Whistle key poll

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Might be interesting to find out what key whistles you own and actually play If 'other' is ticked please make a post of what it is
I once had a made in India whistle (untuneable) in the rare key of C#-sharp.. useless in other words except for playing by myself.
Cheers

[Mr.Gumby]

It may be more interesting to get an idea of which key we USE. We all know a lot of people own a lot of whistles. Often just for the sake of owning them.

Speaking for myself, I play D whistles that lay about in strategic location around the house, occasionally I pick up an Eflat or a C. I have a B (Sindt) to play very occasionally with piping friends. But never really found a use for a Bflat (although I do own a Bflat Camac since the seventies). A dear friend once gave me an A whistle, I never play it but will keep it for sentimental reasons. I had a G Hohner, also from the seventies. A friend saw it and lusted after it so I gave it to him. I never played it. I also still have the obligatory F and little G Generations that have been sitting in the vase with the other whistles, mostly unplayed for thirty years or so. I do own them though. I don't have any use or liking for low whistles.

[hoopy mike]

Would a poll with "which of these whistles have you played within the last month?" fit the bill?

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Good point MrGumby. I have changed the wording in the poll question.

[pancelticpiper]

I have whistles in every key between Low D and High Eb and every one has been used at gigs.

I've used my C# whistle plenty of times, my B plenty of times, even my Ab and my Gb (F#).

It's different when doing "legit" gigs because the material can be written in any key whatever from seven sharps to seven flats. If you're doing this sort of work you can't show up at a gig being unable to play in a certain key.

I did a gig where everything was in four sharps and four flats... nothing else. The composer liked the tone of my MK Low D best but I had to explain to him that MKs aren't even made in E and Ab. (I had told him in advance that D and G were the best keys for the instruments I had, but like all composers he ignored musician input.)

Anyhow this poll reminds me of the Friends episode where the beginner guitarist asks the professional guitarist "how many chords do you know?" and he replies "All of them."

I find the idea of whistle players owning all the keys simply for the sake of owning them absurd... at least in my experience, myself and the people I know own all the keys because their job requires it, just as a mechanic has to have a set of wrenches.

Also the notion of "which have you used in the last month?" doesn't apply, because you can go a year without needing a particular key, but tomorrow get called on a gig that does require it.

[Mr Ed]

I have Alto A, Bb, C, and D. The key of D whistles get used the most by far, but they all get played. It's nice to have some variety.

[hoopy mike]

I find the idea of whistle players owning all the keys simply for the sake of owning them absurd... at least in my experience, myself and the people I know own all the keys because their job requires it, just as a mechanic has to have a set of wrenches.

Well, I think the poll was inspired by someone asking which whistles to buy to start out. Just as a mechanic doesn't have to have every tool from the catalogue, a whistler doesn't have to own whistles in every key when starting out. Wrenches are sold in sets, whistles generally come one at a time. Maybe they'll end up having to own a whistle (or more than one whistle) in every key, particularly if they end up playing on a professional / recording basis, but "which whistles ｓｈｏｕｌｄ　Ｉ buy to start with?" is a valid question.

[Mr.Gumby]

Just as a mechanic doesn't have to have every tool from the catalogue, a whistler doesn't have to own whistles in every key when starting out.

I'd even suggest many whistlers don't need all keys, sorts and shapes. As for the professional angle, it very much depends on the sort of jobs you want to tackle.

[stanton135]

My first poll!

I own a set of Gens, including a Freeman D and A, whose holes I've carved and taped till they all played the scale the way I like. I've also made my own plumbing whistles from Guido's guide and the Flutomat calculator in several high and low keys. Currently of those I'm playing a low F and low D, as well as a low C and bass A, both of which have 45 degree elbows at the tuning joint, because otherwise my arms wouldn't be long enough. I have to use pinkies on both hands to play them, but I love that range!

For Christmas I got an MK, whose more agressive tone and volume complement the mellow-toned low D that I made myself.

Finally, I got a Susato S-bore Eb a long time ago. Man, that thing is loud! I discovered that, with a couple winds of Scotch tape, 1/2" CTS CPVC tubing fits the S-bore head nicely. Consequently, I made myself a set of all the chromatic keys from high D to mezzo A. I keep the head on the B body, because I don't have a Gen in that key (yet!)

...Hi! I'm Stanton, and I have WHOA.

[BigDavy]

Hi Mr Blackwood

I ticked other, as well, I left out low C.

David

[Feadoggie]

Somewhat flawed poll in my opinion.

I use all kinds of whistles and keys playing church music and rootsy folk stuff. When I play ITM I stick to high D almost exclusively. The answer should be in context to the material played, I would think.

What would be interesting and maybe more helpful would be to canvass various makers and ask them what keys they make and sell in what relative quantities. When I have made and sold whistles, the high D was far and away the most common, followed by C and then Eb. Bb, A and G would vie for next on the list depending on when and where I was selling. Low D and low F after that. The other keys were more of an as needed item. But I am sure the more popular makers might have different results and would offer a more balanced world view of the matter.

Feadoggie

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Somewhat flawed poll in my opinion.

I use all kinds of whistles and keys playing church music and rootsy folk stuff. When I play ITM I stick to high D almost exclusively. The answer should be in context to the material played, I would think.

What would be interesting and maybe more helpful would be to canvass various makers and ask them what keys they make and sell in what relative quantities. When I have made and sold whistles, the high D was far and away the most common, followed by C and then Eb. Bb, A and G would vie for next on the list depending on when and where I was selling. Low D and low F after that. The other keys were more of an as needed item. But I am sure the more popular makers might have different results and would offer a more balanced world view of the matter.

Feadoggie

What's flawed about the poll? It isn't aimed at proving anything, just interested in what keys beside the "obvious/omipresent" high- D people play.
Cheers

[greenspiderweb]

I have other whistles in various keys, but if I was only able to keep one, it would be a Low D, no doubts at all about that for me. Though I would probably appreciate a nice Low C as well, just to have a little lower range. Below that, it often gets hard to cover the stretch for my hands.

I don't play with other people, and only occasionally play along with a recording, so that is when the other keys make sense to me. Or when you pull a tune out of your
head, and it's been played in Low F (or whatever key it is), it helps to have that key to retrieve it from your memory. I recently experienced this when improvising on a Low F , graciously given to me by the nice forum member who made it. I never played that tune until it just jumped out of the whistle while I was improvising! Pretty neat, that experience!

Oh, and the only reason I have any high D's is, for portability-to keep in the car, or carry on me while walking, etc. Otherwise, my ears have no use for them!

But sure, different keys for different music, and genres, so it's pretty open in that regard to what you play. Oh, and I will mention the Generation Bb that I have also, for when I want a mellower high whistle than the high D, but gently ear pleasing, or to play along with something in that relative key.

[Thomaston]

A high D has always been enough for my local session. At a different semi-local session Scottish tunes are played a good bit, and an E or A would be useful. Despite what I commonly see recommended here, I can count on my fingers the # of times a C would have been useful. Perhaps because our "lead" player plays flute rather than fiddle that makes a difference with those C tunes.

Low D is a different matter. I've owned several (Howard, Goldie, Susato, Burke) but the Goldie is the only one I really enjoyed.

[fearfaoin]

I once had a made in India whistle (untuneable) in the rare key of C#-sharp.

C double sharp??? Wow.