Mk Whistles Kelpie Unveiled

[pancelticpiper]

One advantage of a tuning slide is that you can compensate for when the temperature is unusually warm (when the whistle plays sharp) or cold (when the whistle plays flat). Really makes a difference if you're switching quickly between different whistles at a gig and don't have time to fully warm them up.

[skyspirit]

One advantage of a tuning slide is that you can compensate for when the temperature is unusually warm (when the whistle plays sharp) or cold (when the whistle plays flat). Really makes a difference if you're switching quickly between different whistles at a gig and don't have time to fully warm them up.

Well, that makes sense to me. I know that temps affect wooden NAFs. So, a tuning slide would be helpful. Just my humble opinion.

[bogman]

I don't agree. Certainly with Goldie whistles, one minute preparation and they are up to temperature and do not move unless it's really hot. Like I say, mine do not move from one week to the next. Don't get me wrong, a tuning slide is handy and necessary if you are a gigging musician but for the purposes of the Kelpie I think the lack of one could actually be an advantage.

[MTGuru]

Bogman, you're right for the most part. But the thing is ... There's nothing magical about A440 except as a standard of shared convenience. If I'm in control of my musical environment and I want to play at say A435 or A445 because my instrument sounds good at that pitch or for some other aesthetic reason, who's to stop me? And in that case, if you want to play with me, your non-tunable whistle had better stay in its bag.

A few situations besides pancelt's also benefit from a tunable whistle. High-pitched sessions are one, already mentioned. Playing along with non-A440 recordings is another. You can pitch adjust with software, or just retune your whistle and play. Then there's octave stretching. To me, high whistles sometimes sound good tuned just a hair high to the lower concert pitch instruments. You can breath-push and risk volume issues at the top of the range, or just push your whistle in a hair and be good to go.

And the breath pressure issue is not just a matter for n00bies. Different whistle makers may have different concepts of "canonical" breath pressure from my own. Or I may simply want to use different overall breath pressure on different occasions. As the artist, I want my instrument to adjust to my needs as a proper tool, not force me to adjust to its needs. And that may require a tunable instrument.

It's true that Colin's whistles (and from what you say, MKs) are very pitch-stable, with fairly flat breath plateaus, so they're more forgiving of breath within their proper breath range (and as you say, they want to be played out). I've played non-tunable Goldies in session with no problem at all. But I also have other whistles that seriously benefit from being tunable.

[JTC111]

There's nothing magical about A440 except as a standard of shared convenience.

Speaking only as to what I know it would be like in a studio environment, it's a pretty huge convenience. Many low to mid priced guitar tuners won't let you adjust for cents so you have to rely on eyeballing a meter or trusting whoever has the best ears. And it's a pretty good time saver as well since it takes a lot less time to match a whistle to the guitars than having to retune guitars to match a whistle.

And then there's the issue of recording different parts at different times in different places ...ugh! I once hired a violin player who lived a couple of states away to do a track for me. A friend and I wrote the piece out so it would be easy for him and he wouldn't have to ad lib even a little. We sent him the ProTools session and when we got it back and played the violin track it was beautifully played with just the kind of expression and feeling that I'd hoped for ....but with one slight problem.... the entire track was out of tune with the rest of the recording. For hours we tried to tame the track but everything we tried only seemed to make it worse. It became apparent as we were trying to make it work that either pieces of it was recorded at different times or the tuning of the violin was changing as he was playing. We were just about ready to give up and toss the track when I had an idea. I wasn't even sure I wanted the idea to work because if it did, the fix was going to take many hours of tedious editing. I knew the guitar was tuned to 440 so I panned the violin track to one side, panned the rest of the song to the other side, sat a guitar tuner on top of the studio monitor (speaker) where the violin was coming from and retuned that track one note at a time for about 8 hours. It came out beautiful in the end, but me and my buddy were cursing that fecking violin player for weeks.

[MTGuru]

retuned that track one note at a time for about 8 hours.

Hey, Rebecca Black has a job for you.

[JTC111]

retuned that track one note at a time for about 8 hours.

Hey, Rebecca Black has a job for you.

