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Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 1:06 pm
by DrPhill
One of the things that I found irksome about the low whistle was the way it could falter in the wind. I tried my flute outside t'other day and it seemed more robust. Is this just wishful thinking, or is outdoor flue playing more practical than outdoor low whistle playing?
Of course the low whistle does have the advantage that you can turn the window 'downwards' to give it some shelter.....
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 3:02 pm
by jim stone
FWIW, my experience busking is that flute suffers less from the wind than whistles.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 3:28 pm
by Nanohedron
I concur. Technique might have some bearing, depending.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 2:17 am
by fatmac
You blow across the hole to create the sound with a flute, but the wind across the hole/blade of a whistle takes the sound away, so yes, flutes are better outdoors.
Another thing, you often see marching flute players, but have you ever seen whistle players marching outdoors
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 6:03 am
by Mr.Gumby
but have you ever seen whistle players marching outdoors
Yes, I am afraid it does happen. And not just during
the madness of the Dingle Wren on St Stephen's Day.
This is a lovely one from 1959 Donegal, all Clarke whistles:
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 7:56 am
by bigsciota
Generally, it's the person downwind of the flatulist who tends to suffer.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 11:16 am
by fatmac
Learn something new every day!
I'd never heard of outdoor whistle playing, but the pictures can't lie, thanks for posting them....
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 12:33 pm
by DrPhill
So my suspicions were possibly right.... thanks. That is an added benefit to flutes for me.
I like those pictures of marching whistle bands - they must sound awesome. Also the high whistles may suffer less from wind than low whistles?
Sometimes I get a twinge of envy for those living in an area with a strong musical culture. It must add a lot to the enjoyment of life.
Keep safe everyone
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 12:57 pm
by Julia Delaney
I love this question. I thought more wise guys would be answering.
For me it depends on what I've been eating.
Or drinking however many pints of Guinness.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 8:54 pm
by bigsciota
In my experience, the higher registers of the whistle are less susceptible to wind damage than lower octaves. I don't know the physics for sure, but I suspect it's that wind screws up the airflow over the fipple. Higher notes requiring more air means that the airflow is more forceful, making it harder for the wind to screw it up. Harder-blowing whistles and higher whistles have the same benefits over lower or lighter-blowing whistles. The Chieftain Thunderbird D I had, for example, was much better in the wind than my Killarney.
That's a completely anecdotal theory, though, so I'm sure someone else has a more concrete explanation.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 11:20 pm
by stiofan
Bill Ochs on a tin whistle marching band...in Harlem!
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77743
Bill Ochs wrote:A teacher named Kathy Clyne started a tin whistle marching band called The Golden Eagles at P.S. 192 in Harlem in the '90s. You can watch a video clip of the Golden Eagles Tin Whistle Band my new site's home page at
http://www.pennywhistlesforschools.com.
Bill Ochs wrote:I want to share something that happened here in NYC on June 14, 1990. It was a holiday that we call Flag Day. But I will always remember it as "The Day The Golden Eagles Took Wall Street."
Kathy Clyne's Golden Eagles Tin Whistle Band from P.S. 192 in Harlem had caused such a stir in their district that word of them had drifted all the way downtown to Mayor Dinkins' office. And so they were invited to march in New York City's annual Flag Day Parade.
When the kids from P.S. 192 got downtown they mustered near City Hall. There were all sorts of bands there, including groups from the suburbs with fancy uniforms and "real" instruments. The P.S. 192 kids just had their tin whistles and little drums and were dressed in their school clothes. But when they stepped off, boy, it was something to see!
The Golden Eagles marched proudly and tall through the canyons of Lower Manhattan with the sound of their tin whistles and drums reverberating off the big buildings. It was lunch break in the Financial District and a lot of office workers had come out to see what was going on. The P.S. 192 kids got a nice round of applause as they marched down Wall Street, but when they broke into the Irish tune "Roddy McCorley" — aka "Sean South of Garryowen" — the crowd went wild!
A lot of Irish emigrants and Irish-Americans work in those offices and they had recognized the tune. The P.S. 192 kids were mostly from the Dominican Republic or of Dominican background. It was one of those New York moments that you never forget.
So I want to encourage folks out there to give this a try. Start a kids tin whistle band. Make some magic in your community. It can be done, and I will help in any way I can.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 2:28 am
by gbyrne
DrPhill wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 1:06 pm
One of the things that I found irksome about the low whistle was the way it could falter in the wind. I tried my flute outside t'other day and it seemed more robust. Is this just wishful thinking, or is outdoor flue playing more practical than outdoor low whistle playing?
Of course the low whistle does have the advantage that you can turn the window 'downwards' to give it some shelter.....
I've endured (as opposed to enjoyed) playing outdoors if there is anything more than a slight breeze. I think that the flute is more susceptible to disruption because the embouchure air stream is unprotected if there is other wind turbulence to contend with. The effect isn't a constant - just random deflation of the sound like one of those bad-embouchure-days.
Definitely the 180deg rotation of the whistle head downwards trick helps, but it is one of those "really if you have to" things. There's no avoiding it - by design they aren't great instruments outdoors in windy conditions. High-D better than Low-D better than Flute IMHO. But, once we're in that zone, why bother. Only exception - graveside slow air - gotta make the best of what the conditions dish up.
Re: Do flautists suffer less from the wind than low whistlers?
Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 12:08 pm
by Jayhawk
Julia Delaney wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:57 pm
I love this question. I thought more wise guys would be answering.
For me it depends on what I've been eating.
Or drinking however many pints of Guinness.
I find a good belch while playing flute can lower pitch more than half a step...it's rather impressive. I tend not to play my flute in such a way that I'm testing other forms of personal wind no matter what I eat (although it can provide a percussive emphasis if done correctly).