Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

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MaxFlute
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Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by MaxFlute »

Hi all.
I've recently acquired a wooden whistle (unnamed, but I think it's a Sweetheart) which is well intonated throughout apart from its bottom D, which (wherever the head is tuned to on the body) is always about 20 cents flat. Could anyone recommend a way I could fix this?
I was wondering about either (incredibly minutely!) sanding the bottom of the whole whistle or just sanding the inner end of the tube (ie. slightly bevelling it).....
What do you think? Possible or crazy?
I mean, since it presumably wouldn't effect the air column producing any of the higher notes (since they're all produced by venting at least one hole higher than the bottom of the instrument), I'm guessing that (proceeding with excessive caution) my bevelling idea might work....I'd use sandpaper, and stop and rest the whistle to 'cold' in between each tiny bit of sanding....
Thanks in advance all.
Maxflute

Ps. The middle D (oxx xxx) is also flatter than it should be. Not nearly as far under as the Bottom D, but still flatter than one would expect (especially considering how middle D is usually a little bright tuning-wise, even on very very good whistles) and so therefore I think symptomatic of a possible problem in the overall sounding length of the whistle for both Ds.
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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by brewerpaul »

You might try contacting Sweetheart flutes and see what Ralph Sweet suggests. He's a really nice, helpful person.
Other than that, I'd try gradually widening the bell as you have mentioned.
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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by s1m0n »

I`ll second Paul`s advice. My experience with Sweetheart instruments goes back a few decades, and as far as I know, they`re pretty careful about marking what`s theirs. Unless they`ve changed it, the Sweetheart brand is the letter S inside a heart shaped outline. Ralph or his son Walt sometimes post here. If what you have is one of theirs, I`d expect that they`ll either offer to fix it, explain what you`re doing wrong, or explain why the phenomenon you`re observing is a necessary compromise.

I`m assuming that you understand that a whistle or flute filled with warm, wet air sounds sounds at a different pitch than one blown with cold, dry air. The bell note is where this difference shows up most. If you play for ½ an hour before testing, is it still out of tune?
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')

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MaxFlute
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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by MaxFlute »

Thanks both, for your replies.
First, upon looking more closely, I may have been mistaken in naming this a possible 'Sweetheart' whistle so I hereby apologise to Ralph and Walt for wrongly naming their make of whistle as the guilty party.
Secondly, I am aware of the differences in the effect on tuning that playing it from cold or when warmed up will create and have been careful to assess it in both conditions. In each case the bell note was still 15/20 cent flat compared to rest of range....
Therefore, unless anyone rushes to say whoa whoa and stops me, I'll proceed with my plan of minutely flaring the inner end of the tube (and will ensure that I let the instrument cool down between each bout of sanding and note testing!!).
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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by Reyburnwhistles »

Max I'll weigh in on this problem. Since the fundamental is 20 cents flat and the octave note somewhat less but still flat, I recommend shortening the length of the body... and it will most likely take at least 1/16" to bring it up to pitch. This will sharpen both of the notes but primarily the fundamental. Once the fundamental is in tune check to see where the octave note is and if it needs sharpening then slightly open the bell end to tune it.

Of course do this operation a little bit at a time while checking both notes as you go. Opening the bell end will also sharpen the fundamental but not as much as the octave note.

Hope this helps
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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by s1m0n »

I`m curious enough to wonder how it turns out. What did you decide to do, and did it work?
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')

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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by MaxFlute »

Ah, well I haven't yet had a chance to put this all into action (been away from home, whistles and tools, for much of the past month).....however, I'll be working on it quite soon since the aim is to have it ready to be a Christmas present for an aspiring Whistle-pupil friend!
And so when I get going....I'm opting for the most recent advice on this thread, namely shortening the body's length and then having the option of flaring the inside end of tube in order to work on the middle D.
Thanks all, for your input. I'll let you know how I get on!!.....
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Re: Tuning a the bell note on a High D wooden whistle

Post by johnnytheshamrock »

Always willing to learn,so,what does "shortening the tube" reallly mean ? Does one mean shortening the tube by removing a piece from the mouthpiece end,or shortening the tube by removing a piece from the bottom of the tube ? Then again,removing a piece from each end would shorten the tube.Would removing a piece from the bottom end sharpen the bottom tonic note only ? Would removing a piece from the mouthpiece end sharpen the middle "D" only ? or sharpen ALL notes of the whistle ?
Fascinating stuff !
Is there a book "tuning a whistle for Dummies" or something similar ?

I'll be following up on this.
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