In Praise of 7-Holed Whistles

Jon-M · Post by **Jon-M** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 11:23 am

I recently acquired a Silkstone D+ Alloy whistle, and have come to believe that 7 holes make much more sense than the standard design. This is an innovation that actually makes a simple instrument simpler and more sensible: first of all, you don't have to cross-finger or half-hole C naturals unless you want to; second, you can ornament the high and low Ds with a standard roll rather than trying to learn a cran.
The big drawback is learning to bring the little finger of the right hand into play when you're not used to it. My pinky is relatively weak, and I'm still trying to get used to using it. However, if you learned from the beginning on a 7-holed instruments, this would not be a particularly difficult challenge.
The usual objection to this kind of innovation is that it complicates an instrument whose charm lies in its simplicity; however, the truth is that it removes one of the instruments most difficult and, as it turns out, unnecessary complications: the C natural dilemma.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 11:32 am

Is the untrained pinky such a drawback ? After all, if you forget it, don't you have a regular D whistle with a "vent hole" ?

BTW : how does the croos-fingered C sound ?

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 12:02 pm

My pinkie is much too small to even use it for balance like some people do, so I don't believe I could ever make use of the 7th hole.
I'd like to try a whistle with a thumb hole for C natural some time... I think I could manage that.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 12:13 pm

Yoohoo! Calling all whistlesmiths!

Prototype testers are at the ready.

Best wishes,
Jerry

P.S. I would be interested in both those configurations. I can't predict which I would prefer.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 12:52 pm

Doesn't this "7 hole" business just start you down the slippery slope to rec**derism. I can hear Johann the whistle maker in a late middle ages village. He is thinking, "What if I just put a seventh hole at the end. That will make it easier to play C nat." And that is how it began. It was a short slide from there to Baroque rec**ders with two thumb holes, keys, and God knows what else. Nay, resist the seventh hole for there lies the dark side!!
Mike

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:01 pm

If a seven hole whistle makes sense, why not eight. A nice backside hole for the left thumb would make it - a recorder!?!?!

Sedition! Heresy!

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:05 pm

Do I hear a bid for NINE holes??

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:11 pm

Then we could replace the fipple with a free reed, or perhaps two, and add keys and....

the slippery slope just acquired a teflon coating

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:16 pm

Well, I for one, am NOT interested in a complicated fingering, chromatic whistle.

I'm only interested in easy to play, only plays in a couple of keys, diatonic scale based instruments.

If a simple fingering tonehole can be added that will make it easier to play in the two major and one minor keys I'm already using, fine.

I've no interest in philosophical arguments about the morality of adding another tonehole to a whistle. If it makes it a better whistle for my purposes, I want one.

Best wishes,
Jerry

McHaffie · Post by **McHaffie** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:29 pm

Not a 7 hole statement by far, BUT I do put my pinkys to good use.....(don't even start)

I can't for the life of me make the reach on my Low Ds (or any low D for that matter), even with a pipers grip sooooooooooooo........

I have learned to play quite well using my first two fingers in a pipers grip, and the first pad on my pinkys. Works quite nicely I think.

I don't think I will be trying to make a "7th hole" whistle any time soon

Take care all,
John

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:36 pm

Listen up, Pardner, they ain't enough holes in this town 'fer the two of us. If you ain't gone by sundown I'm gonna hafta take a saw to that recorder of yers and delete that seventh hole meself. And let that be a lesson to ya.
One-eyed Mike

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 1:59 pm

Just to mention the baroque recorder is what gives this instrument its bad reputation (and actually provoked its downfall from "classic" music after the Baroque period).
Renaissance wide-bore recorders sound loud and good, and don't have pig-nosed double holes.
And remember a chanter--ain't that trad enough?--has the same layout...

Now what we may dislike is the complicated "chromatic" fingering of Baroque recorder music, trying to make more of an instrument than it could achieve.
Maybe it started because musicians of the time couldn't afford WhOA, where we get basically a whistle per key or mode (to simplify), while looking with envy at all this new keyboard fancy machines...

It's also striking that Boehm started a bit of a revolution because he liked a simple, large-hole instrument called to-day the "Irish" flute in low D. OK, it did take him so many big holes you couldn't pretend to finger them, so he build the whole gas factory around...

<b>Finally, a modern 10-hole fife--or whistle--is really chromatic, which a recorder won't be even in its wet dreams.
So it's not a question of more holes is evil....

Else we'd all be playing tabor pipes</b>

Jon-M · Post by **Jon-M** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 2:22 pm

The negative responses are predictable: this is the road to recorderism! However, they are equally mistaken. The 7-hole whistle is not any more chromatic than the traditional model: it simply is easier to play (no cross-fingering, no half-holing unless you want to) and allows easy ornamentation on two key notes (and allows for a low c natural or c sharp too). Also, it can be played exactly like a six hole whistle if so desired. The point is that it is simpler, easier, and more versatile: those who have a problem with that are free to complain to their heart's content.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 2:34 pm

Aw, we were just havin fun. Youse with your seven holes can stay.
Mike

Jon-M · Post by **Jon-M** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 3:01 pm

Gee, thanks, Mike. I thought I would be driven out of town (if you could find me) by a lynch mob of maddened traditionalists trying to string me up on a scaffold made completely of Generation Ds.
Seriously, though, it's nice to play an instrument that will allow me to play the Cowboy Jig without getting my fingers tied into knots so intricate that they would give a sailor nightmares.
Jon Michaels