Whistles for unusual keys?

[TinwhistleJulian]

Hello evryone

I´m writing songs actually , and a few of them are in unusual keys like Eb minor ,Ab (A-Flat) ,C-minor mainly .

C minor is no problem ona Bb or an Alto recorder ,but Ab and Eb minor are too heavy ona Bb .

so,do you know anyone who is producing whistles in these Keys?

greetings,Julian

[Congratulations]

You can play on both Ab minor and Eb minor on a C# whistle, if I'm not mistaken.

[TinwhistleJulian]

You can play on both Ab minor and Eb minor on a C# whistle, if I'm not mistaken.

Ona C# does it fit to the keys? Ab has 4 b´s and Eb minor 6 b´s

[Congratulations]

You can play on both Ab minor and Eb minor on a C# whistle, if I'm not mistaken.

Ona C# does it fit to the keys? Ab has 4 b´s and Eb minor 6 b´s

Well, a D whistle can play in Am and Em. So if we flatten all of those by 1 half-step, we get:

Db (C#) whistle, which can play in Abm and Ebm.

[IDAwHOa]

Or you could figure out what the fingering would be on the appropriate whistle, play those same fingerings on a D whistle and transpose it to D!




Why would anyone want to torture themself by even thingking about those keys!!!!

[TinwhistleJulian]

well ,different music scenes ,different keys ,which Irish music is written ina few keys only (or you can transpose them easily) you have to know that these songs will performed by a mystic/metal/gothic band and they hardly use the standart keys like D .
in the maintime I play fiddle/e-violin with my band but I still play the whistles often ,and now I want to use the whistles also with my mystic band ,so I need them in the right keys (sometimes you have to change the whistle instead of the key ,you could hardly try this if you play with another band : sry could you please change to D ,I don´t have a whistle in this key? )
Most of our Songs are in Bb ,A,G,C,E minor,Eb minor,C-minor ,D minor ,Ab and some are in F .
that´s why I need some new whistles I guess^^ ,cause it´s easier to have a whistle in the right key than trying to play it ona D or C , I´m no half-holing fetishist even if I use this way often .
Julian

[lenf]

Maybe it would be good to send a detailed email of your wants to Kelischek Workshop, the folks who make the Susato whistles. susato@susato.com

Given that they produce the whistles in a range of 22 keys, along with a wild assortment of other instruments, I would guess they could help you along the way. They also produce series of whistles with a single head and interchangeable bodies, which might give you more versatility.

Too, they are very sturdy instruments that would take a variety of environments without problem, not to mention that they have a lovely tone.
I've heard comments that they don't have a "traditional" sound, but in a mystic/metal/gothic band, that probably isn't a really big issue.

[colomon]

You can play on both Ab minor and Eb minor on a C# whistle, if I'm not mistaken.

Ona C# does it fit to the keys? Ab has 4 b´s and Eb minor 6 b´s

You can definitely play in Eb minor on a C# whistle -- the same as playing E minor on a D whistle. You can play in Ab on a C# whistle if you half-hole a G (the equivalent of playing a G# on a D whistle) -- playing in Ab on a C# is exactly the same as playing in A on a D.

If you don't want to half-hole, you could get a (readily available) Eb whistle to play in Ab (the equivalent of playing in G on a D whistle).

[Adrian]

The Susato Db/C# is great for playing Eb minor tunes. It's a nice whistle IMO and at a good price.

[Mitch]

HI Julian,

Susato certainly make a Db/E# in the Kildare S series, Erle Bartlet makes a Db for his SYN whistle also, I'm sure Daniel Bingamon could do one no trouble. If you contact certain makers - you might find they can do such a thing as a special. You might even be able to achieve a Db on any whistle that has a nice long tuning slide - the scale might get a bit compressed, but could be OK.

I think Db would probably be a very nice key!

[Adrian]

I think Db would probably be a very nice key!

I've had mine (Susato Db) for just a few weeks and you're quite right about it being a nice key. I was surprised. Mine is stamped Db but I think many prefer to call it a C#.

[talasiga]

..................Ab and Eb minor are too heavy [difficult] ona Bb .

so,do you know anyone who is producing whistles in these Keys?

greetings,Julian

Greetings Julian.
I have an aluminium Syn C# whistle which is good for D#/Eb minor from
XXX XXO (with cross fingering for the flat 6th)
And I have an aluminium Syn B whistle which gives a natural Ab/G# min from
XOO OOO.

So I would recommend a C# whistle and a B whistle for you.
I regularly play every mode in every key
and that is why I have a range of whistles and flutes from soprano D
through all the keys down to a low C flute.
This is not unusual or remarkable. The majority of the world's music played on whistles and flutes is not played on D and C tubes.

welcome to Planet Earth.

[talasiga]

......I think Db would probably be a very nice key!

Yes, the other day, listening to ABC radio, I heard some conductor say that C#/Db is often a favourite key for pianists.

I know a pretty good ITM banjoey who likes to do F# stuff and the C# whistle is perfect for that. I am also employing my new C# bansuri for F# stuff.

[I.D.10-t]

I find it interesting that Amazing Grace is actually within a pentatonic scale. (unless I am terribly mistaken) Perhaps I should try to play Shika no Tone.

[Doc Jones]

Michael Burke makes (and, more importantly, has in stock) whistles in a wide variety of odd keys.

http://www.burkewhistles.com/home.php?cat=259


Doc