violinist seeks whistle help!!

[pancelticpiper]

Violin player:
You've been given a lot to think about, a lot of good advice.

To make things as straightforward as possible, let's first of all narrow it down to a high D whistle. It's the most usual, common, and useful key.

High D whistles basically break down into three categories:

1) "cheapies", mass-produced inexpensive whistles such as Generation, Soodlum, Feadog, Waltons, etc etc which can be had for around 5 dollars.
These are played by many good players but the quality control is notoriously bad and it takes someone who knows what they're doing to pick through dozens of cheapies to find that "diamond in the rough". Therefore I wouldn't recommend this route, unless you get a Jerry Freeman "tweaked" cheapie.

2) mid-price whistles such as Susato. A narrow-bore Susato high D would be a good choice for a person's first whistle I think. (They come in different bore sizes, and it's easier to produce high notes on the narrow bore model.) I think that costs around 30 dollars???

3) expensive "designer" whistles, or high-end whistles, like Burke, Sindt, Overton, etc etc. The narrow-bore aluminum high D by Michael Burke would be, in my opinion, the ideal whistle for someone starting out. The voicing and tuning are reliable, the tone is traditional, and there's little or no wait for them. It's going to cost, what, 150 dollars? Which I think is worth it.

[Tim2723]

There are other great gifts for new whistle players other than instruments themselves. There's no end of good music books and tutorials available to help him off to a good start, and they work with any whistle. CDs of whistl music are great for getting the 'feel' of a certian genre of music. And a free gift you can give is to put together a file of all the best whistle sites - manufacturers, dealers, historical information, videos, lessons, and of course, us!

[hoopy mike]

A lifetime gold membership to Chiff & Fipple might be a nice idea. Dale, how much do those cost these days?

[violinplayer]

Thank you all for your time, you seem like a nice bunch! I have a lot to consider!

BrewerPaul, I am just a violin player, altho I can play a recorder too! My son plays a cello!

[Denny]

good move with the recorder
butt of the longest running gags on the forum

ya might'a made some points fer not mentioning that you have to know more than 1st position.
(I'm not sure that anyone here knows that the neck goes any farther....)

[optakeover]

No one has explained to violinplayer on the reason why whistles are labelled high/low, and keys (D, E, Eb..):

".. high pitch / low d /low c. . ???"

Someone could probably explain because I can't trust myself not to make any mistakes..

[pancelticpiper]

No one has explained to violinplayer on the reason why whistles are labelled high/low, and keys (D, E, Eb..)

Yes you're correct, I guess we here oftentimes assume too much.

Whistles are called by the lowest note, the "bell note", the "six finger note" as some call it, the note you get when all six fingerholes are covered:

xxx xxx

is all six fingers down. If this produces "D" we call it a "D whistle". (On these little fingering charts we draw x is a covered hole o is an open hole. The top of the whistle/mouthpiece end is pointing towards the left, the open end/bell end/bottom of the whistle is pointing towards the right.)

This is contrary to how orchestral/band instruments are named, for example saxophones are called by the note you get with this fingering

oxo ooo

and clarinets are called by the note you get with this fingering

xxx ooo

and silver flutes are cllled by the note you get with this fingering

xxx xxx x

Put another way, orchestral/band instruments are called by their relationship to the written page. The Irish "D" whistle plays sheet music the same pitch as written, therefore in "classical" terminology is a "C instrument". But Irish players don't think about it that way. Anyhow a D whistle plays in th ekeys of D major, G major, and all the related minors and modes which use one or two sharps in the key signature, which are by far the most common in Irish music.

About the pitch range, a "Low D whistle" plays in the same range as an orchestral Boehm "C flute",: on both the note G is fingered

xxx ooo

for example.

The normal "D whistle" plays one octave higher, and used to be called simply a "D whistle" up until "Low whistles" were introduced around 30 years ago. Then, to differentiate it from Low D whistles, had to be called a "high D whistle".

[MTGuru]

saxophones are called by the note you get with this fingering oxo ooo

To be consistent, you'd want to say xxx xxx x for saxophone, too. All those notes are written as middle C below the treble staff on those 3 instruments.

[violinplayer]

When my Husband originally said he was interested to play a tin whistle, I had no idea about them and was quite serendipity when i found this cheap one, which turns out to be a feadog high d (look at my knowledge already!). We have been searching thro numerous sites since being on here (he doesn't know about us! - yet, not sure how long i can keep you all a secret!), anyway, as someone said, there is no easy answer. . He seemed to like the low d type at first and he loves wood, but then the more we listen to different sounds,and that he likes tradition, the more confusing it becomes; we were listening to an irish female last night in some high key whistle (sorry about the sacrilage), she was fantastic.

Think I need more time to make a decision and i only have a few days left, so. . . . not sure just yet.

But what is the membership to this site? what does that entail?

[optakeover]

I guess that the "lifetime gold membership to Chiff & Fipple" (you might be referring to) is just a joke. I'm a newcomer myself, and I do see people making random jokes like these. Maybe its all part of the light-hearted community here? Perhaps Denny can enlighten you and me.

Anyway, if you're just talking about the forum membership, its 100% free of charge and will put you in a global tin whistle community of thousands. (or hundreds of thousands, for whatever matter..)

[violinplayer]

well, i have ummed and aaaghed, particularly about letting him chose his own and researching together, but i have just ordered a susato sb high d, but i can't remember whether it is a one piece or a 2 piece. Can't remember the material either except it is not wood.

If you are interested in my decision process;
1. I can never make a decision or if i do i feel it is always the wrong one, but he always encourages me, so i thought i
would go for it after reading your posts and making an informed choice (and then i can blame you!)
2. high d cos that seems better for a beginner and most commonly used.
3. cost (wood more expensive).
4 susato cos i wanted a mid range one to hopefully obtain a better sound to encourage a beginner

I think if he becomes enthusiastic about it, we can look at something different in the future,
so the cost / material / pitch / me chosing isn't such a big deal. i hope. think i've done the right thing.

Anyhow, after his birthday which is the 5th aug and after we come back from hols, 19 aug (cos the delivery date isn't until 30 june - 5 aug), i'll introduce him to you all

Thanx for your time, seeya soon

[Makar]

I think you made a good rounded choice, given the material from members here. Well done on your research! Look forward to hearing how he gets on.

Stephen

[mutepointe]

Yep, the website is free but Denny is taxing.

[hoopy mike]

well, i have ummed and aaaghed, particularly about letting him chose his own and researching together, but i have just ordered a susato sb high d...

I can hear several "hmms" followed by "well, I wouldn't've gone that way" but hey, I'm sure he'll like it, particularly if you throw in a couple of O rings.

In true "Pump the Weasel" style, perhaps we should compose a "welcome to the discussion forum" polka, or even a proper song. Any takers?

[Copernicus]

Hi everyone, Violin Player is my better half, ( I know that from looking in the mirror every morning!) I'd just like to say thanks to everyone for the help and advice towards my new whistle, I was pleasantly surprised at the difference in the playability of this compared to the Feadog, I'm not knocking the Feadog, I'm sure that better players than me can get a great sound out of them, but the fingering seems so much easier with this. anyway I should be practising, I just wanted to say thanks,