tuning a non-tunable whistle

[kokopelli]

Hey all, I'm new to the forums but not to playing whistles. After a couple of unfortunate broken low end whistles (due mostly to my tendency to carry one with me everywhere I go), I have only two Clarke originals now. One in C and the other in D. Everybody I've played with has told me that my whistle is out of tune. The first time I thought their guitar had simply gone out of tune instead, but it's happened enough times I've started believing it. Does anybody know of a way to permanently tune a non-tunable whistle if it really is a bit off?

[JTC111]

On some non-tunable whistles you can unglue the head by soaking it in some hot (not boiling) water until the glue softens and you can pull the head off and clean out the glue. That will give you a little bit of play as you'll be able to adjust the length of the whistle, just adjusting the key slightly. However, as you're playing a couple of Clarke's, the issue may not be that the entire whistle is out of tune but that the notes are a bit out of tune with each other. That's an issue with my Clarke and I've read other similar comments here.

[straycat82]

Unfortunately, whether your whistles are out of tune, or out of tune with themselves, there isn't a lot you can do to easily fix that since they are one piece (no removable head).

If you want a solution to your problem that won't cost you much you can pick up a few Generations or Feadog brand whistles. These ones take some simple work to make them tunable (as mentioned already above) but the whistles are decently in tune with themselves (stay away from Generation C's because they almost always crack due to the head and body being poorly matched in size).

[mickey66]

The above posts is right on it.....I would get a tunable whistle or one that you can remove the fipple with the hot water trick. I had this same problem at one time and if I remember right there is a link on this forum on how to do this trick/process. Second, you can buy a Tweaked whistle that has already had this trick done to it among other improvements. Jerry freeman Tweak's Clarke whistles or at least some of them if you want to stay with that brand of whistle. Third, you may be able to solve your problem whistle with your playing....this was beyond me sad to say..... Good Luck To You! Edit: Try this thread......Tweaks: The Thread...... another one follow this link it will help you...... http://www.thewhistleshop.com/beginners ... makeit.htm


http://www.tuxedomusic.com

[Feadoggie]

You are not saying how long you have played the Clarkes or how the whistles are out of tune. Or if the Clarkes are dented. So here's a thought. Clarke's originals are not tunable as has been stated. Of course you could do surgery on the tone holes enlarging or trimming their size as necessary but that is a process fraught with the danger of ruining your remaining whistle. Some of the tuning of individual notes depends upon the skill and experience of the player. Unaltered Clarkes have high windways. They use a lot of air and it can be a challenge to play them in tune. Blow too hard and you are sharp. When you run out of breathe or don't blow hard enough things can go flat. Try the ubiquitous Clarke tweak first. Place an appropriately trimmed piece of a plastic card, like an expired gift card into the windway and then use your thumb to press down on the top of the mouthpiece squashing the metal to the top of the plastic card. Then remove the card. The results should be that the whistle requires less air and that may help keep things on pitch as you play.

And by the way. If you are playing with tunable instruments and you are the only non-tunable instrument you might ask the others to engage their expensive fancy pants technology and tune to you. An A or G note is usually the ticket.

Feadoggie

[Brigitte]

There is a little here http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tunable.html on how to loosen the head on the plastic head whistles and also here about tweaking http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tweak.html

Greetings
Brigitte

[MTGuru]

Clarke originals ... Love them or hate them, A440 tuning doesn't seem to be one of their problems. So if the whistle isn't damaged, and if the problem is not you, and you're blowing it properly into tune:

o If you're in a cold room and the whistle is cold, it will go flat. Warm it for a minute with your hands and breath before playing.

o If the whistle is sharp for some reason, a bit of blue tack putty next to the fipple window and extending slightly over the window can lower the overall pitch a quarter-tone or so without really affecting the intonation.

o If you're playing in Just Intonation, by intention or by instinct, and your music mates are used to hearing and playing Equal Temperament, they may think you're out of tune when you're not. Check your scales against an electronic tuner, and adjust your breath pressure accordingly.

Hope that helps.

[wyodeb]

My Clarke seems to be pretty well in tune with itself, but is overall flat. I'm a flute and guitar player with a good ear for pitch. My other whistles are much better in tune. Still, I enjoy playing it, just can't play it in a group. I hope to find one someday that is closer to A440. It is my "quiet whistle," for when I want to practice and everyone is home.

Deb

[MTGuru]

My Clarke seems to be pretty well in tune with itself, but is overall flat.

Deb, are you sure you're not just underblowing, especially if it's your quiet whistle? I can underblow my Clarkes nearly a full semitone flat, but they're about spot-on at the top of the breath curve. And yes, that takes a lot of breath on a Clarke.

[wyodeb]

I'm pretty sure I'm not underblowing. I had another Clarke that was much closer. It got bent, though. If I give it my all, I can *almost* get it up to pitch. I know that if I blow it quietly it is even flatter, but since it doesn't want to play in tune anyhow, I just enjoy it for what it is. Because I did have one that was pretty well in tune, I haven't given up on someday finding another one. I do love the little thing.

Deb

[kokopelli]

And by the way. If you are playing with tunable instruments and you are the only non-tunable instrument you might ask the others to engage their expensive fancy pants technology and tune to you. An A or G note is usually the ticket.

This is what generally ends up happening. I might be under blowing as I tend to be a bit tentative at first. I have definitely noticed that the Clarkes take more air than the Generation I had and my Feadog. Strangely enough, cold weather seems to have a slightly positive effect on the tuning of my Clarke, since I got comments about it being out of tune during the day but not later that night when it was considerably colder. I've never actually used a tuner to figure out how sharp or flat I am or on which notes, so that's probably going to be my first step before I try to change anything. Part of what I really like about the Clarke is the unique sound it gets from taking so much air so I'm hesitant to change the windway. Both of my Clarkes are about four months old and in good condition and I play them pretty regularly.

[cloudbuster274]

Yeah this seems to be a problem with my Clark Original as well, i was wondering why it sounded weird when i was playing with a friend... and now i know, guess ill have to get something that I can make tuneable for playing with others now.

[Feadoggie]

Part of what I really like about the Clarke is the unique sound it gets from taking so much air so I'm hesitant to change the windway.

I can understand a reluctance to modify your whistles. My experience is that the character of the whistle remains even after the windway tweak. Don't mess with the blade. And since the tweak reduces the total amount of air, much of which is lost to producing any tone, you can play at pitch easier. As MTGuru has observed, if you underblow the Clarke it will sound flat. You need to push a lot more air through a Clarke to play at pitch compared to Feadogs and Gens.

I've never actually used a tuner to figure out how sharp or flat I am or on which notes, so that's probably going to be my first step before I try to change anything.

That's probably a good step. You may be surprised.

Oh, welcome to C&F.

Feadoggie

[hoopy mike]

Part of what I really like about the Clarke is the unique sound it gets from taking so much air so I'm hesitant to change the windway.

Well, they aren't that expensive to replace - less than the cost of a set of guitar strings, so it must be worth giving it a go to try and fix the tuning.

I agree with MT in that in my limited experience, Clarke Originals don't tend to suffer from tuning issues, but if it really is the whistle that's at fault, then there's always the motorbike tweak.

Welcome to C&F.

[Steve Bliven]

...if it really is the whistle that's at fault, then there's always the motorbike tweak. ...