A Tip for Sweet Pro Fife Owners

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:41 am

I have owned 3 Sweet Pro (d) fifes. I noticed that they have the cork set extremely low (close to the embouchure hole). It plays in tune this way, but the second octave is difficult and unpleasant. If you move the cork out a bit (to the standard location of one inner diameter from the center of the hole), it still plays perfectly in tune, but both octaves are clean and easy.

Sillydill · Post by **Sillydill** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:01 pm

Hey Thanks Jessie!

I was noodling around with my Pro-Fife just now (how convenient) and you are right, it does improve the 2nd!

Did you discuss embouchure depth on piccolos with any of the makers? I'm toying with the idea of making a new head with a 5.5 mm chimney for my Pro-Fife. I'm seeking a more mellow sound, with the crisp response of a piccolo.

All the Best!

Jordan

P.S. Better get that bun out of the oven, before it gets over cooked!

Sillydill · Post by **Sillydill** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:03 pm

Well I guess I'm back to where I started!

I was playing along with a CD and melding pretty good.

Then I read this post and pushed the cork out to 12.5mm....then Auuugh! The CD and I were not in simbiosis. So I pop up Auto-Tuner and keep pushing the cork back in till at 8.5 mm and I'm back where I started!

Moving the cork out did help to soften the top of the 2nd, but I guess I'll just have to keep remembering to back-off when I get up there! (I was conciously working on this prior to this post).

Well, I'll get back to tootin!

Jordan

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:15 pm

Interesting.....I've got one, and never really felt like the top was harsh. In fact in some ways it's mellower than the Pro D whistle, IMO. (Just harder to play consistently on because I'm a noob at the transverse stuff).

I've been skittish about messing with the cork placement, but it's something to consider if I ever feel like tampering. Remarkably cool little things these Pro D's, though. I need to spend more time with it.