Louder Black Diamond..?

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:55 pm

Henke wrote:My point is...

I should have emphasized "Good advice."

I played nothing more than a Freeman tweaked Sweetone and Shaw for a year or so. That was plenty of horsepower.

Michael31856 · Post by **Michael31856** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:20 pm

I tend to agree with music teachers who say that a beginner should start on the best quality instrument they can. At the very least, when it sounds awful you know it's you that's at fault, rather than taking a guess between you and the instrument.

As to sessions, they have some crackers here, where anyone can join in as long as they have an idea of the tune. There's a great one I used to visit every Thursday, with different people popping in now and then, and always a core of guitar, drum, fiddle, whistle, etc. Anyone who sounded badly off just played quieter or stopped when things got too much, but anyone at all was made to feel very much part of things. Lots of sharing and teaching going on too, helped by copious quantities of real ale.

Money's no worry right now, so decent instruments it is. One simple tune reasonably playable and I'm in there. I can always sit the rest out and tootle quietly.

So far I'm down to a Black Diamond Hi-D and a Howard Lo-D, which I just love the sound of. In the end, of course, it's playing and having fun that matters more than anything, and I intend to do a lot of it.

Screeeech!!! · Post by **Screeeech!!!** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:26 pm

Henke

I think any beginner would sound better on a decent whistle than an off the shelf Generation.

The first whistle i ever tried to play was a Generation and i didn't touch a whistle again for over ten years it was so awful.

If someone really wants to play a whistle, then why should they not buy a decent one, and at least show some commitment to their desire to sound good. And a decent whistle does not cost a lot of money.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 6:17 pm

I just sold my Black Diamond - and kept the Freeman Tweaked Generation.

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:56 pm

dfernandez77 wrote:I just sold my Black Diamond - and kept the Freeman Tweaked Generation.

I was impressed enough with that whistle to buy a D to match.

Thank you for selling it. I now have Syn-WhOA.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:06 pm

I occasionally buy a generation. I have yet to find one suitable for anything but propping a window open. Maybe I just have bad luck. Jerry works wonders on those rascals.

Doc

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:27 pm

Lambchop wrote:I was impressed enough with that whistle to buy a D to match.

Thank you for selling it. I now have Syn-WhOA.

Haha! Great, it has a loving home.

I like the BD, I just have a personal preference for the sound of a good Gen, and the way it plays.

Butterfly · Post by **Butterfly** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:36 am

Have you ever considered a Silkstone alloy?

http://www.silkstone-whistles.com/

I think the maker, Paul Hayward lives near you.

Very good and loud whistles indeed.

Michael31856 · Post by **Michael31856** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:13 am

Thanks Butterfly, but having checked the price, it's twice as much as the Black Diamond.

I've had huge amounts of advice, with some saying try a Lo-D before the flute, then try a Hi-D before attempting the Lo-D, etc. So far nobody has said try a four hole instrument before a six hole, and try blowing through my closed fist before even attempting a four hole ... but I wouldn't be surprised!

My reasons and choices are these:

I want to play traditional Irish music (mostly).
I wanted to play (non-Boehm) flute because I like a certain sound they have.
Some Lo-D's have the lovely flutey sound I'm after, and in many ways are not as difficult to learn as flute.
Most recommend a Hi-D for practicing fingering and tunes, and for ease of carrying around.
I might learn to love the Hi-D too.
It seems to me that the Lo-D or Hi-D suit different songs and styles of playing better.
I don't want to be changing instruments all the time, as I can't see that's going to lead to a consistent learning experience.
I can afford decent whistles, and don't want anything cheap and screechy as I want to know when it's me that got it wrong.

I've decided on the Black Diamond and the Howard Lo-D because both are recommended well by others, and more importantly, I like the sound, particularly the Howard. The Hi-D will be great for practising whilst out working (I drive around in the countryside a lot), but I'm sure the Lo-D is the one I'll love more.

Pay day next Wednesday, so I think my questions will soon change to the "How on earth do you...?" kind.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:35 am

Michael31856 wrote:...so I think my questions will soon change to the "How on earth do you...?" kind.

Ok, one end makes a much louder sound than the other when you blow in it, keep blowing on that end.

And wag your fingers about in a fashion similar (yet a bit dissimilar) to that which you use on your flute. Soon enough you will make something interesting happen.

Most important - enjoy yourself.

Michael31856 · Post by **Michael31856** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:54 pm

dfernandez77 wrote:Ok, one end makes a much louder sound than the other when you blow in it, keep blowing on that end.

And wag your fingers about in a fashion similar (yet a bit dissimilar) to that which you use on your flute. Soon enough you will make something interesting happen.

Most important - enjoy yourself.

I figure if people are still frowning after lots of beers then I can pull the head off, chew bits of beermat, and use the whistle as a pea-shooter. I'll be entertained one way or another.

Another thought; if there are multiple whistlers (what do you call a group of them..?) I could just make with the lightening fingers but not actually blow. On second thoughts, that probably happens a lot...

Fun it will be for sure, as that's the sole reason I'm going for it.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:10 pm

Michael31856 wrote:if there are multiple whistlers (what do you call a group of them..?)

I think it's like crows. You call a group a "murder." But that's only if I'm in the group because of what I will do to the tunes.

Screeeech!!! · Post by **Screeeech!!!** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:12 pm

It's a Screeeech!!! of whistlers.

Michael31856 · Post by **Michael31856** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:14 pm

dfernandez77 wrote:I think it's like crows. You call a group a "murder." But that's only if I'm in the group because of what I will do to the tunes.

Perhaps it should be an 'Assassination' of whistlers..?

MrKaylian · Post by **MrKaylian** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 7:38 am

I tend to agree with music teachers who say that a beginner should start on the best quality instrument they can.

Qutoting myself here (yes, name changed to protect the senses of those who like slightly less than boring monikers).

I've discovered that my only local music store only sells cheap 'penny whistles' at £3 a shot (about $5). Anything else will have to be ordered.

After all the advice (many thanks) I think it'd be interesting to see what the cheapo one is, and buy one for the interim few day's fun of squeaking and possibly tweaking/destroying as the case may be. If it sounds even vaguely interesting, it could save me £45 on the Black Diamond, though the Lo-D has to be a decent one I guess.