Whistle for playing outside?

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:37 am

A while ago there was a discussion about making a whistle for playing outside in windy conditions by adding some kind of windscreen or by placing the voicing window on the underside of the whistle. Has anybody actually tried these ideas? Do they work?

Also, is there any truth to the rumour that conical whistles are better than cylindrical for windy conditions?

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:40 am

I've never heard the rumor about conical vs. cylindrical for outdoor playing, but I can say that a Seery (cylindrical) whistle is seriously loud, and it would be a good outdoor whistle.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:45 am

Yes, but the main problem of playing outside is not loudness, but windiness. When the wind hit the fipple (like a big pizza pie, it's amore!) sorry, i meant to say when the wind hits the voicing window, the sound goes away. Same problem with flute, BTW.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:46 am

Yes, but on a whistle like the Seery, one is blowing really hard to get the sound. The air pressure created at the window is strong enough to outdo the wind in the air.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:57 am

Wow! Kind of a hurricane whistle. Is it dangerous to bystanders?

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:59 am

Yes, it is dangerous. In fact, playing the thing indoors is not recommended - ever.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:13 am

I saw a guy playing a Gen with the fipple turned all the way around. It was inside but I reckon it was habit from playing outside. I guess it would work. Does anybody do that for that reason here?

Geez, Jessie. I gotta get a Seery now that we have a piper. Means 20 less lbs of amp and mics to carry!!!

In my flute and guitar duo, we have played in places though where the wind just completely stopped her sound in the tube. One of the reasons we stopped playing weddings at the Palace of Fine Arts in SF; tricky wind currents around the Roman style pillars. That and the pigeons who @#$ on everybody and the geese who come out of the water to attack men in tuxedos (as in, me). Oh yeah, and losing yer sheet music in the water...

You say you wanna play weddings?!

whistlebinkie · Post by **whistlebinkie** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:14 am

My favorite place to play is at the seacoast, (I live in Maine) so I have experimented with those suggestions.
The conical vs. cylindrical thing didn't really "bore" out (sorry) I tried a Clarke original and a sweetone, didn't find them very good for outdoor use. I tried the turn the fipple upside down deal and that did help a little, although the same basic thing can be accomplished by turning away from the wind. The best thing is to use a loud whistle to begin with, I usually take a Susato Kildare D. With all that wind and crashing surf it sounds great!
Scott

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:29 am

If anyone needs a Seery, I have two extras that I could sell.

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:45 am

overtons with strong back pressure can't be played in the wind at all.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:48 am

JessieK wrote:If anyone needs a Seery, I have two extras that I could sell.

Do you sell life insurance too?

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 2:23 pm

i don't own any copelands but since they are conical and have back pressure,
they must be good for playing in the wind.

serpent · Post by **serpent** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 4:55 pm

Almost all adjustable whistles, Serpents included, have a mouthpiece or fipple end that can be turned upside-down. I play my whistles outdoors ALL the time at Renaissance Festival, and I just turn the mouthpiece upside-down if it's windy. End of problem.
Cheers,
serpent

illuminatus99 · Post by **illuminatus99** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 5:06 pm

I play my copeland outside a lot, haven't had any problems, my low whistles on the other hand...

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 5:57 pm

The only whistles I could play out on the deck overlooking the ocean in Hatteras were Copelands - with windway straight up.

Philo