Not OT, PC : the sound of recorders vs whistles

Quiet John · Post by **Quiet John** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:09 pm

Paintball gun barrels:

Recorders:

And the following:

http://www.birding.100mile.com/020111recorder.htm

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:16 pm

JessieK wrote:I didn't vote. "Meek" means weak or quiet or unassertive. That, most certainly, doesn't describe the second octave. Also, because of how the poll was set up, it was highly diluted. I bet a lot of people didn't vote.

Re-rats!

The only person ready to take this poll seriously decides on a boycott!

I'm highly desiluted

John (formerly antstastegood) wrote:And the following:

http://www.birding.100mile.com/020111recorder.htm

Cool link.

Confirms the "hooting" sound described in a previous page...

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 1:18 pm

I have a few stray r*c*rd*rs sitting around the house (on display in clear glass jars, no doubt drying out). But I voted "love" because I've discovered the recordings of Michala Petri.

She brought me wide awake early one Sunday, when "Sunday Baroque" came on. It was some impossible-to-play Bach thingie that made my eyes spring open and poor brain think, "How the h*ll does she do that?"

I've got a few of her CDs now and, while they don't spend as much time in my player as the Celtic and contra dance-type stuff, I haul them out to make me see what really can be done.

M

Hiro Ringo · Post by **Hiro Ringo** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 6:28 pm

You guys might be interested in these sites. The comparison of plastic recorders available in Japan.

Recorders used in this comparison.

http://www.recorder.jp/gifjpg/Allpr.jpg

And the sound of all of them.

http://www.recorder.jp/precorders/precorderlist.htm

mamakash · Post by **mamakash** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:01 am

NorCalMusician wrote:The fact that you had to spend $500, yes $500 to get a sort of decent (read low end of the quality scale) wooden one in the key I was interested in was a HUGE turn off as well. Do you know how many QUALITY whistles you can buy for $500?

Or one very nice guitar? Perhaps a Seagull Folk with Ceder top and a case tossed in . . . drool. I keep hearing nice things about them.

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:27 am

Re my earlier note about Piers Adams using Recorders in different keys;
I bought 'Vivaldi's The Four Seasons' by the Baroque group 'Red Priest' which features Piers Adams,and on it he plays the following instruments;

Sopranino in Eb
Soprano in C
Alto in A
Alto in Ab
Alto in Eb
Voice Flute in D

All the above made by Michael Dawson

Modern Altos in F by Tarasov/Mollenhauer

Bass by Andreas Kung

Garklein by Aulos (hey,I have one of these!)

The groups performance of this rather hackeyed piece is absolutely MANIC!
As the critic in 'The Washington Post' remarked "They didn't so much breathe new life into Vivaldi as plunge an adrenaline -filled syringe into his heart".
The bands' image almost reminds me of 1970's 'Prog. Rock'(!

)

To find out more about the band,see http://www.piersadams.com/

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 9:58 am

Not only is it almost impossible to play nice, traditionnal ornaments on recorders (yeah yeah, I know you've heard someone play rolls on them, but that's only because you don't know how rolls should sound like) it's also freakin' loud! Recorders are loud and most of the time create an unbalanced instrument volume output in a session.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:08 am

Azalin wrote:Not only is it almost impossible to play nice, traditionnal ornaments on recorders (yeah yeah, I know you've heard someone play rolls on them, but that's only because you don't know how rolls should sound like) it's also freakin' loud! Recorders are loud and most of the time create an unbalanced instrument volume output in a session.

Once again, crappy recorders are to blame, and perhaps the player: I'm not saying that recorders are apropriate at a session, but a good soprano recorder is no louder than a Copeland, and certainly not as piercing as a Susato, which I've heard are somewhat common in certain geographic areas....

Loren

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:21 am

Is there a boxwoo alto recorder that sounds somewhat like a whistle? I mean, recorders are so...tart. So reedy and loud. I would think the narrow bore ones would be sweet, but they are all low pitch. Hmph!!

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:42 am

Azalin wrote:Not only is it almost impossible to play nice, traditionnal ornaments on recorders (yeah yeah, I know you've heard someone play rolls on them, but that's only because you don't know how rolls should sound like) it's also freakin' loud! Recorders are loud and most of the time create an unbalanced instrument volume output in a session.