If this video is real, that "Black Plague" has talent enough for this country ...and that may be the saddest thing I've ever written.

[jloug]

Mine came today and I have to say I love it! I have a tunable one, also, so here are some quick first impressions. It feels quite solid and may be slightly heavier the the tunable version. Mine has the new satin finish which I really like. It's not as showy, but it has a bit more grip. Hole spacing is very similar, with the bottom 3 holes being a bit more evenly spaced, which makes it a bit more comfortable. How does it play? It is very agile, almost idiot proof, like the tunable version-only maybe more so. Easy transitions and very responsive to changes in breath pressure-but it's not touchy and you won't make it squawk. How does sound? Here is where I noticed a slight difference. To my ear (full disclosure: I am an amateur, not a trained musician), I think my Kelpie has a slightly fuller (or fatter) lower end and bit more volume. It seems a little less horn-like than the tunable version. I can't hear much difference with the upper end. Tunning seems spot on. All and all, quite a whistle especially at it's price point. I see why Misha was so proud of it.

[janmarie]

Mine came today too and everything jloug said fits. The tone is amazing!

[liams dad]

I received a Kelpie this afternoon too... I am a beginner whistler, so anything I say must be taken in that light. I only dare to post my observations because I know that there are not many of these instruments out there and there may be fellow whistlers who are waiting to hear a review or two.

I decided to purchase the Kelpie because of the positive comments I have read on this forum about MK whistles, because of the attractive pricing for an "MK" and because the description made it sound like it was designed for someone like me... a rookie wanting to improve and "sound good" in the process.

I will say that after playing it for an hour tonight that it lives up to the description. I have played around with a Dixon Low D for about six months, and not to take anything from it, but the Kelpie is a completely different instrument. It is solid in your hands with a rich full tone that I did know what possible in a low whistle. The low D note is not only solid, but it, and the other notes have a range to them that allow you to achieve what I have read other to describe as "complexity". I am very pleased with my purchase and can say that I feel fotunate that I only had to try two whistles in order to put an end to my seach for a great low D!

[skyspirit]

Well, now I am having buyer's remorse except in reverse. Darn, should have hit the order button when they were 70GBP.

[Raymondo]

I received a Kelpie this afternoon too... I am a beginner whistler, so anything I say must be taken in that light. I only dare to post my observations because I know that there are not many of these instruments out there and there may be fellow whistlers who are waiting to hear a review or two.

I decided to purchase the Kelpie because of the positive comments I have read on this forum about MK whistles, because of the attractive pricing for an "MK" and because the description made it sound like it was designed for someone like me... a rookie wanting to improve and "sound good" in the process.

I will say that after playing it for an hour tonight that it lives up to the description. I have played around with a Dixon Low D for about six months, and not to take anything from it, but the Kelpie is a completely different instrument. It is solid in your hands with a rich full tone that I did know what possible in a low whistle. The low D note is not only solid, but it, and the other notes have a range to them that allow you to achieve what I have read other to describe as "complexity". I am very pleased with my purchase and can say that I feel fotunate that I only had to try two whistles in order to put an end to my seach for a great low D!

I agree with Liam's Dad.

"Getting in tune with other players in a session"; "compensating for temperature variations"; "tuning to A440 when recording in a studio" - I have to say that, as a beginner still trying to master 'Twinkle Twinkle little Star', those sorts of things don't really concern me!

Of course, for more experienced players, those considerations may be paramount when selecting an instrument, and that's fair enough.

As a beginner, though, I wanted a whistle that was made by a respected manufacturer, that was simple to use (no faffing around with tuning slides), that was well-built to a consistently high standard, that sounded nice (in tune with itself, naturally), and that didn't cost a packet.

For me, the Kelpie ticked all the boxes.

Having played around with mine for a few weeks, I have to say that it's easy to use, it looks fantastic, it sounds beautiful, and it encourages me to play more because of it - which, at the end of the day, is kind of what matters most.

I absolutely love my Kelpie , and I would recommend it to anyone looking for their first Low D Whistle (if you can get one, of course - they seem to sell-out fast!)...