Question about types of whistles for sessions

[sjcavy]

I knew that many of the best/"better" players liked to stick with the cheapies, but I always figured they did some home tweaking.

Personally I have a few cheapies, but then I have a three expensive high d's. I happen to be a beginner, but I chose my instruments with the same care that I have always choose my orchestral instruments. I've been playing music since kindergarten. I listened to any sound file of the whistles I could, and knew that once I had achieved my goals I would (hopefully) be able to achieve the same effects.

Personally I cannot stand my feadog. that's why I got a blackbird, which I like a lot better.

IMHO there is no formula for what you should buy; no beginner's instrument. You play whatever you want, and pretty much let everyone else play with what they want.

But if I ever run into a guy telling me I cannot play my oz whistle at a session because it's too expensive, I'll be sure to bring in my cello for the next time, and show him that he needs to get his foot out of his mouth.

[Bloomfield]

Where do you get the "put down" notion?

Well, the rebuke I cited above was very public and very vocal, in earshot of the other players. Along the lines of "anyone (me) who pays more than $5 for a whistle is a fool." It was partly a (grossly ineffective) attempt to educate, and mostly a case of an alpha session male marking his territory. It happens.

Yeah, it happens. But does it happen more at a session than at a softball game, a party, a business lunch, or in the subway?

Anyway the point of what whistle you play is moot if you can play it and it's moot of you can't play but are respectful at the session.

.......
What Nico said is that expensive whistles are often "a sign" that the musician isn't very good at Irish trad music. It doesn't follow that such players are "put down" at a session.
......

prejudiced V condescending.
Yes, you're right - there is a distinction.

Yes: Prejudice = natural, necessary, and rational (cf. Roland Barthes). Unwillingness to revise a prejudice is unhelpful, of course.

[talasiga]

When it comes to negative prejudice, it is often a disincentive to willingness .....

[MTGuru]

Yeah, it happens. But does it happen more at a session than at a softball game, a party, a business lunch, or in the subway?

I guess I don't really know. When not attending sessions, I live in a cave under a rock.

Personally I have a few cheapies, but then I have a three expensive high d's.

Back on topic ... I think the OP question for you would be: What is the prevailing situation in Milwaukee at established sessions in your area, apart from your own personal preferences?

[Dameon]

I'd say it can depend a lot on the kind of session, too. I've been to a small session that was primarily whistle and flute players, and of course, you couldn't really sit in with a cheap whistle because 5 wind instruments playing each out of tune with the other doesn't exactly sound good.

[FJohnSharp]

A lot of folks around here have Burkes. I see a few Sindts. Couple of Sausatos.

[straycat82]

I'd say it can depend a lot on the kind of session, too. I've been to a small session that was primarily whistle and flute players, and of course, you couldn't really sit in with a cheap whistle because 5 wind instruments playing each out of tune with the other doesn't exactly sound good.

Likewise, you can't sit in a session with an expensive whistle and poor intonation. I think it has more to do with the player than the caliber of whistle. Of course musicianship and instrument characteristics both come into play (no pun) but an *expensive whistle is not a fix-all when it comes to playing in tune.

I'd prefer to replace the term "expensive" with "individually voiced" or "quality controlled."

[talasiga]

Anyone at sessions play the tune
"Lord of the Flies"?

[Dameon]

Likewise, you can't sit in a session with an expensive whistle and poor intonation. I think it has more to do with the player than the caliber of whistle. Of course musicianship and instrument characteristics both come into play (no pun) but an *expensive whistle is not a fix-all when it comes to playing in tune.

Never said an expensive whistle is a fix-all, just that there's situations where it makes a difference, even for a good whistle player. Also, the extra volume most high-end whistles have can be a plus when sitting in on a really large session. There's been sessions where I couldn't hear myself and nobody else could hear me on my Generation.

Still, I've never understood the urge to spend $500+ on some rare hardwood whistle imported from some remote location.

[NicoMoreno]

you couldn't really sit in with a cheap whistle because 5 wind instruments playing each out of tune with the other doesn't exactly sound good.

I'm sorry, but how on earth does one take this to mean anything other than "of course cheap whistles are all out of tune"? I side with Straycat on this one. It's not the whistle, it's the player.

Although let me add that the best, most in-tune, sessions with multiple whistles have been when all the whistles are "cheapos". And I'm talking 3 or 4 whistles, all of them Feadogs or Generations or the like. Adding a Burke or Copeland or some other expensive whistle invariably causes tuning issues and / or severe volume imbalance issues.

[sjcavy]

around me its mostly burkes, susatos, cheepos, tweakos, and inevitably someone brings in the quality controlled,individually voiced whistles.


See, there is a way around this whole thread....

I have an oz whistle that is only a tiddly bit louder than a generation, that has a beautiful voice (something like a generation)

doesn;t over power anyone, pretty quiet actually, but it is unique.


well, actually that doesn't get around this thread at all. it's still a qc iv whistle.

[hoopy mike]

And is the same true for what to drink at a session? Is Guinness mandatory, could I get away with half a pint of Murphy's and what would be the reception to a piña colada?

[henryz]

While we're at it, is there also a dress code for players in public sessions?

[pancelticpiper]

While we're at it, is there also a dress code for players in public sessions?

There was actually an entire thread on the topic of session dress a while back.. in the ITM forum maybe? It was hilarious.

I didn't agree with the implication that cheap whistles have poorer intontation than expensive ones. In the old days one searched for the best-voiced Generation one could find, then went to work tweaking. I still play the Generaton C and Feadog D that I got back in the late 70's and their intonation is perfect. (I wish my blowing of them was perfect...)
They've been carved and chopped and had stuff shoved in the head and the result is a pair of great whistles, the equal of which I've not encountered at any price.

Though the Feadog is too quiet for a loud session so I use a Burke session bore for that.

[Tim2723]

And is the same true for what to drink at a session? Is Guinness mandatory, could I get away with half a pint of Murphy's and what would be the reception to a piña colada?

We used to have a bodhran player in our group who drank 'sidecars'. We told him that was OK, but the minute we saw him with something that had six cherries and a paper umbrella, he was out of the band!

You just have to be careful to drink Murphy's with Bushmills. If you mix Catholic whiskey with Protestant beer you'll burn in hell.