Whitmores75087 wrote:Susato is to a session what vinegar is to food. You don't want it on its own, but with the right mix there's nothing like it. If you have several fiddles and a low whistle and guitars in a session, the Susato will get you heard like few others can.
I think this attitude is part of why Susatos tend to be hated so blackly. The only time you might really want to use a very loud whistle is if the pub is very noisy (the fiddler next to you can't hear you). But just many other instruments doesn't mean you need a louder whistle. There are two problems: First off, whistles sound much louder to the listener than then do to the player. Second, if you play in a session you shouldn't really be able to hear yourself. Not standing out, anyway. Whistlers (beginners) often think that if they can't hear themselves, they are playing too softly and need to get a bigger whistle or even a Susato. If there are four or five fiddles, each fiddler doesn't hear himself/herself as apart from the blend. Of course, the whistle is an octave above everyone else, so you are bound to hear it clearly in the upper octave even when it's a Sindt or an Oak or Generation, or even something softer. Generally, you should only hear yourself stand out on the bum notes. If you need more feedback on the whistle, play slightly sideways or wear a broad-rim hat.
And I hate to say it, but I've never heard anyone listening to a session and complaining that they couldn't hear the whistle player....