I don't think that I'd attempt to play a Recorder in a session,as I think that it's an inapropriate instrument (like guitar for instance

)
Your accusation that Recorder is too LOUD for a session is a refreshing change-usually people say that the Recorder is too straight laced for I-trad.
Then again,it's very much 'Horses for courses'.Both the Whistle and the Recorder function best within their own (ever broadening) parameters.
I certainly do not see any 'Rivalry' between the two instruments-I'm quite happy to play Carolan(for instance) on the Recorder,and leave the reels and jigs for the Whistle.
I'm enjoying myself either way.

Hoovorff · Post by **Hoovorff** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 3:07 pm

Re: recorders being "loud"

It's interesting that recorders (temporarily) went the way of the dinosaur in the late 1700/1800s because they weren't loud enough. They were replaced by the flute in orchestral settings and as solo instruments. They were then "rediscovered" in the late 19th century during the early music revival.

Whistles seem louder to me, but of course that depends on the instrument and the player.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 6:11 pm

JessieK wrote:Is there a boxwoo alto recorder that sounds somewhat like a whistle? I mean, recorders are so...tart. So reedy and loud. I would think the narrow bore ones would be sweet, but they are all low pitch. Hmph!!

I meant to respond to this before, but got distracted by a broken bone in my foot......

Jessie,

Yeah, the good low pitch recorders sound really sweet, unfortuntely since most of the really serious players are want to play period music in the pitch of that time, the modern pitch options are less abundant. Not to fear though, we do make a really fantastic Boxwood Alto tuned to A=440, the Rippert. I think Eilam has one, so you might send him an email and ask for his thoughts on it. They run around $1500, and are FAR better than than what you recently had up on ebay (don't want to mention any names.)

If you're interested in trying one of our Ripperts, you can call the Von Huene Early Music Shop during regular hours and ask for Nick (I don't answer the phones), tell him you're a friend of mine. We do take trades, if you still have recorders (or flutes) you want to part with, and you would have the option of returning any instrument you weren't thrilled with, so it's a no risk situation.

I do think you would really like A Boxwood Rippert Alto Jessie, fwiw.

Loren

PS. Apologies to those who may consider this post a bit commercial, I am unable to contact Jessie privately, but did want to answer her question. Thanks for understanding.

Cariad · Post by **Cariad** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 6:31 pm

I always thought they were peppermills too - I have 2 friends both of whom play tenor recorders - one plays it very well and nicely but I can only take so much of all that baroque stuff - and the other - well um it seems to go a very long way into her mouth and she gets so passionate with it she moves it around like a sax and the sound.... well maybe it did have pepper in it..... hum - sorry I really don't like them....

satyricon234 · Post by **satyricon234** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 8:11 am

My first instrument was a recorder. I liked it. A wooden soprano. Then I got a gigantic wooden tenor that actually had a key to reach the low note. I think it was Bb. Then I got a sopranino which nobody liked due to it's shrillness.

There are some excellent classical recorder players out there.

I wonder if some of you with problems on the 2nd octave are not fingering the thumb hole right. If you half hole the thumb hole you get a good second octave.

I quote this found this on the recorder home page:

The recorder is the most highly developed member of the ancient family of internal duct flutes, flutes with a fixed windway formed by a wooden plug or block. It is distinguished from other internal duct flutes by having holes for seven fingers and a single hole for the thumb which also serves as an octaving vent. http://members.iinet.net.au/~nickl/torture2.html

Does that mean the whistle is an underdeveloped internal duct flute?

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:47 am

Funny how this thread got revived.

We're two (at least) on this board to play a metal recorder. She uses the ole' "baroque" fingering, while I--digitally challenged--opted for the "modern" (aka German) fingering.

Big foreword for a short sequel: I'd challenge anyone here to tell their sound in a blindfold test from a good whistle.
Only problem is, you got to work on your right pinkie before it starts and play like a C whistle. Else, just forget this bottom hole, and there's your perfect D-minor whistle... As for the octave vent, I taped mine: it overblows just fine, so what's the big deal?

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Not OT, PC : the sound of recorders vs whistles

What do you dislike MOST in recorders?

WOW!