Is B flat easier than High D??

Whistling Archer · Post by **Whistling Archer** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:47 pm

Is it just me ,, or is playing a B flat easier than a High D/
I can get some good tunes out of my b flat Susato, without a lot of squeaks and squalks, ,,, but it seems much harder on the D. I will be playing right along then I will get that harsh tone out of nowhere,,,, not out of nowhere out of my poor playing.

PLEASE any thoughts on this??
I want to spend my bonus money on a good whistle,,, but I am not sure which key.

sbfluter · Post by **sbfluter** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:12 pm

The opposite is true. Bb is harder. For me anyway. Well, it was until I became better at playing woodwind instruments in general. It seems to have evened out and now Bb is best for me with C a close second. D is just a tad to painful to my ear.

You're probably just more used to your Bb whistle than your D.

arnie · Post by **arnie** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:23 pm

In the Netherlands we say you compare apples with peers. You cannot compare the 2. The 2 whistles are played in different instances and have their own specific sound. Furthermore the playability depends on what whistles you have, a Dixon so different from an Overton, an Abell so different from a Burke, etc. So, in fact it's a question that should not be asked.

Whistling Archer · Post by **Whistling Archer** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:28 pm

In the Netherlands we say you compare apples with peers:;Arnie

In America we say, apples to oranges

So, in fact it's a question that should not be asked. : Arnie

You learn by asking

Whistling Archer · Post by **Whistling Archer** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:38 pm

If I sounded like a smart%^$#
I didnt mean to. ,,, poor attempt at humor

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:56 pm

It all depends on what you want to do with your whistle. If you're going to play
with other people in Irish sessions, then you need to be able to play D whistle.
If you're only ever going to play by yourself, then play whatever key you like
the sound of, since you don't have to match anyone else.

For that matter, why do you need a "better" whistle? (What I mean is, what
are you looking for in a whistle that will make it worthwhile for you to spend
money?)

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:19 pm

What brand is the Hi-D? Could be a piece of junk.

In my experience comparing D apples to Bb apples, there isn't much difference in difficulty between the two.

Doc

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:32 pm

I'll chime in with Doc. It really comes down to the quality of the high D. The cheapies are well, cheap. It takes some finesse to make them sound good.

I think any six hole instrument is pretty easy to play with the exception of large whistles that may be a challenge to those with small hands.

BTW, I think Bb is a great key and I can easily see how your ears would prefer it to a shrill high D cheapie.

If you want a good economy high D, check out Doc's site for Freeman tweaked whistles. Good luck, Cyril.

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:09 pm

Ik houd van appelen

Guinness · Post by **Guinness** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:32 pm

Houston Steve wrote:In the Netherlands we say you compare apples with peers:;Arnie

In America we say, apples to oranges

So, in fact it's a question that should not be asked. : Arnie

You learn by asking

True. You can compare anything you want so long as you're prepared for unmeaningful results. The playing differences between a Bb and a high D is largely a function of the whistles' designs, your skill level, and the size of your hands and fingers.

breqwas · Post by **breqwas** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:00 pm

n the Netherlands we say you compare apples with peers:;Arnie
In America we say, apples to oranges

In russian we compare hot with soft :)

On topic: is there any real difference between D and Bb, except the tone? I can't say I feel any.

TC · Post by TC » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:25 pm

Houston I think I can relate to your original post. I've only been playing for a year or so, and for the longest time I could only learn tunes on the Bb. The top 2 or 3 notes of the second octave were within my reach on this whistle but would not come out of any D I tried. I'm a lot more comfortable with those notes now. It took a while to learn to blow hard and steady without overblowing. I think it's more a function of player's ability, than the whistle itself.
my .02
TC

Key_of_D · Post by **Key_of_D** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:27 pm

I like Washington apples myself...

As for Bb to D, for me it's simple, the D simply because I've got small hands, even for a gent, so if you can't feel any difference between a D and a Bb, you must have some decently - good sized hands. I can play a Bb well, but I don't have that comfort I do on the high D. To take this even further, I prefer Eb the most for ease of playing - there isn't much space difference between Eb and D, but it's there, and I can definitely feel it when I play. But I attend sessions from time to time, so I have to be proficient on the D, and that's the whistle I practice on.

Tonally speaking, I prefer the Bb over the D, although playing one or the other for a good while then switching to the other is a nice treat on the ears I think.

And for what it's worth, there's no such thing as stupid questions, just stupid answers.

Pyroh · Post by **Pyroh** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:30 am

Bregwas: Interesting comparison - I like it! Here, in Czech Republic, we compare apples and pears, so it´s the same as in Netherlands.

I think the difference between Bb and D is very slim, both are probably good for a little bit different kind of tunes, but that´s the same as with any other key comparison, I´d say