Jasper EnChanter

[John Ficken]

Hello, everybody! New guy here. I'm a piper who is adding the whistle into the mix for various reasons--not the least of which is the fact that they sound cool!

I have a couple of name-brand, mass-produced whistles, which are fine for a learner like myself (believe in the poster putty!), but I also have a Jasper whistle, which provides for the same fingering as the Great Highland Bagpipe (an obvious plus for me) while still being able to cover two octaves like a "standard" whistle (unlike a GHB chanter).

Does anybody else play these things? Any tips/experiences/opinions? I've never seen another creature on the market like it, so I don't wonder if perhaps I'm a bit strange!

Thanks,
John

[Rob Sharer]

You're not German, are you, John?

I smell luncheon meat.


Rob

[John Ficken]

Actually, my Dad has run us back to 15th Century England, and my Mom's side are all Scots. The Germans didn't come into the picture until the last couple of generations--although I consider beer, sausage and potatoes to be one food group!

[Dain]

Could it, perchance, be a recorder?

[Dain]

...instrument, of course, not your dad.

[Feadoggie]

Could it, perchance, be a recorder?

No.

[MTGuru]

I have an EnChanter, that I'm currently testing. Anything in particular you'd like to know?

[henryz]

I see that Elfsong sells them in D and Bb. You can also find plans for a Bb chanter whistle (C/PVC) on Guido Gonzato's Low Tech Whistle site.

[Feadoggie]

You can also find plans for a Bb chanter whistle (C/PVC) on Guido Gonzato's Low Tech Whistle site.

John, since you are new to these parts and may not be familiar with the Low Tech Whistle, here's a link to Guido Gonzato's DIY website.

http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/whistle.html

Guido also makes whistles for sale if you want to try one. I'd bet he would make a Low Tech Chanter Whistle for you. Here's his other website.

http://www.ggwhistles.com/

Feadoggie

[John Ficken]

I have an EnChanter, that I'm currently testing. Anything in particular you'd like to know?

Hmm...well, how about this: As the EnChanter is a whistle in "D" theoretically any "traditional" tunes can be played on it, and one wouldn't actually "hear" a difference. However, the embellishments are different between piping and whistling, i.e., there's nothing in my piping background that I'm able to associate with a roll or a cran (although I've figuered out that a "cut" is what I've been taught as a piper is a "grace note"). I'm wondering, then, what embellishments you've discovered--perhaps other than the list of piping types--that will work on this instrument? Or are you playing it completely with piping embellishments?

Also--anyone out there know how to tweak a bit more volume out of them?

[MTGuru]

Well John, I'm a whistler, not a GHB-er, so I should probably be grilling you.

Seriously ... I'm coming at it from the other direction. I don't play GHB ornaments, so I can't speak to how well they execute. But, ignoring the thumb hole, the D whistle fingerings (e.g. right hand completely off) seem to work except of course for the top C-nat (chanter G-nat). So standard Irish whistle ornaments (cuts, rolls, etc.) execute more or less fine.

One example problem is the standard Irish (3B^cd triplet across the registers - because (x)ooo oooo gives C-nat, and the chanter C# cross-fingering (x)oxx xxxx is too awkward.

As for the volume, you should try the putty tweak, and fill the cavity under the windway with blue tack or something similar. If you're not familiar with this, search for "putty tweak" here on the Chiffboard. The EnChanter cavity is quite large - about twice the size of the cavity in a Generation whistle. Filling it may help to tighten the tone and increase the backpressure, allowing a harder and louder blow.

I'm still exploring intonation and other issues, so it's too early for me to say much yet. But maybe the above will be helpful.

BTW, John, where are you located? I have a feeling you are a "local".

[John Ficken]

Thanks for the advice! And the putty tweak goes in today!

BTW, John, where are you located? I have a feeling you are a "local".

I'm actually located in Simi Valley, up here in Ventura Co. I haven't gotten the time to do a profile yet, so I don't have an avatar, a clever, snarky signature, or anything. Hopefully this weekend I can add (at least!) some basics. I'm a long-time fan of the sound of pipes and whistles in all their various Celtic styles and voicings, and last year at age 44 I decided I wasn't getting any younger and decided to DO something about it. Along with my daughter, I joined a pipe and drum band as a tenor drummer, started tuition on the pipes (takes awhile--35 psi in the bag at all times to keep it going! ), and now, as I mentioned earlier, I'm adding the whistle. The whole thing has made my wife crazy, but as far as mid-life crises go, at least there are no twenty-somethings and fast cars involved.

[Porridge Face]

Hi John:

I also have an EnChanter whistle, and I'm also coming at this from a piper's point of view. Personally, I've found that the typical GHB gracenotes and embellishments don't work as well on this whistle as they do on the actual pipes or chanter. Unless I'm missing something, I've had greater sucess playing it more like a whistle. Things like "doublings" (etc.) seem to get a little lost and muted, as if the air doesn't have time to go down the tube and do what I expect it to. So I've started to play it using mostly whistle technique. It's nice to have the extra octave, and it's great to be able to play my pipe tunes anywhere and anytime. :>)

I recently bought a Bb EnChanter whistle from Sandy, and it's a lovely brass whistle with a blue sparkly finish. It was a bit more expensive, as she calls it her custom model, but it sounds wonderful. Much sweeter and more pure toned than the manufactured EnChanter. It took me a few days to get accustomed to it, but now I'm wondering why I felt any difficulty,... I think the spacing of the holes takes a while to get used to. Great whistle though!

Leigh

Hello, everybody! New guy here. I'm a piper who is adding the whistle into the mix for various reasons--not the least of which is the fact that they sound cool!

I have a couple of name-brand, mass-produced whistles, which are fine for a learner like myself (believe in the poster putty!), but I also have a Jasper whistle, which provides for the same fingering as the Great Highland Bagpipe (an obvious plus for me) while still being able to cover two octaves like a "standard" whistle (unlike a GHB chanter).

Does anybody else play these things? Any tips/experiences/opinions? I've never seen another creature on the market like it, so I don't wonder if perhaps I'm a bit strange!

Thanks,
John

[John Ficken]

Hmmm....I'm going to have to look in to that Bb model...Christmas is coming!!

[ricmcm]

The GHB movement called a slur is equivalent to the Irish movement called a Roll.
ricmcm