What Whistles do the Pros Play?

SilverStrand · Post by **SilverStrand** » Sun May 23, 2004 2:33 pm

Like Sir James Galway (name right?)

I learned how to play the whistle solo from the Lotr song, "Concerning Hobbits", though I don't know if Galway played for the first album. Anyways, I noticed my cheaper whistle doesn't sound quite like the one in the Fellowship (I know I'm not as good as the person playing on the soundtrack, but the sound the whistle made is slightly hollower than mine, so I figured it may be a more expensive whistle)

He did play for the Return of the King soundtrack, and i was just wondering what whistle he plays (galway, i mean)

I'm new at this....but I'm guessing a Copeland is what most professionals use....?

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sun May 23, 2004 3:31 pm

It might surprise you, but many pros play Generation cheapies. Other than that, you see lots of Overtons, Burkes and Sindts, and of course a lot of Susatos (Lunasa favors them for soprano whistles).

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sun May 23, 2004 3:38 pm

blackhawk wrote:It might surprise you, but many pros play Generation cheapies.

Yes. They play the Generation with the red mouthpiece. Some say that the newer Gen with the green mouthpiece, "The Folk Whistle," is of a more consistent quality, but I've not tried a green-top Gen.

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Sun May 23, 2004 3:45 pm

The Corr girl plays Clares, Mary Bergin plays Generations a lot, Spider Stacey used to play nickel Generations and I think Sean Potts had a Generation in the photo I saw the other day.

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Sun May 23, 2004 4:03 pm

Oh great! Now I have to go get a green top Gen. I also need a brass Clare.

Ron

SilverStrand · Post by **SilverStrand** » Sun May 23, 2004 4:17 pm

Andrea Corr plays Waltons and Generation...I don't think she's ever played Clare

Andrea plays cheap whistles because she always loses them!

demon_piper · Post by **demon_piper** » Sun May 23, 2004 5:58 pm

I've seen James play, he used a silver coloured whistle with a black plastic mouthpiece, it looked high end, no way it was an oak.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Sun May 23, 2004 6:24 pm

James Galway plays an Abell. Joanie Madden plays O'Riordans and some Burkes. Mary Bergin plays Sindts and Generations. Larry Nugent plays Copelands. As does Seamus Egan. Brian Finnegan of Flook plays Goldie Overtons.

stiofan · Post by **stiofan** » Sun May 23, 2004 6:57 pm

According to their cd liner notes, Lunasa play Grinter, Overton & Chieftain whistles. I'm not sure about the Susatos, but could be.

Danu - Tom Doorley plays Burke whistles, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh plays Cillian O Briain whistles.

James McNally of AfroCelts plays Overtons (exclusively, I believe)

and for more of the pros who play Overtons, see the Overton website.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sun May 23, 2004 7:05 pm

buddhu wrote:Spider Stacey used to play nickel Generations.

No Spider Stacy used Brass and Nickel if youl look on the pictures of him in "IF I Should Fall form Grace With God" you will notice that he uses nickel and brass. Later when they came out with "Pogue Mahone," although he was not the whistle player, the person playing uses specialy made Overtons (it says so in the liner notes). The best whistle that I have ever played on is a Dixon with a brass tuning slide after that I knew I would never by a different high whistle ever. When I saw Dropkick Murphys in concert it looked like Ryan Foltz was playing a Clare (brass with a green top but not a gen).

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Sun May 23, 2004 7:27 pm

Burnsbyrne and I saw what definitely looked ike Sausatos at the Lunasa concert. Plus some others. The Grintners. Some huge honking low Bb.

janice · Post by **janice** » Sun May 23, 2004 8:31 pm

Loretto Reid has a set of O'Riordan's, but usually ends up playing her old beat up Gens.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Mon May 24, 2004 2:32 am

Unseen122 wrote: No Spider Stacy used Brass and Nickel if youl look on the pictures of him in "IF I Should Fall form Grace With God" you will notice that he uses nickel and brass. .

Far from me to be too fussy, but there's only the one whistle on the cover of that recording and that is a nickle blue headed Generation.

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Mon May 24, 2004 3:13 am

For ROTK apparently Sir James G played the hobbit's 'theme' on the flute, because after all their adventures they had 'evolved' into sophisticated worldly wee things far beyond the simple countryfolk that the Abell whistle represented. A remark which, as I recall, upset a fair few folk last year (not including me though, I thought it sounded good no matter what it was played on).

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Mon May 24, 2004 6:35 am

When ever you see a pro "play" you arn't actually seeing anyone play, but a stunt double syncing playing. And pros never use actual whistles, that's just for show. For performances, they tape a couple of harmonicas together end to end. That's why you commonly see performers fall to their deaths or burn up, and in the next scene they are up and walking around fine.

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What Whistles do the Pros Play?

What Whistles do the Pros Play?

Sir Galway's whistle