Whistles and VOLUME

Eric N · Post by **Eric N** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 4:27 pm

As it stands now I have a Jerry Tweaked shaw, a whitecap on an oak body, and a sweetone all in the key of high D. None of these have the volume I am am needing to play with other musicians.

I am not very experienced with the volume of other whistles. And would love some help understanding what whistles have volume and which ones do not. As well as and what makes a whistle quiet or loud in relation to material and size of bore.

I am still on my quest of deciding on my one "high-end" whistle to buy. And I need to make sure that I wont regret my decision because of getting a whistle that can not be heard while playing with others.

Thank you,

Eric

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 4:34 pm

A Burke brass pro (if you don't mind the smell of brass) wouldn't do you wrong. The aluminum ones aren't quite as rich in tone or as loud.

Try a very small bore (VSB) Susato to see if you like loud whistles. The Burke will be quieter than the Susato.

Eric N · Post by **Eric N** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:26 pm

What is the volume like on the Humphrey whistles?

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:34 pm

Eric N wrote:What is the volume like on the Humphrey whistles?

The Humphrey wide bore high D has a bit of volume, like a Burke WBB I'd say. The narrow bore is slightly softer. About Oakish, I'd say.

About playing with others and volume: Don't underestimate how load a whistle is to those who aren't playing it (the sound is directed away from you), and don't underestimate the cutting power of a whistle: You're an octave higher than everyone else. If you can't hear yourself stand out in the first octave, and you can still hear everyone else when you're in the second octave, you're about right. No need to go louder than that.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:38 pm

Bloomfield wrote:
Eric N wrote:What is the volume like on the Humphrey whistles?
The Humphrey wide bore high D has a bit of volume, like a Burke WBB I'd say. The narrow bore is slightly softer. About Oakish, I'd say.

About playing with others and volume: Don't underestimate how loud a whistle is to those who aren't playing it (the sound is directed away from you), and don't underestimate the cutting power of a whistle: You're an octave higher than everyone else. If you can't hear yourself stand out in the first octave, and you can still hear everyone else when you're in the second octave, you're about right. No need to go louder than that.

monkey587 · Post by **monkey587** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:04 pm

I have the opposite problem. I got interested in learning the flute partly because whistles are so loud in the upper register that I worry about bothering my neighbors. My rooms that are most distant from neighbors are also the loudest and most resonant.

On the other hand, I'm a beginner with the flute, and so I am struggling with embouchure, and so I want to learn tunes on the whistle that I can play on the flute when I get the hang of embouchure.

My current lineup is a pair of cheiftain low D's (one tuneable, one non) and a feadog D. The Feadog is so piercing in the upper register that I don't feel comfortable playing it often, although (after the sandpaper in the windway tweak) it sounds pretty good to me. A lot of people say "get a low whistle if you want a quiet one", and I love the Cheiftains tonally but they still seem quite loud in the upper register when blown into tune. I realize that loud volume is a selling point, too, and I am looking forward to being able to play more tunes on the cheiftains as much as I am on thhe flute, I just want something quiet to practice on.

I have ordered a Burke composite small-bore D, because the whistle shop said he came out with the 'session bore' one because the regular composite D was too quiet compared to his metal whistles... So I figured it must be quieter, but that doesn't mean it's quiet enough... not that I expect to regret the purchase in any case.

So yeah, I'm looking for as quiet and mellow sounding whistle as possible, or is there perhaps a tweak for the feadog that could significantly drop its volume?

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:16 pm

Flute, even my German flute, has volume and projection in a way no whistle I've tried does. Only the Cronnolly comes close in terms of pure volume.

I wouldn't think moving to flute makes sense if you're looking for a softer instrument.

--James

monkey587 · Post by **monkey587** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:17 pm

peeplj wrote:Flute, even my German flute, has volume and projection in a way no whistle I've tried does. Only the Cronnolly comes close in terms of pure volume.

I wouldn't think moving to flute makes sense if you're looking for a softer instrument.

--James

I want to play flute so I can control the volume. It is possible, on my flute at least, to play the upper register significantly quieter than on any of my whistles.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:30 pm

My Alba high D is quite loud in fact I was at a Session with like 5 other Whistlers once and I was the loudest they were all using Burke Aluminums except me and another guy using an old Gen I think.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:34 pm

True, you can control the volume on a flute and a good flutist can play significantly softer on flute than on whistle.

One thing lots of folks don't know, though, is its actually harder for a beginner to play a flute softly. It can take quite a bit of time and practice to be able to play that softly with control and support.

However, I --never-- think it's a bad thing when somebody wants to learn flute! Hop on board!

--James

Edited: it is worth noting that a lot of folks perceive the flute to be softer because it plays an octave lower. Whistle, because of its range, does tend to carry well "on top" of the other instruments, even though almost all of them are, in fact, louder.

monkey587 · Post by **monkey587** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:39 pm

peeplj wrote:True, you can control the volume on a flute and a good flutist can play significantly softer on flute than on whistle.

One thing lots of folks don't know, though, is its actually harder for a beginner to play a flute softly. It will take you quite a bit of time and practice to be able to play softly with control and support.

believe me, I've noticed!

However, I --never-- think it's a bad thing when somebody wants to learn flute! Hop on board!

--James

It's one of my favorite instruments for irish music. I would be happy enough just to be able to play the low whistle well, but there's an extra bit of expressive control the flute gives that I am fond of.

For the most part, I am a guitarist, and I also play octave mandolin.

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:44 pm

Because of it's high pitch, a whistle doesnt need half the volume of a typical flute. A bad player on a loud flute won't annoy me half as much as a bad player on a not so loud whistle. Mary Bergin plays a Sindt in most of her sessions, even with pipes and boxes around, and you can still hear her through. She's not shopping for the loudest whistle, she just want a very responsive one.

I agree with James, learn the flute if you can, it's such a wonderful instrument.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:49 pm

Hi Az, it's good to finally be able to agree on something.

--James

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:48 pm

Flute is so much more fun to play. Whistle is eaiser and I ted to learn tunes on whistle then go to Flute.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 3:00 pm

monkey587 wrote:I have the opposite problem. I got interested in learning the flute partly because whistles are so loud in the upper register that I worry about bothering my neighbors.

The quietest, most mellow-toned whistle I have is my Laughing Whistle D.
You may have seen discussion in another thread regarding potential clogging issues, but I don't seem to have that problem.
Even compared to my Burke NB composite, the laughing whistle is the one least likely to annoy other family members at night.

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