Overtons: You Gotta Have Them

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 11:53 am

Eh Bloom, can I borrow the out-of-tune whistle then? I've always been good to you, you know...

sboag · Post by **sboag** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 12:02 pm

On 2003-01-26 00:57, Ridseard wrote:
Out of curiosity, which model do you have?

D Brass Pro Narrow Bore

You're right that with less pressure the C natural can be in tune. In any case I don't hear any problem when I play (for instance, "Duke of Leinster"), so maybe I'm naturally using less pressure when I play vs. when I test with a chromatic tuner. As I said, I love it and believe it will be my whistle of choice until, maybe in a few years, I graduate to something really fancy, like an Abell. On the other hand, by that time I'll probably be ready for the Irish flute, and maybe a few low whistles, so maybe I'll just play my Burke forever.

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 1:15 pm

On 2003-01-26 13:02, sboag wrote:
D Brass Pro Narrow Bore

Of all my whistles (including three other Burkes: a Brass Pro Session, an Aluminum Pro NB, and a WB Brass), the Brass Pro Narrow Bore is my favorite, and I think it always will be!

StevieJ · Post by **StevieJ** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 9:09 am

On 2003-01-26 13:02, sboag wrote:
You're right that with less pressure the C natural can be in tune. In any case I don't hear any problem when I play (for instance, "Duke of Leinster")

That's odd. The Duke of Leinster is a tune you definitely don't need a C-natural for, and if I were you I'd steer well clear of them: it's basically a pentatonic tune without Cs or Fs.

The only C I could see being used would be as part of a Bcd triplet to "fill in" the interval from B to d, and 99% of players would play that as a C#. It's so fast that the pitch is unimportant, and anyway, since it's a pentatonic tune, a C-natural wouldn't be any more correct than a C#.

Edited to add: maybe you're thinking not of the Duke but his wife, who has a very pronounced C-natural.

[ This Message was edited by: StevieJ on 2003-01-27 10:11 ]

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 1:49 pm

I had an Overton...
-----------------------------
*edited out 'cause it's all been said before*
-----------------------------
...perfect for my style.

Bottom line is that Colin is a whistlesmith that can make you a whistle just about anyway you want it, within the laws of whistle physics.

I think anybody out there thinking of buying an Overton should do so!! Just remember to order it directly from Brigitte and Colin so you can tell them what you want.

Oh, yeah, and even though this has been said before, I am going say that Brigitte and Colin are super people!!

Eric

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:02 pm

On 2003-01-27 14:49, vaporlock wrote:

I had an Overton...

Oh, no! What happened to it?

hehehe.

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:34 pm

Bloomfield, I sold it to a wonderful musician who is giving it a loving new home....no wait, that was my Sindt. Forgive me, it's so hard to concentrate with this raging case of tongue fungus. I've had it for months now. It wouldn't be so bad except for these nodule thingies that keep popping....

Oh yeah! Now I remember what happened to my Overton. How's your tongue feeling, Bloo?

[edited to add a smiley...just because that's the kinda guy I am]

[ This Message was edited by: vaporlock on 2003-01-27 15:36 ]

amar · Post by **amar** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:36 pm

an overton whistle is a cutie-pie...

wrong thread..?

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:44 pm

Vaporlock: ROTFL! (Frogive the abbreviation, but speaking is a bit painful these days.)

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 5:29 pm

Bloomfield, try sucking a mouthful of hot rocks...it relieves some of the swelling.

Seriously, though. I hope you're still enjoying the Big O as much as I'm enjoying my...errr...Not-So-Big O (It's a blue low F). I ordered a Medium O (An violet A) and it should be here around Easter time...I can't wait!!!

Cheers,
Eric

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 5:50 pm

Do I still enjoy playing the Big O? Oh, yes! I mean, there are some things I'd rather do

but not many. I've tried lots of Low Ds here and there: Burke, Copeland (not bad, actually), Susato, Chieftain, Silkstone, Kerry, but no other whistle so far has given me such pleasure to play. It is strong, but the tone is gentle and I love the way the whistle vibrates... You can really push the whislte and yet it plays smoothly & easily. I've been playing it at sessions a lot, because it is so hard to put down.

You'll have a great time with your Little-Big O. I just got one of Colin's As and it is a killer whistler. Incredible sound, fast, strong player....

All right, all right: I'll shut up now. But I seriously think that there isn't another whistle that is as satisfying to play as the Overtons. At least I haven't seen it yet.

sboag · Post by **sboag** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 9:20 pm

On 2003-01-27 10:09, StevieJ wrote:
That's odd. The Duke of Leinster is a tune you definitely don't need a C-natural for, and if I were you I'd steer well clear of them: it's basically a pentatonic tune without Cs or Fs.

The only C I could see being used would be as part of a Bcd triplet to "fill in" the interval from B to d, and 99% of players would play that as a C#. It's so fast that the pitch is unimportant, and anyway, since it's a pentatonic tune, a C-natural wouldn't be any more correct than a C#.

My teacher taught to me as the Duke, not the wife. Yes, the Bcd triplet. She taught it to me a a C natural, just happened to be the tune I was practicing when I wrote the message. I'm a relative beginner, so I'm still playing it slow enough that you can hear it, but I agree it wasn't a great example. A little research for the fun of it: It's in G. http://www.cranfordpub.com/tunes/Irish/ ... inster.htm shows an accidental C#, for the reasons you named, I suppose. L.E. McCullough's "The Complete Irish Tunebook" shows it as a low G, and doesn't contain any C's (but his version is still closer to my teacher's). That's folk music for you, I guess.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 10:59 pm

On 2003-01-27 18:50, Bloomfield wrote:
But I seriously think that there isn't another whistle that is as satisfying to play as the Overtons. At least I haven't seen it yet.

I'm enjoying my Copeland low D more than my Overton low D right now. Sorry though, folks; I'm still not selling the Overton.

Lizzie · Post by **Lizzie** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 9:01 am

Two bits of advice for playing an Overton: Remember that it takes a lot of pressure, not a lot of air. Don't try to push lots of air through the whistle, but brace yourself against the whistle: support the breath from the diaphram and "lean into" the whistle. (And don't be afraid of the volume in second octave).

In my year and a half of playing I have managed to aquire 4 Overtons...D. C, Bflat and a new F. I have no trouble, as a novice, playing the D and the C. I am having a bit of trouble with my Bflat.
So I am wondering if it is this 'pressure' thing...but I dont understand "Brace yourself against the whistle" and "lean into it". Can anyone put this a bit differently so I get the idea?

_________________
/bloomfield

[ This Message was edited by: Bloomfield on 2003-01-26 10:05 ]
[/quote]

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 9:11 am

The advice is a bit like the advice singers get. A lot of singers make the mistake of assuming you hold your breath in the lungs (like someone holding their breath underwater) and simply breath out until you've spent it all. This gives you very little control over tone, volume, dynamics etc. and makes for breathlessness and sloppy phrasing as well. All in all, nothing to be said for it. It's a bit hard to explain without demonstrating but for wind instrument playing as well as singing you should breath from the diaphragm. You transfer breath from lungs to stomach and use your diaphragm to control release. Solves all the above problems with a bit of practice.