Smooth sound in both octaves

[Jim Wright]

Still new to whistle but been playing long enough that I can hit the notes in both octaves. My question is how can I make it a smooth sound in both? Seems that I am either higher volume or lower volume in one or the other when they should be about the same in the music. Is this just practice or is there something that I can do to speed up the process?

Thanks,

Jim

[emmline]

I defer to those with greater whistle expertise, but my experience with whistles is that the "problem" you're describing is what makes whistles folk instruments versus the orchestral stability of, eg, a Boehm flute.

One of the interesting things about the variety of whistles and makers available is that each will have its own idiosyncrasies when it comes to ease of playing in the upper or lower registers, and how well it flows from one to the other. You kind of have to get a feel for each whistle. Some will suit you better than others, and no breathing technique applies equally to all whistles...it just takes some messing around.

Now, as I said I would, I defer to better whistlers with good explanations of breath control.

[GaryKelly]

Emmline's right. (And nope, I'm not one of those with greater whistle expertise )

As you spend more time with the whistle you become more accustomed to it, to the point where your breath control becomes automatic...kind of an ear-breath feedback loop...your ears will regulate your breath-control so they get to hear what your braaaain wants them to. Which is summink I didn't appreciate at first while I was constantly switching between whistles of many different varieties. Got better when I stuck with just one and put the others away for a few weeks.

Edited to address the last question...

You could try practicing octave jumps. Play a first G, for example, and then increase the breath to the 2nd G, then back to the 1st. Then try a scale with octave jumps... Dd Ee F#f# Gg etc etc. Might help calibrate the feedback loop quicker?

[Redwolf]

Generally speaking, it's partially the whistle and partially a matter of breath control and practice. Some whistles are less balanced across octaves than others, but the more accomplished player can often minimize the difference unless it's quite extreme. I agree about lots of practice of octave transitions. You'll also find, as you get accustomed to playing in the higher register, that you'll sound less "strident" because you won't be working so hard at getting (and staying) up there...it will feel (and sound) more natural.

Redwolf

[Byll]

Jim: Of course experience will help, but there are whistlesmiths who build instruments in which the volume difference between octaves is very small - and can be managed in a musical way...Since your original post did not seem to point to a desire of yours to purchase another instrument, and therefore let yourself open to the Whoa disorder, I will let other brave souls suggest which instruments you might consider.

Best to you.
Byll

[Jim Wright]

I appreciate the posts and the advice and guess I need to mention that I have contracted the "disorder" and that I have whistles on order - soon to be shipped. However, I do not believe that my "disorder" is serious and I can quit anytime .. really .. honest .. probably .. possibly .. perhaps .. maybe .. ok .. ok .. I was hooked when I saw all of Jessie's whistles and knew she had "more" than I do ----- for the moment.

So little money and so many whistles

Jim

[JessieK]

I was hooked when I saw all of Jessie's whistles and knew she had "more" than I do ----- for the moment.

Oooh...have fun competing! I have owned hundreds of handmade whistles. Now I am down to well under a hundred, but then there are the flutes...

[Bloomfield]

Rule of thumb: cheap whistles have better volume balance between octaves.

That said, you'll never find a whistle that isn't louder in the second octave. It's the nature of the beast.

[Jim Wright]

Jessie,

I could catch you but I would loose my wife, my children, my house and my dog (I love that dog!). So, I will have to resort to trickery and get them interested in playing the whistle by giving them one of mine. It could work.. they all are musically inclined while I am the musically challenged one.

Jim

[chas]

Bloomfield wrote:

Rule of thumb: cheap whistles have better volume balance between octaves.

I will respectfully disagree with Bloo. Gens are well balanced as are Clares, but Oaks are not, nor are Waltons. The best-balanced whistles I've ever played are Busmans and Burkes, but on the other hand you have Bleazeys, Albas, and at least some Overtons.

This is all my experience, of course. I've played hundreds of cheapies of many brands, so I think I have a pretty good sample. I've only played several tens of high-enders of many makers.

As has been pointed out, though, the player can have a lot to do with the balance. Tonguing high notes can get the whistle into the upper register with less air. Also, some pieces lend themselves to whistles in that the accents are on the high notes; others don't in that they have accents on lower notes.

If you want complete control over the volume in both octaves, take up the flute. The flute has much less to do with balance; it's mostly up to the player.

[/quote]

[happyturkeyman]

Bloomfield wrote:

Rule of thumb: cheap whistles have better volume balance between octaves.

I will respectfully disagree with Bloo. Gens are well balanced as are Clares, but Oaks are not, nor are Waltons. The best-balanced whistles I've ever played are Busmans and Burkes, but on the other hand you have Bleazeys, Albas, and at least some Overtons.

This is all my experience, of course. I've played hundreds of cheapies of many brands, so I think I have a pretty good sample. I've only played several tens of high-enders of many makers.

As has been pointed out, though, the player can have a lot to do with the balance. Tonguing high notes can get the whistle into the upper register with less air. Also, some pieces lend themselves to whistles in that the accents are on the high notes; others don't in that they have accents on lower notes.

If you want complete control over the volume in both octaves, take up the flute. The flute has much less to do with balance; it's mostly up to the player.

[/quote]

Amen on the flute! This is my sixth year playing and I FINALLY am able to play high notes quietly! It takes a lot of control, and, thankfully, A little of that crosses over into my whistleplaying.

The real difference is that on flute you change the airflow and the pitch stays about the same unless it changes octaves. On the whistle when you do some of the same things as flute, it goes flat.

Anyway, what one of my old band teachers recommended once was playing in front of a mirror to work out all of those great kinda things... and it works. It is technically so you can see your emberchure (wow i suck at spelling French words). There's not much to see with whistle, but I found that playing anything in front of the mirror just makes you pay more attention to what you're doing. I used the mirror with my harmonica and was able to work out a nasty habit where I positioned my blow notes so as to play the draw ones above them I had to actually move my mouth to the left. (No, I WASN'T holding it upside down!) I put my harpsichord on the bathroom counter, and, although it didn't work out any specific kinks, it seemed to generally help. Same went for sax, although what I needed more for it was to build muscle.

I've been doing it (the mirror thing) with whistle to try to control pitch and it works better than just waiting for it to fall into place like I did with flute.

edit: tuners are for wimps and the tonedeaf and people with twenty bucks. I do not qualify as any of those, but you might fit into one of those categories.

[feadog39]

as mentioned, alot depends on the whistle you are playing. but my advice would be as follows. play a nice comfortable long note on the low g. now, bust out a tuner, one with a little needle that shows if you're sharp or flat. if your whistle is tuneable, adjust so you are in tune. next, practice going up and down the scale paying special attention to not overblowing and underblowing, i.e. going sharp or flat. this exercise will help train your ear and give you a sense of how much airflow is required on any part of the register. this exercise has helped me reduce the screetch factor on the upper register on my copeland and generally helped me stop overblowing and even out my playing. good luck.