self made low G> new: pictures of new head

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:21 pm

Just wanted to show my self made low G; connecting to my first message 'don't know were to go'. Again: sorry if my English is not so good.

The head is made from very old bamboo, it must be about 100 years old (no joke! It belonged to the stalk of a spear from a authentic carnaval figure of my first school!

.)

The tube is, as you may see, made for isolating wires.

It's tuneable (a bit of tefnol tape in the inside).

I've been working on this very long time. I have only a low D, so no low G to compare. I've been searching a lot to get the best sound of it (5 other heads failed, so did 8 meter of tube and half a meter of a stalk of hardwood to make the fipple)

Now i'm almost statisfied. It's a good sounding whistle, with a real 'low whistle sound'. It sounds at least better than the Howard low D from a friend (this is just my opinion, i don't like the Howard's).

Today i let it play by one of the better whistle players from Belgium.
He plays normally a Jacky Proux. He liked it very much. The only critic was that the C natural was not so clear in the high register and that the high register was a bit easier to play than the low.

It's not really a loud whistle, but surely loud enough.

i'm proud of it and just wanted to share it with you

.

NEW:

Here are some pictures of a new head which i made. The sound is now more clear and pure, the whistle jumps not so fast in the upper register anymore, and it's a bit louder. It's not oiled yet. I took a lot of pictures, but i'm not much of a photographer. These have to be the best

URL=http://imageshack.us]

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Ps; A good and clear recording will follow soon.

gallant_murray · Post by **gallant_murray** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:30 pm

That looks really great. Thanks for sharing! I'd love to hear a sound clip.

canpiper · Post by **canpiper** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:32 pm

Nicely Done. Looks something like a Reyburn. A sound clip would be great indeed! Any any chance?

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:24 pm

That is a good looking whistle.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:46 pm

Hi Frederik---The whistle looks very nice. It is really good that you have a good whistle player to try it out for you. That is so important. He knows what he needs a whistle to do and will tell you honestly the good and the less good. So you know what to keep working on. Good luck!

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:35 pm

Nice whistle, Frederik!

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:10 am

Thanks!

I don't know how to add a sound clip ...

I've got a dictaphone with old style cassette's but no cable to put it in my PC.
I recorded the whistle player which i said with that recorder. But the recorded sound became real sharp. Of course you can hear how the whistle is threw the octaves and things ..

And my computer is a bit prehestoric ...

But probably i go to somebody this evening who knows more about these things.

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:45 am

ps. a detail: i meant the C is not so clear. Sharp or natural ...

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:58 am

Man were am i talking about? i meant the F. I was confused with the low D

Sylvester · Post by **Sylvester** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:40 am

canpiper wrote:Nicely Done. Looks something like a Reyburn. A sound clip would be great indeed! Any any chance?

Absolute yes to everything.

Have you considered starting with metal?

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:08 am

Nicely done Frederik!

I admire your determination!

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:15 am

Thanks again

Yes i have considered to work with metal.

Aluminium seems to me, as far of i've heard and seen things, the most interesting.

I had made a low D from a stalk from a fishnet.

It was aluminium, but strange enough it started to rust. I'm sure it is aluminium, probably it's some kind of alloy (i hope i'm right with these words).

The fipple block was made from a broomstick (yes, everything with sticks and stalks ..). It fitted, but came lose, with the rust it became all a mess.
i don't know, i just haven't got the materials to work with that.

And i don't know the techniques to work with aluminium.

That's why i'm looking for somebody to teach me.

A combination of a wooden head and something else, like the Reyburns, seem also interesting to me.

PS. Sound clip of low G will be added soon.

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:55 pm

Ok, finally, with the help of some nice people, we've got it!

http://www.tehalliance.com/lowGwhistle.mp3

Palm Sunday and something else is played

Please note that it's recorded with a dictaphone with a tape. It sounds much sharper and false than in reality, especially in the high register. So it don't represent really the whistle sound, but it's ok to hear how it sounds threw the ocataves and things.

But i hope you get a bit of a picture of it.

Frederik Meesters · Post by **Frederik Meesters** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 4:18 am

Hey ho, sound clip is added

Does it sound so bad that nobody has a comment ?

I think the 'tune' after Palm Sunday sounds the best.

Please say something, i'm getting nervous of it

THanks

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 5:32 am

Really first rate Frederick! The whistle looks terrific, and your playing is great. You can be very proud.

If your low register is weak and trys to jump up into the upper too easily, try beveling the top of the fipple block a tiny bit more. I do mean tiny: pop out the block, give it one or two light strokes with a fine file or sandpaper, then try it. Too much, and you'll make the upper register hard to play--this is a fine balancing act!

There, now for my advice, you can send a case of Duvel to....