Fighting the fiddler

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 12:32 pm

That's a beautiful flute! Just a little out of my price range though .

I agree. If I had a ten thousand dollar flute...I doubt I'd even play it for fear of breaking it.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 10:47 pm

Eivind wrote:A hat...! Thats a good one, but I realize you are absolutely right!
Plus, it also adds image. A wonderful idea, thanks

Eivind

You might want to take this a step further and try a variation of the singers' trick of putting a hand over one ear. Now this trick will have a detrimental effect on your playing if you try it in the pure form. My suggestion: use one ear plug.

That aside, you speak of a band. If you have a band you should be using amplification. If you do, you can play the quietest whistle and still be heard. BTW, an Overton high D would be a very good choice. But if you use a mic, the volume of the whistle isn't an issue: just choose the one you like best when playing solo or the one that blends best with the fiddle when you aren't.

msheldon · Post by **msheldon** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 12:09 am

Zubivka wrote:For one, Sankt Theoboehm the Bald made both silver and wood keyed flutes. As for a contemporary maker, see:

Gorgeous, just.... wow!

Actually, the bad part is that at that price, an antique Rose Carte is downright cheap..

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 6:43 am

"Fightin' the Fiddler".

Sounds like it could be the name of a tune.

Pat O'Herlahee and the Brogan Boys with their new CD, "Fightin the Fiddler".

Tracks include: Fightin the Fiddler, Paddy Bust the Bodran Player, Maid a' Punchin' the Harpest, Whippin the Whistler.

serpent · Post by **serpent** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:39 am

geek4music wrote:"Fightin' the Fiddler".

Sounds like it could be the name of a tune.

Pat O'Herlahee and the Brogan Boys with their new CD, "Fightin the Fiddler".

Tracks include: Fightin the Fiddler, Paddy Bust the Bodran Player, Maid a' Punchin' the Harpest, Whippin the Whistler.

You are incredibly funny today!

I'd love to hear them tunes!!!

Shameless plug: Check out my announce earlier today. Sorry, Stacey, you lose...
serpent

energy · Post by **energy** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 3:36 pm

ErikT wrote:
Eivind wrote:I completely understand your philosophy, but thing is the fiddler tend to get excited
Ha! I understand. Those fiddlers - you'd think that the lack of frets would makes them feel inferior, but no sir-ree

*snooty look here*

Heh. Frets are just crutches for the intonation impaired.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 5:48 pm

energy wrote:eh. Frets are just crutches for the intonation impaired.

Wwwright... So toneholes are for those who can't play proper slide-whistle?

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 5:52 pm

energy wrote:
ErikT wrote:
Eivind wrote:I completely understand your philosophy, but thing is the fiddler tend to get excited
Ha! I understand. Those fiddlers - you'd think that the lack of frets would makes them feel inferior, but no sir-ree
*snooty look here*

Heh. Frets are just crutches for the intonation impaired.

I was wondering who I'd draw out with that one

Hiro Ringo · Post by **Hiro Ringo** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:22 pm

Being quiet, but audible in a comfortable manner.
IMO,this is the important aspect of whistles.

Whistles can be loud, at the price of something good.
And in the long run,in most cases,loud whistles will probably give you a good motive for playing flutes.That's why I believe whistles being loud are optional. Not specialized area as whistles.

I don't want to play something designed as the stepping-stone toward something else.
I want to play the whistle designed as a goal in wind instruments.

grrrrr, extremely difficult to express what I think now......

BTW,playing a bit out of tune intentionally or taking the tone pitch a little bit higher will let you get audible.These are all the solutions I know of without playing flutes/loud whistles.

picardy third · Post by **picardy third** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:42 pm

The great thing about fighting a fiddler is that you could risk destroying your whistle by clocking him in the head, but no real loss since your instrument cost between $5 and $500 (good chance of being on the lower end of that range). The fiddler has a lot more to lose if he uses his instrument as a weapon (say several thousand dollars), so my guess is that the fiddler would back down first. Also, whistles are more aerodynamic than a fiddle.

Of course, if the fiddler could somehow use his fiddle as a bow and arrow, then it could get ugly.

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 9:48 pm

Fiddlers really could stand to be trimmed down to size just a hair (no puns intended). I read somewhere that there was no difference between a violin and a viola. It's just that the violinists head is so much bigger that it only makes the violin seem smaller.

Try graduating from the whistle to the uilleann pipes. That'll give the fiddlers a new perspective on their fiddles and fiddlesticks!

Eivind · Post by **Eivind** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:51 am

geek4music wrote:"Fightin' the Fiddler".

Sounds like it could be the name of a tune.

Pat O'Herlahee and the Brogan Boys with their new CD, "Fightin the Fiddler".

Tracks include: Fightin the Fiddler, Paddy Bust the Bodran Player, Maid a' Punchin' the Harpest, Whippin the Whistler.

Haha!

Those tunes need to be written! I'm up for it! See you guys next christmas.... "Whippin' the Whistler"...gh..

/@ivind

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 4:19 am

Eivind wrote:A hat...! Thats a good one, but I realize you are absolutely right!
Plus, it also adds image. A wonderful idea, thanks

Eivind

I think I should add for clarity that this has to be a hat with an all round brim - a wobby pom-pom hat or a Fez isn't going to help much.

I've got a lovely Trilby I never get to wear in public because all my friends rib me mercilessly - maybe I could use the "sound reflection" excuse!

Edit: Just realised I typed wobby instead of wooly. I think I prefer wobby.

p.s. the gent in the picture on the left is wearing a trilby hat!

picardy third · Post by **picardy third** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 6:48 am

Martin Milner wrote: I think I should add for clarity that this has to be a hat with an all round brim - a wobby pom-pom hat or a Fez isn't going to help much.

NOW you tell me!

DazedinLA · Post by **DazedinLA** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 2:37 pm

Eivind wrote:Erik,

I completely understand your philosophy, but thing is the fiddler tend to get excited and give it more and more guts as we play - eventually, I get lost

Dazed Industries now offers an electrified chair for the discipline of overly-enthusiastic fiddlers, complete with a foot-pedal triggerswitch that can be operated hands-free by any flute or whistle player. Available in "Gentle Reminder to Be Quieter" 50 Volts, "Hey, Calm Down" 100 Volts, "You're Getting on My Nerves, so Take That!!!!" 300 Volts, and "Terminate with Extreme Prejudice" 720 Volts