beginners purchase question

cutterpup · Post by **cutterpup** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:38 pm

Hi all. This is my first poat so please be kind. I have been playing recorders for years and am thinking of adding a whistle to the flock. I have followed links and read various websites but still have some purchase questions. As a recorder player I am drawn to the whistles with the wooden blocks, but they are not tuneable. (At least not in MY price range.) Sooooo, which should it be?
thank you,
Judy (and the cutterpup)

Feadin · Post by **Feadin** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:45 pm

If you like woody sound, can't pay much money for a wooden whistle, and need a tunable, I believe a plastic Dixon will do. These are nice, not-so-expensive whistles with sweet sound.
You can check them out here: http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk

riverman · Post by **riverman** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:47 pm

Welcome!
I assume you are looking for a cheaper whistle with a wooden fipple, so that narrows it down quite a bit. I played a Clarke original for five months before my first custom whistle. It is good looking with a conical bore, and avoids the vibraty, reedy buzz that spoils the sound of many manufactured whistles. The disadvantage--it's airy sound (chiff) is not as bright as whistles with modern mouthpieces. You can help this by pinching the top of the airway lower. Don't order it from the Clarke company in England--long wait!--order it from The Whistle Shop.
The fun of whistles is the ornaments. When you learn them, it might spoil you for recorders!

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:51 pm

You'll find that by and large whistles are a LOT cheaper than recorders. I'd suggest buying several inexpensive whistles so you can see the variety. Maybe a classic Clarke (which does have a wooden fipple), a Sweetone, and a Feadog. All three won't set you back a whole lot
Note that if you've been playing classical music on your recorders you will have to UNLEARN some things, especially in the area of ornamentation. Some of the same symbols are used, but they are played completely differently. A good book/cd combo such as Bill Ochs' "The Clarke Tinwhistle" will get you started well (that's what I used to switch over from recorder playing).

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:58 pm

For a starter, try a Freeman Tweaked Shaw D. It's a great introduction to a traditional sounding and playing whistle, at a good price.

http://www.tinwhistler.com/music/review ... /index.asp

You can find them online at a few places like:
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/ ... -SHAWD.htm

If (when) you get bit by the whistle bug you will be buying something more expensive within 6 months anyway.

Have fun,

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:35 pm

dfernandez77 wrote:If (when) you get bit by the whistle bug you will be buying something more expensive within 6 months anyway.

Have fun,

That is correct. In 6 months you will be buying something more expensive.

That is just about how long it will take you to run out of inexpensive choices, because you'll have one of each of them already . . .

cutterpup · Post by **cutterpup** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:25 pm

Okay all, trying to be logical here I have ordered two inexpensive whistles so I can see the difference. A classic Clarke and a sweettone. I'll give these a few months and depending on how everything works out I'll see about getting a "better" or maybe "tweaked" whistle in the varity I preferre. Knowing me, by then I'll have already picked up a few more. I really do need to be careful though. There is an old gypsy saying, "A man cannot ride two horses with one butt." I truely cannot play nine recorders (2 tenors, 2 altos, 5 sopranos) plus 2 whistles with only one mouth. At least not all at once. And leave my hands free for the psaltrey and Bodhran.
Thanks for the advice and I'll really looking forward to learning.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:47 am

cutterpup wrote: There is an old gypsy saying, "A man cannot ride two horses with one butt."

Your membership fee has been waived.

cutterpup · Post by **cutterpup** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 6:18 am

Cynth wrote:
cutterpup wrote: There is an old gypsy saying, "A man cannot ride two horses with one butt."
Your membership fee has been waived.

Thank you, does this mean I must come up with a good quote on a regular basis??

I have also gone ahead and gotten the "The Clarke Tin Whistle Book "
by Bill Ochs.

And to think all this started bercause some non-musical friends fell in love with the sound of a whistle being played well. He needs some form of theraputic breathing exercises and I could not talk her into getting him a recorder. So, whistles it is for them. Well, I just can't sit by and let friends play whistles without getting one myself (or in this case two) and seeing what all the fuss is about.

Black Mage · Post by **Black Mage** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:06 am

Feadin wrote:If you like woody sound, can't pay much money for a wooden whistle, and need a tunable, I believe a plastic Dixon will do. These are nice, not-so-expensive whistles with sweet sound.
You can check them out here: http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk

Indeed! I have a couple of Tony's whistles (high D aluminum tunable and a polimer low D) and love them both! Definently two of my favorite whistle.

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:24 am

cutterpup wrote:
Cynth wrote:
cutterpup wrote: There is an old gypsy saying, "A man cannot ride two horses with one butt."
Your membership fee has been waived.

Thank you, does this mean I must come up with a good quote on a regular basis?? quote cutterpup

The money saved on your membership fees can be used to buy a whistle, and we are always looking for good quotes.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:57 am

Tommy wrote:
cutterpup wrote:
Cynth wrote: Your membership fee has been waived.
Thank you, does this mean I must come up with a good quote on a regular basis?? quote cutterpup

The money saved on your membership fees can be used to buy a whistle, and we are always looking for good quotes.

Confuscious say:
"horse is not whistle,
man who plays whistle with butt
needs lots of whistles."

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 6:27 pm

cutterpup wrote:And to think all this started bercause some non-musical friends fell in love with the sound of a whistle being played well. He needs some form of theraputic breathing exercises and I could not talk her into getting him a recorder.

What excellent judgement she has! Truly a sensible lady!

I hope they'll be joining, as well!

cutterpup · Post by **cutterpup** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:41 am

Lambchop wrote: What excellent judgement she has! Truly a sensible lady!

I hope they'll be joining, as well!

Ah well, t'wont be the first time she has led me down the garden path to a hobby I never would have picked up on my own. At least for the first time in over 30 years of friendship she is interested in playing music on something other than a pre-recorded medium.

Another friend (plays ocarina) used to have a bumper sticker that said "Freinds don't let frineds drive Cheveys"

Maybe this can be changed slightly to:
"Friends don't let friends whistle alone"

"Caution: If you whistle while you work as suggested by W. Disney,
your office mates may get rather irate with you."

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beginners purchase question

beginners purchase question

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