Terms for n00bs

The Laughing Imp · Post by **The Laughing Imp** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:11 pm

Since I am a self-taught player, I am encountering all sorts of new terms in this forum that I can't find definitions to. I thought I'd start a thread that allowed me to prostrate myself before the masters and sup upon their wisdom. I kindly request that you not pelt me with manky mangos for my temerity, but if you want to mail me very expensive high end whistles as punishment I will summon the strength to bear it.

First question: What the heck is back pressure? Also called "back pressure". A search on this board and Google finds this pennywhistler term used over and over again, but if it's defined it happened so long ago that Adam was playing a bone flute when it occurred. I probably will know what you folks are talking about the moment you explain it to me, but for the moment I'm in the dark.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:16 pm

ya know how it feels if ya just blow without a whistle?

ya know some whistles are kinda like the same pressure as no whistle...

the more they are different is the amount of back pressure

okay, I just attempted a whistle explanation...stone me

mordred · Post by **mordred** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:18 pm

Denny wrote:ya know how it feels if ya just blow without a whistle?

ya know some whistles are kinda like the same pressure as no whistle...

the more they are different is the amount of back pressure

okay, I just attempted a whistle explanation...stone me

so, is it the resistance the whistler encounters when blowing inside the instrument?

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:20 pm

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:27 pm

That's what I mean when I say it...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_pressure

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:35 pm

i'm just a couple of years ahead of you and these nice folks taught me how to play the whistle & flute by internet too. i just kept playing and figured i'd learn things as i go along. i even know what "chiff" is. that was a mystery to me for the longest time. personally, i don't like it but i'm also not playing itm. stick around, you'll learn things besides the whistle.

what do you have and what are you learning?

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:41 am

Blow with lips wide apart = no back pressure.

Blow hard with your lips only allowing the tiniest amount of air to escape mouth so that you go red in the face, your cheeks puff out and your eyes bulge = back pressure.

The Laughing Imp · Post by **The Laughing Imp** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:18 pm

Great definitions for back pressure. Kudos for me to already inkling to what it might be, but I'm glad I asked. I'd rather know for sure than guess and be wrong.

To answer some of your questions, I have a Susato, a Meg, several Sweetones, and a few Clarkes, but I love my Burke brass session in D. I got rid of my Generation and have no idea what happened to my brass Walton, but it was too squeaky so I don't miss it much.

I'm experiencing backpressure when I have to maintain pressure in my mouth to hit the high G, A, and B on my Burke...especially when cutting the high G. I just bought my daughter a Burke narrow bore aluminum whistle in D and wish I had picked that one up for myself as well. 2nd Octave notes play effortlessly without the need for increased backpressure.

See? I'm sounding more intelligent already.

Let's tackle "chiff" next. I think I understand it, but... no. I have no idea what you guys are talking about. No sense pretending.

Maybe you can help me understand it in terms of the whistles I listed. I probably understand it a little. It has something to do with the purity of tone versus the amount of hiss/buzz/squeak?

synecdoche · Post by **synecdoche** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:30 pm

as a relatively new player i'm not sure i can speak to this, but i always thought chiff was the more percussive part of a whistle's sound. the "attack" the whistle gives to a note. it's hard to explain, because on some whistles it's more pronounced (i think). yeah, after all that i'm not sure.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:18 pm

There's controversy around the term "chiff".

In organ terms (where it originated) chiff is the non-musical sound at the start of a note. If the word "chiff" was a note, chiff would be the "ch" part.

Some people, on the other hand, say that a whistle is not a pipe organ, and so the term doesn't have to be that strict. Thus, chiff can mean any complex non-musical part of a note, whether at the start or not. This is apparently how the Clarke Tinwhistle company uses the term. It's not exactly hissing, buzzing, or any of those things, but some nebulous mix of them.

I'm in the first camp. I say, if you're going to invent a new term, invent a new word

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:00 pm

'bump'

sinebar
Read Wanderers post on chiff.

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:57 pm

i love backpressure, i dont like whistles without it.