"I don't play them. I just make them"

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:35 pm

Bloomfield wrote: Oh, Blackhawk, funny that you mention TeriK. Nice enough as a person, I guess, but really couldn't play worth sh*t. Said she was a "crap" player, did she? Well, she was always a bit stuck up on herself and fond of exaggerating her skill. But it is sad, really, with another 10 years' hard work she could have been mediocre, for sure. Didn't have the guts for it though: She did a clip of the Flogging Reel once, and started drinking heavily shortly after, no wonder. It was downhill from there, Blackhawk, I'm afraid. I'm not in touch with her anymore, and I doubt there is anything anyone can do for her now. She's taken up the accordion, I hear.

Wow, what's with all the "cheap shots" at Teri, Bloomfield?

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:39 pm

On the whole, in my experience, Generation has been putting out great, inexpensive whistles consistenly for an eternity now, and they have never failed me.

And as much as I appreciate the quality of other instruments....Overton, Copeland etc. etc.... I will continue to play Generation because I do not believe for a New York second that price has anything to do with quality.

I am also uncertain that it is absolutely necessary to be a phenomenal whistle player in order to produce a fine instrument (just as long as the maker has input from a phenomenal player to guide them), but it certainly is helpful.

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:42 pm

I think maker/player qualities are not as related as some insist: Albert Cooper, who may be the most important Boehm flute maker of the last century (he basically updated the Boehm flute for the 20th century) and who is renowned for his superb headjoints, apparently wasn't a flute player; he relied on others to test the quality of his work.

NicoMoreno · Post by **NicoMoreno** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:26 pm

so he had a store of good players (maybe/probably, even excellent and great players) to test his work. Without SOME sort of quality feedback, how would a maker ever know how good his stuff is?

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:18 pm

Also, to take into consideration that even a great musician, who also happens to be a maker, has only his/her opinion to work upon. This opinion and experience may not necessarily 'jive' with that of other players/makers. So who's to say that they (or anyone else for that matter) put out a quality product?

Post by **Dale** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:19 pm

I think only a top-notch player would be able to make top-notch whistles because whistle-makers need to be able to evaluate their own work. And only top-notch players, as we all know, can evaluate....oh.....uh....nevermind.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:26 pm

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:54 pm

It's similar to the quandry beginning flutists have emailed me about over and over again.

It goes like this:

1. I need a good flute to learn on to become a good flutist;

2. I need to be able to pick and chose among the flutes that are out there to find one that will be best for me; but

3. I don't know how to play yet, so how do I chose?

--- o --- O --- o ---

Nobody, be they whistle maker or player, gets to start at the top. Nobody gets to skip the learning curve.

For all the best makers with the phenomenally good whistles, they learned by making pounds and pounds of whistles fit only to be sludge and slag.

For the best players whose breath and fingers are blessed beyond the ken of mortal man, be sure they played many tunes with sour notes, squawks, squeaks, and plain old-fashioned train wrecks.

In either case, that's how they got there.

--James

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:21 pm

...it's the truth...

Teri-K · Post by **Teri-K** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:31 am

Bloomfield wrote: Oh, Blackhawk, funny that you mention TeriK. Nice enough as a person, I guess, but really couldn't play worth sh*t. Said she was a "crap" player, did she? Well, she was always a bit stuck up on herself and fond of exaggerating her skill. But it is sad, really, with another 10 years' hard work she could have been mediocre, for sure. Didn't have the guts for it though: She did a clip of the Flogging Reel once, and started drinking heavily shortly after, no wonder. It was downhill from there, Blackhawk, I'm afraid. I'm not in touch with her anymore, and I doubt there is anything anyone can do for her now. She's taken up the accordion, I hear.

Well, it’s certainly nice to know who your friends are!

Part of your account regarding my descent is true. The Flogging Reel was my downfall. Due to my dedicated research, and misinformed impression of the title’s meaning, I found myself sliding further and further into a world of leather, dog collars, and whips. Yes, the drink was soon to follow. That, coupled with my inability to be anything more than a crap player, destroyed my life. After playing for 10 years at the crap level and not having the guts to invest another 10 to achieve mediocrity, I turned my back on the whistle.

The thought of making crap whistles for other crap players did enter my mind. But, my hands shook until noon each day from the gin making it difficult to operate the hack saw. Plus, with the desire to make whistles only for my closest crap friends, the operation would not have been profitable.

Then, one morning as I awoke in the gutter – a frequent predicament for me – I saw a vision! It was an angel in a Salvation Army uniform, standing on the corner playing the loveliest music on her accordion. I was a changed woman! She took my hand and led me down the path towards the world of squeezing. How liberating! I no longer had to endure the guilt of being a crap blower. I could finally admit, as so many women my age yearn to admit – we really don’t enjoy blowing.

My regret is that I wasted ten years blowing when I could have been squeezing.

caniadafallon · Post by **caniadafallon** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:33 am

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:30 am

Whoa Bloom...I think you've lost your chance at a date.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:31 am

Who was that masked Teri-K?

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:41 am

"The thought of making crap whistles for other crap players did enter my mind. But, my hands shook until noon each day from the gin making it difficult to operate the hack saw. Plus, with the desire to make whistles only for my closest crap friends, the operation would not have been profitable."

Heh, heh.

I'm not even going to touch the whole blowing and sqeezing thing.....so to speak.

Good to see a post from you Teri, precious few of us old timers still around here these days, lot's of new hacksaws though

Loren

Teri-K · Post by **Teri-K** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:49 am

Loren wrote: Heh, heh. I'm not even going to touch the whole blowing and sqeezing thing.....so to speak.

Good to see a post from you Teri, precious few of us old timers still around here these days, lot's of new hacksaws though

Loren

Thanks, Loren. After being away for 1 1/2 yrs., it's interesting to see how things change and yet stay the same.

Now, admit it, don't you secretly want to squeeze?

T