Other whistle-like instruments? Help!
- Kar
- Posts: 395
- Joined: Tue May 14, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: San Francisco
If I can play the whistle, what other instruments should I be able to play with only a little variation in technique?
Specifically, I do Middle Eastern dance and my troupe is thinking of also playing our own music. But I don't know WHAT Middle Eastern-sounding instruments I could play. Are there any that are LIKE a whistle?
I CAN play a recorder (although I don't like to) but I CAN'T play a flute. So I guess I'm asking--what other end-blown finger-holed instruments are there?
Specifically, I do Middle Eastern dance and my troupe is thinking of also playing our own music. But I don't know WHAT Middle Eastern-sounding instruments I could play. Are there any that are LIKE a whistle?
I CAN play a recorder (although I don't like to) but I CAN'T play a flute. So I guess I'm asking--what other end-blown finger-holed instruments are there?
- Zubivka
- Posts: 3308
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Sol-3, .fr/bzh/mesquer
With single reed : bamboo sax, bamboo clarinet, other variations of the "chalumeau".
With double reed, all ancestors of the modern oboe (shalm, etc.). Like today's Breton bombarde, or piston (its "low whistle" or bassoon equivalent)...
With duct and fipple, and simplified fingering : English tabor pipe, Basque txistu...
With no mouthpiece whatsoever, and ultimately simplified fingering...
didgeridoo
With double reed, all ancestors of the modern oboe (shalm, etc.). Like today's Breton bombarde, or piston (its "low whistle" or bassoon equivalent)...
With duct and fipple, and simplified fingering : English tabor pipe, Basque txistu...
With no mouthpiece whatsoever, and ultimately simplified fingering...
didgeridoo
A lot of what people think of when they think of Middle Eastern sounds (at least Westernized versions) are reed instruments. How in-depth do you want to get with this? Are you just looking for a sound that sounds "right" and can be played melodiously while someone else keeps the beat on a drum? Or do you really want to learn to play authentically?
For the latter, look for a competent teacher, because you won't be able to pick up the cultural nuances from text or even from having the best instruments. Sort of like real Irish music is distinctive and very hard to imitate if you didn't grow up in that culture. It can be done, but you have to learn a new "accent" when doing it (see Brother Steve's site for more on this).
For just noodling around and keeping the beat as the important part, there are a couple of options. A while back, someone on this very board posted a bit about making a Middle-eastern sounding whistle using a commercial head and hobby-store brass tubing. Do a search for the details. Alternatively, Daniel Bingamon makes some minor-key whistles and whistles that play some odd scales. He could probably fix you up pretty quickly.
If you want the reed sound, be warned that you have to maintain a constant pressure on the reed. This is not a bad thing if you have a good reed, but can be a real gut-busting experience with a hard reed. This is just a warning of something to be aware of.
Shawms are the instrument I think of most with ME dance. Them and doumbeks. Shark in the Morning carries a selection of interesting-looking shawms and other reed instruments under Middle Eastern Winds. Not sure of quality and you can usually find the same product elsewhere for a better price. But that would be a place to begin looking.
Hope that at least gives you something to think about.
-Patrick
For the latter, look for a competent teacher, because you won't be able to pick up the cultural nuances from text or even from having the best instruments. Sort of like real Irish music is distinctive and very hard to imitate if you didn't grow up in that culture. It can be done, but you have to learn a new "accent" when doing it (see Brother Steve's site for more on this).
For just noodling around and keeping the beat as the important part, there are a couple of options. A while back, someone on this very board posted a bit about making a Middle-eastern sounding whistle using a commercial head and hobby-store brass tubing. Do a search for the details. Alternatively, Daniel Bingamon makes some minor-key whistles and whistles that play some odd scales. He could probably fix you up pretty quickly.
If you want the reed sound, be warned that you have to maintain a constant pressure on the reed. This is not a bad thing if you have a good reed, but can be a real gut-busting experience with a hard reed. This is just a warning of something to be aware of.
Shawms are the instrument I think of most with ME dance. Them and doumbeks. Shark in the Morning carries a selection of interesting-looking shawms and other reed instruments under Middle Eastern Winds. Not sure of quality and you can usually find the same product elsewhere for a better price. But that would be a place to begin looking.
Hope that at least gives you something to think about.
-Patrick
- Walden
- Chiffmaster General
- Posts: 11030
- Joined: Thu May 09, 2002 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Location: Coal mining country in the Eastern Oklahoma hills.
- Contact:
Here are some instruments you'd probably be able to also play:
Frula
Dvoyanka
Melody Flute (available from http://www.melbay.com )
Sweet Potato ocarina
Maui Xaphoon (Sound)
Tarka
Some Middle Eastern type instruments you might try:
Sipsi
Mijwiz
Raita
Zurnas
Argul
Mey
Duduk
Mizmar
Frula
Dvoyanka
Melody Flute (available from http://www.melbay.com )
Sweet Potato ocarina
Maui Xaphoon (Sound)
Tarka
Some Middle Eastern type instruments you might try:
Sipsi
Mijwiz
Raita
Zurnas
Argul
Mey
Duduk
Mizmar
Reasonable person
Walden
Walden
- brewerpaul
- Posts: 7300
- Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
- Location: Clifton Park, NY
- Contact:
- Kar
- Posts: 395
- Joined: Tue May 14, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: San Francisco
Thanks for all the advice. I do in fact want to just SOUND okay, and not necessarily get up to authentic/professional quality. I mean, the focus will be the dancing, and then the novelty of the dancers being able to stop and become the band is sort of just an extra.
