Three Questions

[Price]

First off, what is the difference between a whistle and flute soundwise? I see you can get both in low-D.. so is there a difference? The flute sounds deeper, but it just might be me...

I mostly just want to play slow-airs. I am not into the fast, speedy jigs and reel stuff. So, where would I find mp3s of slow-airs? Not just for download, but to buy as well. I have found a few here and there, but I must be looking in the wrong places because I am finding little for free, or to buy. So if I could be pointed in the right direction, names of artists known for slow-airs, websites with slow-airs, CD's that are slow-airs, it would be greatly appreciated.

Ok, last question, I am assuming yes, but just making sure. Most music for whistle and flute.. is interchangable right? You can play whistle music on a flute and vice versa with little problems? Just making sure, because the few songs I have found I like is from both a whistle and flute.

Thank you

[mutepointe]

price, i'm not the person to help you but there are many folks here who can answer all your questions about mp3's and all that stuff. it's free on line. (i don't play itm, just the instruments) you're very much welcome here. feel free to tell us about youreslf, that might help folks supply answers for you.

[Deathtrap]

By flute do you mean the bohem flutes (with alien-tech mechanism) or traditional flutes {open holes only)?

From my very limited experience in whistle and bohem flute, the fundamental difference between the sound of flutes and whistles, IMO, is that the sound of whistles is produced by cutting off of the air stream by the wind blade, while the sound of flutes is by the airstream that moves across/above the embouchure hole and the resonance of the whole flute (I think more resonance than on the whistles).

and to your 3rd question, if you have a whistle in the right key, I think yes, interchangable.

I could be totally wrong in this.

Actual answers to your questions shall be given by the pros

[Mr.Nate]

Just a suggestion, but you might try this question over at the flute board for people who play mostly flute but also have some experience on the whisltle.

It is true that the notes on a whistle and an unkeyed flute (simple system) are the same. I would have to say that the technique of how they are played varie quite a bit. A whistle is quite a bit easier to play...depending on the whistle of course but if you get a Dixon low D for example and you want to play slow airs you could be playing to your hearts content in no time. But if you decide to get a Dixon low D flute...either a conical or straight bore it might be a little more difficult because you have to get the sound by blowing accross the hole (the embrochure, which is produced by the puckering of your lips (oversimplified) to get the sound.

The sound of a flute is richer (IMHO) and more expresive but harder to get, because you are making the sound more by the stream of air that you get when you pucker your lips and blow over the hole (the embrochure). A flute is somthing you have to practice every day to keep your embrochure in shape. Some people of course are better at it than others. (the embrochure, technique and all extra money that it takes to play a flute). How much for a flute? 300$ for a used Casey Burnes folk flute at the irish flute store (dot) com. The price only goes up from there.

In short flutes are more expensive and harder to play than a low D whistle. Not that a low D is less of an instrument....just different!

There is a book and CD that is called Slow Airs but I am not sure about the details at this moment!


Hope this helps!

Nate

[Jason Paul]

What Mr. Nate said.

IMO, flutes have a reedier sound, rich in tone and character. Low whistles have a more haunting, melancholic tone. Personally, I like the sound of low whistles better for slow airs. For whatever reason, flutes sound "faster" to me. They are more responsive than a low whistle, and you'll hear more jigs and reels on them than you will on low whistles, so maybe that has something to do with it.

In addition, as Nate said, flutes are also more expensive and harder to learn.

Check out http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/. You can listen to (and download) slow airs played by recreational players - most on low whistle. There's also a Flute category, so you can do some comparisons.

Oh, and welcome to the forums!

Jason

[pancelticpiper]

Yes a low D whistle and a D Irish flute play the same notes using the same fingering.
The main difference between flute and whistle is that the whistle has a fixed sound-production mechanism while the flute's tone is produced by a flexible and variable human embouchure. So, on a whistle, there is only one blowing pressure for any given note that produces an in-tune note, and blowing softer to make the note quieter also makes the note flatter, and blowing harder to make the note louder also makes the note sharper.
On the flute, on the other hand, you can play high B (for example) quiet as a whisper, and play low E with great power. In other words, any note on the flute can be played at any desired volume, at any "dynamic level".
This difference actually doesn't make the music on the flute sound all that much different than on the whistle- it's just a very handy thing at a session because you can match your volume to others you are playing with at will.
But to get a sense of the difference in tone, go on YouTube and do a search "Matt Molloy" to hear some great Irish fluteplaying, and do a search "low whistle" to hear some low whistle playing. There's a Japanese guy named Hataro (or something like that) who has some very nice videos of him playing whistle on YouTube.

[MTGuru]

There's a Japanese guy named Hataro (or something like that) who has some very nice videos of him playing whistle on YouTube.

