What key is higher than "D"?

Sara · Post by **Sara** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:02 am

I'm considering buying another whistle and I'd like to have one which is higher than "D" - what is the next key up? Does that make sense?

Peace be with you all,
Sara

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:04 am

That would be an Eb... and Generation makes a very nice one.

Sara · Post by **Sara** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:05 am

Cool - I'm going to look for one! Thanks.
Sara

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:28 am

What does one use it for? That is,
what keys does it get you? I have one,
in fact, as part of a WWeasel set.
It sounds and plays OK, but I don't seem
to know what to do with it as
far as playing with other instruments.

I have a high G Generation too, which
enables me to play in G and C. Well,
my fingers barely fit, though it sounds
kinda cute, being so high.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:33 am

An Eb will allow you to play with certain accordians, just like a Bb will let you play with certain bagpipes.

If you listen to your Ir Trad CDs, you may discover that a good number of tracks are in Eb, for instance on Fedoga Stain.

Cheers.

Post by **rich** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:41 am

An Eb will also let you play with vain fiddlers.

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 12:42 pm

An E-flat whistle will let you play along with a singer who can't sing "Bobbie McGee" in any other key but E-flat! It also covers the singer's boo-boos fairly well when a screech sounds better than she does when she trips into falsetto and goes sharp!

_________________
Let it shine! Anna "RoaringMouse" Martinez

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Anna Martinez on 2001-12-14 13:44 ]</font>

Feadan · Post by **Feadan** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 1:13 pm

On 2001-12-14 10:33, Bloomfield wrote:
An Eb will allow you to play with certain accordians, just like a Bb will let you play with certain bagpipes.

Actually Eb would be the preferred whistle to play with recordings of Highland pipes. Pitched in (somewhat) Bb mixolydian one could say the chanter runs one octave Bb to Bb in the key of Eb (and one note, Ab, below the low keynote). Flute players who play bagpipe pitched Scottish music would use an Eb flute. You can hear this on Tannahill Weaver recordings as well as Battlefield Band.
If you use a Bb whistle to play Scottish pipe tunes you would often be stuck in the second octave in order to play the low Ab. The Eb whistle offers a much nicer fit to the GHB as the one octave of Bb mix. is sort of right in the middle of the range of the instrument.

Cheers,
David

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Feadan on 2001-12-14 14:14 ]</font>

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 1:24 pm

There's a lot of songs for alto voice written in the key of C. For soprano singers, a guitarist can capo up 3 frets to raise the pitch and key to Eb while still using the same fingering (only three frets higher). Hense a lot of Eb performances of songs originally written in C. Moving up the scale much higher changes the timbre and resonances of the tune too much.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 3:47 pm

Thanks to all. Better dust off that
whistle!

Cees · Post by **Cees** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 5:39 pm

I believe--if I'm not mistaken--it's an Eb whistle that is featured in the country song by Cyndi Thomson, "What I Really Meant to Say." The song was #1 on the country charts for several weeks. The whistle makes the song, in my opinion.

LittleMy · Post by **LittleMy** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 7:52 pm

I just like the sound of Eb. Is that so wrong?

Really, I do. It sounds so much brighter.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 7:03 am

Glenn Schultz also makes an amazing high G. This little whistle is about the thickness of a pencil, with the usual Weasel stainless fittings. The tuning slide is also stainless, rather than the usual brass. Beautiful, sweet, clear sound. For the severely WHOA afflicted....