I'm not sure how hard it is to play a reed instrument, but as I do live in a city with a Lark in the Morning, I can guess I'll be going on a trip soon to try it out.
Again, thanks!
I'm not sure how hard it is to play a reed instrument, but as I do live in a city with a Lark in the Morning, I can guess I'll be going on a trip soon to try it out.
Again, thanks!
Okay, take the couple of minutes to go to this site: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepage ... imetal.htm and scroll down to the Ahava Rabba whistle. Listen to the WAV files. Coooool.....
If I wanted to do any sort of middle-eastern whistling, I just decided this is the tool I'd want to use. I only just listened to it because I was thinking of this thread. For $40, I'm tempted to get one next time I have spare cash.
-Patrick
If I wanted to do any sort of middle-eastern whistling, I just decided this is the tool I'd want to use. I only just listened to it because I was thinking of this thread. For $40, I'm tempted to get one next time I have spare cash.
-Patrick
- kevin m.
- Posts: 1666
- Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Tyne and Wear,U,K.
The 'Nai' or 'Ney' is a middle eastern duct flute which doesn't have a fipple-this is formed by the players lips-the breath being directed onto the blade by the player(like the Shakuhachi).Because of the way that the sound is produced,this instrument is capable of great subtlety,and variation of sound.Sounds just what your after,Don't know where you'd get one though! Might be worth a Google.
- Zubivka
- Posts: 3308
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Sol-3, .fr/bzh/mesquer
Paul, did you try Adriana's Dream (block)Flute, manufactured by Mollenhauer ? It does look like a revamped Renaissance (Adri says it hides a Van Eyck bore), comes in Soprano c'' and Alto f' . Now, if one could just shave off its painted joint ring, the last cutesie in its design...On 2003-02-05 06:23, brewerpaul wrote:
See if you can try out a Renaissance recorder. It has a different sound from the usual Baroque type, and may be what you're looking for.
FWIW-- the recorder is extremely popular in Israel, which is indeed in the Middle Easst, so the recorder is authentic, at least sorta.
Here's a sop, without the pig-nose holes.
I understand Susato sells them.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-02-07 02:56 ]</font>
- Walden
- Chiffmaster General
- Posts: 11030
- Joined: Thu May 09, 2002 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Location: Coal mining country in the Eastern Oklahoma hills.
- Contact:
Those are great for those looking for an authentic looking instrument. And it has the common standardized recorder fingering.On 2003-02-07 02:55, Zubivka wrote:
Paul, did you try Adriana's Dream (block)Flute, manufactured by Mollenhauer ? It does look like a revamped Renaissance (Adri says it hides a Van Eyck bore), comes in Soprano c'' and Alto f' . Now, if one could just shave off its painted joint ring, the last cutesie in its design...
I think if I ever got up the gumption to visit ye olde Renaissance Faire, I'd like to tote one of these along.
And they also have a line of "Renaissance Recorders," if you are looking for the playing characteristics of that era recorder.
This recorder idea led me to think of one made by Adler-Heinrich, which I think would be great for a Middle-Eastern themed musician.
All of these recorders seem to be on the not inexpensive side, though.
Reasonable person
Walden
Walden
- Wombat
- Posts: 7105
- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Location: Probably Evanston, possibly Wollongong
I have an Ahava Raba and a Harmonic Minor, both in D. I like them both. They're great value at the price. The hole size and spacing on the Ahava Raba will take a bit of getting used to but it's well worth it. If you just want one, that's the one to get I think. Daniel will probably have it to you very quickly too and help you out with advice on fingering—well, so would I for that matter.On 2003-02-06 14:02, Patrick wrote:
Okay, take the couple of minutes to go to this site: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepage ... imetal.htm and scroll down to the Ahava Rabba whistle. Listen to the WAV files. Coooool.....
If I wanted to do any sort of middle-eastern whistling, I just decided this is the tool I'd want to use. I only just listened to it because I was thinking of this thread. For $40, I'm tempted to get one next time I have spare cash.
-Patrick
- Zubivka
- Posts: 3308
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Sol-3, .fr/bzh/mesquer
The link (kadima, etc.) is to our fellow chiffer Daniel Bingammon. He seems the only whistle maker ready for any adapatation (even to Dixon heads) and in any scale one would ask.
With interchangeable tubes, you could get one for blues, one for minor, etc.
The multi-diatonic instrument ?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-02-07 03:54 ]</font>
With interchangeable tubes, you could get one for blues, one for minor, etc.
The multi-diatonic instrument ?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-02-07 03:54 ]</font>
- Wombat
- Posts: 7105
- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Location: Probably Evanston, possibly Wollongong
What exactly is the difference that makes this more suitable? Can one use half/quarter holing techniques to get microtones?On 2003-02-05 06:23, brewerpaul wrote:
See if you can try out a Renaissance recorder. It has a different sound from the usual Baroque type, and may be what you're looking for.
FWIW-- the recorder is extremely popular in Israel, which is indeed in the Middle Easst, so the recorder is authentic, at least sorta.