Hatao ... Tomoaki Hatakeyama ... A friend and a very fine musician.

[scheky]

There's a Japanese guy named Hataro (or something like that) who has some very nice videos of him playing whistle on YouTube.

Hatao ... Tomoaki Hatakeyama ... A friend and a very fine musician.

That's an understatement of his abilities MT...he's one heck of a player! He's also a great contributor to the Flute Forum.

As for the original question, here's my take on it (as somebody who plays both). The flute is more expressive, that's not something anybody will argue. However, that "cosmic drainpipe" sound of the low whistle, for airs can often be exactly what you are looking for. I'll pull the whistle out around 75% of the time for airs over the flute (though I tend to pick up the flute over whistle for faster tunes). A whistle may only play 100% in tune at one volume, but most and I do mean most flute players can't play 100% in tune at any volume. They can get close and adjust, but it's not easy...There's a joke about how do you get two flute players to play in tune with each other (Shoot one).

Still, there are some ornaments that I can crack off on a whistle that would be pure mud on a flute. The nature of a whistle makes them much cleaner it seems. So, neither is superior...it's more of a difference in the sound you want to hear.

[Price]

By flute do you mean the bohem flutes (with alien-tech mechanism) or traditional flutes {open holes only)?

Simple system, Sorry! I should have been more specific.

Thank you for the sound clip webpage and the the youtube Tomoaki Hatakeyama tips. I am checking them out and they are very helpful!

Oh and I did post flute questions on the flute forum a few weeks ago, so I do know a fair amount about flutes now, I just lack knowlege in the comparasion between flutes and whistles. Anyhow, little after I started to realize that many of the slow-airs I liked seem to be in whistle more often then flute. I would hate to fork out all that money for a flute, only to find out a whistle is what I need. So thats what led me here to bug you guys about whistles. *Which I apologize for*

Oh, and do you have any recommendations for whistles to purchase, I am open ears. I have been looking at dixons at the moment.

Once again, thank you for your help!

[Doc Jones]

If you're not already a flute player, I'd recommend you get a flute and a Hi-D whistle. If you go with a slow-D whistle I'd still recommend getting a hi-D too.


Having the Hi-D will allow you to actually learn some tunes and ornaments and whatnot while you're figuring out the more demanding physical requirements of a low D or flute.

tradlessons.com has some good free flute and whistle vids. No low-Ds though.

Doc[/b]

[Feadoggie]

Hello, Price!

Oh, and do you have any recommendations for whistles to purchase, I am open ears. I have been looking at dixons at the moment.

Asking for recommendations on a whistle here is kind of like asking, "How long is a piece of string?". There are myriad threads you can look through on this board addressing the question of "which whistle". So have a nice browse through some of those.

Assuming you are new to whistles, I would normally suggest you try a high D whistle first before taking on a Low D. But if you are set on starting there, the Dixon is a good choice. Dixons are generally a good value, sound good and are not as difficult to play as some low D's. It is one of the whistles I would recommend as a first low D.

If you want to start at the top of the heap though, look at Overton, Copeland or Burke - all top drawer whistles. Each of these makers, with good reason, have staunch supporters, as do others.

Feadoggie

[scheky]

If you are getting your first whistle, and have the benefit of knowledge here to guide you, I'd recommend only one whistle for your first.

Go to http://irishflutestore.com/newsite/prod ... 1=58&c2=84 and get a Freeman Tweaked Mellow Dog. It's the perfect beginner's whistle and you would never need to upgrade (but as we all know, Whistles are like pokemon...gotta catch them all!!!!!!).

Now, that said, if you are looking for a flute and DON'T want to spend buckets of cash, http://dougsflutes.googlepages.com/ and get one of Doug's flutes. It will cost less than 100 bucks and there is not a darn thing wrong with the quality.

If you can afford it, get both of them in D and start yourself down the path of many years of musical happiness. Most of us whistlers fool around with the flute, and most flute players fool around with the whistle.

[pancelticpiper]

A whistle may only play 100% in tune at one volume, but most and I do mean most flute players can't play 100% in tune at any volume. They can get close and adjust, but it's not easy...

Strange that this is the opposite of my experience. I've played flute and whistle for around 30 years and I've found it much easier to play in tune on the flute than on the whistle. I can make slight adjustment of my embouchure on the fly to stay in tune on the flute. Maybe some can do that on the whistle, but I can't.

[scheky]

Oh, it can be done, but most of the time when you hear a flute played, the player seems oblivious to the fact. I think it's mostly due to the fact that it's hard to hear yourself in some situations.

[larrym.]

"If you go with a slow-D whistle..."

Doc, what is a slow D whistle? Is it a whistle that takes some time to learn how the player plays it?


Larry