drummer, and my C&F years were when I was a little tired of the drums. Now I'm back playing drums. I mist the C&F years, though.
- Location: Kent, Ohio
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
A lot of folks around here have Burkes. I see a few Sindts. Couple of Sausatos.
- straycat82
- Posts: 1476
- Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 12:19 pm
- antispam: No
- Location: Arizona
- Contact:
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
Likewise, you can't sit in a session with an expensive whistle and poor intonation. I think it has more to do with the player than the caliber of whistle. Of course musicianship and instrument characteristics both come into play (no pun) but an *expensive whistle is not a fix-all when it comes to playing in tune.Dameon wrote:I'd say it can depend a lot on the kind of session, too. I've been to a small session that was primarily whistle and flute players, and of course, you couldn't really sit in with a cheap whistle because 5 wind instruments playing each out of tune with the other doesn't exactly sound good.
I'd prefer to replace the term "expensive" with "individually voiced" or "quality controlled."
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
Anyone at sessions play the tune
"Lord of the Flies"?
"Lord of the Flies"?
qui jure suo utitur neminem laedit
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
Never said an expensive whistle is a fix-all, just that there's situations where it makes a difference, even for a good whistle player. Also, the extra volume most high-end whistles have can be a plus when sitting in on a really large session. There's been sessions where I couldn't hear myself and nobody else could hear me on my Generation.straycat82 wrote: Likewise, you can't sit in a session with an expensive whistle and poor intonation. I think it has more to do with the player than the caliber of whistle. Of course musicianship and instrument characteristics both come into play (no pun) but an *expensive whistle is not a fix-all when it comes to playing in tune.
Still, I've never understood the urge to spend $500+ on some rare hardwood whistle imported from some remote location.
- NicoMoreno
- Posts: 2100
- Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I just wanted to update my location... 100 characters is a lot and I don't really want to type so much just to edit my profile...
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
I'm sorry, but how on earth does one take this to mean anything other than "of course cheap whistles are all out of tune"? I side with Straycat on this one. It's not the whistle, it's the player.Dameon wrote:you couldn't really sit in with a cheap whistle because 5 wind instruments playing each out of tune with the other doesn't exactly sound good.
Although let me add that the best, most in-tune, sessions with multiple whistles have been when all the whistles are "cheapos". And I'm talking 3 or 4 whistles, all of them Feadogs or Generations or the like. Adding a Burke or Copeland or some other expensive whistle invariably causes tuning issues and / or severe volume imbalance issues.
- sjcavy
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:25 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I love uilleann pipes and I have become obsessed with them. But now the antispam software is just irritating the hell out of me so I am typing random crap to get past the minimum 100 character limit.
- Location: Temple, TX
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
around me its mostly burkes, susatos, cheepos, tweakos, and inevitably someone brings in the quality controlled,individually voiced whistles.
See, there is a way around this whole thread....
I have an oz whistle that is only a tiddly bit louder than a generation, that has a beautiful voice (something like a generation)
doesn;t over power anyone, pretty quiet actually, but it is unique.
well, actually that doesn't get around this thread at all. it's still a qc iv whistle.
See, there is a way around this whole thread....
I have an oz whistle that is only a tiddly bit louder than a generation, that has a beautiful voice (something like a generation)
doesn;t over power anyone, pretty quiet actually, but it is unique.
well, actually that doesn't get around this thread at all. it's still a qc iv whistle.
Just a newbie making his way through the world.
- hoopy mike
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:09 am
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Nottingham
- Contact:
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
And is the same true for what to drink at a session? Is Guinness mandatory, could I get away with half a pint of Murphy's and what would be the reception to a piña colada?
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
While we're at it, is there also a dress code for players in public sessions?
- pancelticpiper
- Posts: 5326
- Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:25 am
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: Playing Scottish and Irish music in California for 45 years.
These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format. - Location: WV to the OC
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
There was actually an entire thread on the topic of session dress a while back.. in the ITM forum maybe? It was hilarious.henryz wrote:While we're at it, is there also a dress code for players in public sessions?
I didn't agree with the implication that cheap whistles have poorer intontation than expensive ones. In the old days one searched for the best-voiced Generation one could find, then went to work tweaking. I still play the Generaton C and Feadog D that I got back in the late 70's and their intonation is perfect. (I wish my blowing of them was perfect...)
They've been carved and chopped and had stuff shoved in the head and the result is a pair of great whistles, the equal of which I've not encountered at any price.
Though the Feadog is too quiet for a loud session so I use a Burke session bore for that.
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
Re: Question about types of whistles for sessions
We used to have a bodhran player in our group who drank 'sidecars'. We told him that was OK, but the minute we saw him with something that had six cherries and a paper umbrella, he was out of the band!hoopy mike wrote:And is the same true for what to drink at a session? Is Guinness mandatory, could I get away with half a pint of Murphy's and what would be the reception to a piña colada?
You just have to be careful to drink Murphy's with Bushmills. If you mix Catholic whiskey with Protestant beer you'll burn in hell.