Whistle Keys

Danner · Post by **Danner** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:42 pm

I would like to think about getting a descent whistle in another key. I just kind of want to play something different. I have a few high ds and low D. (I don't count my Gen Bb that is nearly unplayable despite tweaking.) I thought I would see what other people have to say. (I didn't include some of the rare keys and I combined super low and super high. Elaborate if there's no choice for what you like.)

benbrad · Post by **benbrad** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:45 pm

I would just like to say that McKiernan ROCKS. I have read his books many times. They really should make his stuff into a movie.

dapple · Post by **dapple** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:54 pm

Danner · Post by **Danner** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:56 pm

I seriously think that McKiernan is the best author ever. The thing is, if they made his books into movies now, the general public would see his work as copies of Tolkein's, and they would not appreciate the morals in his works.
Sorry for the OT. :roll:

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:02 pm

Gerry tweaked Gen Eb.

Nothing sounds finer..nothing at all.

Bit of a hassle for sessions but for solo playing it's the last word.

Slan,
D.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:41 pm

I voted for low G, but my exposure to keys other than D has been quite limited, so it may be a question of maker/style more than of key.

Emrys · Post by **Emrys** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:07 pm

I love whistles in Db. The note Db has a remarkably complex sound (if you have perfect pitch, which I sort of do). It's the most complete sound of any note. And, as someone who played early music where A=415 hz, I find it impossible to believe that traditional music was actually played in D. I think it might well have been played in Db, what with the lower pitch of that time. Both my Db whistles (a Sindt and a Humprey) are exceptionally beautiful sounding.

Emrys · Post by **Emrys** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:09 pm

I love whistles in Db. The note Db has a remarkably complex sound (if you have perfect pitch, which I sort of do). It's the most complete sound of any note. And, as someone who played early music where A=415 hz, I find it impossible to believe that traditional music was actually played in D. I think it might well have been played in Db, what with the lower pitch of that time. Both my Db whistles (a Sindt and a Humprey) are exceptionally beautiful sounding.

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 2:55 am

Very interesting choice of note(and reasoning to go with it) Emrys.
I ordered a C whistle with supplementary Db tube from John Sindt some time ago- Db to allow me to play along with Seamus Ennis' recordings of his Coyne set,but of course it will be interesting for Baroque stuff!
Apart from D,I most often play Bb,followed by Eb-as a former Sax player they're the Jazz keys!

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 6:09 am

High B is my favurite other than D (wasn't listed as an option)

scotta · Post by **scotta** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 7:42 am

In the *high* range, C is my favorite. You can still use your finger tips like on a high D, but upper register notes are never shrill and therefore is much more friendly to others in the house. I have a Greenwood C that is phenomenal.

In the *low* range, I like my Cheiftain F. The reach is far enough that I must use piper's fingering, but the stretch is not quite as tough as a low D. It also is nice for playing along with CDs like Lunasa, Flook, McGoldrick, etc. who record a lot on low F whistles.

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:33 am

I favor the Humphrey Eb. It is a fantastic whistle. It has that beautiful bright complex sound that I want in a whistle. The Humphrey D is the same. I play it a lot.

I also like Gen Eb in Brass or Nickel. Mine are not tweaked other than to remove lose plastic in the windway.

Ron

Emrys · Post by **Emrys** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:58 am

Very interesting, hearing folks' comments about whistle keys. To me, there are two issues going on. One is pretty obvious and the other one is much more subtle. The obvious one is the size of the whistle. Bb whistles absolutely don't fit my hand, especially my Copeland Bb. High F whistles are too small to be really comfortable either. Low D and below HURT. That's the obvious stuff. The subtle stuff is my fascination with the different sound quality of different notes--the perfect pitch stuff I mentioned above. Since each whistle is tuned to a basic tonic key or bell note it stands to reason that (for example) a B whistle has a vastly different resonance than a Bb whistle. Anyone else tuned into this? If so, I'd be really interested in hearing what you noticed. As I said above, I'm talking about an inner sound. It's very subtle, most easily described as being a combination of vowel sounds. For instance, the note F is an "ah" sound. The note F# is an "a" (short a as in apple) sound. If you've got perfect pitch I'd be really curious to know what you can hear, when you hear a certain note.

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:04 am

Definitely Low G both because of the low whistle sound combined with ease of play at this key and because two of the best whistles I've ever played have been Low G - Copeland and O'Riordan Traveler.

Philo

StewySmoot · Post by **StewySmoot** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:40 am

Emrys wrote:I love whistles in Db. The note Db has a remarkably complex sound (if you have perfect pitch, which I sort of do). It's the most complete sound of any note. And, as someone who played early music where A=415 hz, I find it impossible to believe that traditional music was actually played in D. I think it might well have been played in Db, what with the lower pitch of that time. Both my Db whistles (a Sindt and a Humprey) are exceptionally beautiful sounding.

Is there something unique about the harmonics of D flat?

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