most common whistle after a high d
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most common whistle after a high d
Hi,
I am considering the purchase of a Busman whistle at the moment (mainly because they are beautiful looking instruments). I already have a Chieftain high d (which is great) and I was wondering what is the next most common whistle used whistle in Irish trad music? Any advice would be most welcome.
Thank you
Paul
I am considering the purchase of a Busman whistle at the moment (mainly because they are beautiful looking instruments). I already have a Chieftain high d (which is great) and I was wondering what is the next most common whistle used whistle in Irish trad music? Any advice would be most welcome.
Thank you
Paul
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- Innocent Bystander
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High C. After that it gets strange.
I'm not sure if it's the next most commonly used whistle after a high d, but it's the one I got next, and the one I would still get next, and advise anyone to get next. Mostly for the number of waltzes that you seem to get in C, plus all those jigs, reels and slip-jigs that have a middle C in them somewhere.
MTGuru will tell you you can fake it, and yes, you can, but you'll always wonder what it sounds like unfaked.
Probably a Bb would be next after that, but I got a B instead... In fact, I got a G and never played the bloody thing as the holes are too close together for my fingers. I've got an F somewhere and haven't played that for years.
If I'm travelling I'll carry the High D and the High C, and that's all. But for a routine practice I'll have a high D, High C, High B and High A. (Well, that's a low high A, for playing Asokan Farewell. ) And a low D. And these days, a Willowflute and two Koncovkas.
I'm not sure if it's the next most commonly used whistle after a high d, but it's the one I got next, and the one I would still get next, and advise anyone to get next. Mostly for the number of waltzes that you seem to get in C, plus all those jigs, reels and slip-jigs that have a middle C in them somewhere.
MTGuru will tell you you can fake it, and yes, you can, but you'll always wonder what it sounds like unfaked.
Probably a Bb would be next after that, but I got a B instead... In fact, I got a G and never played the bloody thing as the holes are too close together for my fingers. I've got an F somewhere and haven't played that for years.
If I'm travelling I'll carry the High D and the High C, and that's all. But for a routine practice I'll have a high D, High C, High B and High A. (Well, that's a low high A, for playing Asokan Farewell. ) And a low D. And these days, a Willowflute and two Koncovkas.
Wizard needs whiskey, badly!
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I'd recommend the C as well... With a D whistle, you can play in D and G and with a C whistle, you can play in C and F. So, you cover the whole top of the circle-of-fifths and most of the major keys you're likely to find. If you can get a decent G# on your D whistle (I can't in the lower octave), you can also cover A. Similarly, you might be able to get to Bb by half-holing the E on the C whistle.
Good Luck!
Pat
Good Luck!
Pat
Pat Plunkett, Wheeling, WV
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- ChrisLaughlin
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All of these answers are interesting, but none of them really answer the question properly.
Almost all Irish sessions are built off D and require a D whistle or flute. Significantly rarer are Eb sessions, but they're popular here and there. Every once in a while you'll find people tuned down to C or Bb, but this is really rare and tends to be in piping sessions or with concertinas. I played in one F session, but that was a bunch of crazy Boston flute players who decided to have a low-F whistle session at 4 AM.
Basically, D, then Eb, then C or Bb...
Almost all Irish sessions are built off D and require a D whistle or flute. Significantly rarer are Eb sessions, but they're popular here and there. Every once in a while you'll find people tuned down to C or Bb, but this is really rare and tends to be in piping sessions or with concertinas. I played in one F session, but that was a bunch of crazy Boston flute players who decided to have a low-F whistle session at 4 AM.
Basically, D, then Eb, then C or Bb...
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Agreed, assuming Fun Time wants to play sessions - a pretty reasonable assumption in Dublin, I guess!
Actually, tunes in Gdor and Dm/Ddor and even C Major pop up often enough in normal sessions, and for those you really want a C whistle as your second session whistle.
An E whistle is a great cheater for A Major tunes, but most people just use a D whistle for those.
In the mezzo range, there's something about the size and range of an F whistle that seems to be just right for solo playing. Or crazy 4 AM sessions.
Actually, tunes in Gdor and Dm/Ddor and even C Major pop up often enough in normal sessions, and for those you really want a C whistle as your second session whistle.
An E whistle is a great cheater for A Major tunes, but most people just use a D whistle for those.
In the mezzo range, there's something about the size and range of an F whistle that seems to be just right for solo playing. Or crazy 4 AM sessions.
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Is there much difference betwwen a soprano d and a mezzo d? Could either be used in a d session for example?MTGuru wrote:Agreed, assuming Fun Time wants to play sessions - a pretty reasonable assumption in Dublin, I guess!
Actually, tunes in Gdor and Dm/Ddor and even C Major pop up often enough in normal sessions, and for those you really want a C whistle as your second session whistle.
An E whistle is a great cheater for A Major tunes, but most people just use a D whistle for those.
In the mezzo range, there's something about the size and range of an F whistle that seems to be just right for solo playing. Or crazy 4 AM sessions.
- Key_of_D
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Well the major difference is Size... Normally called "low whistles" or "low D's", the only other real difference is that one is an octave Lower, but it's still a D whistle, just like an Irish flute in D. Sure you can use it in sessions if you really like playing the monstrosity that much.Fun Time Dub wrote:Is there much difference betwwen a soprano d and a mezzo d? Could either be used in a d session for example?MTGuru wrote:Agreed, assuming Fun Time wants to play sessions - a pretty reasonable assumption in Dublin, I guess!
Actually, tunes in Gdor and Dm/Ddor and even C Major pop up often enough in normal sessions, and for those you really want a C whistle as your second session whistle.
An E whistle is a great cheater for A Major tunes, but most people just use a D whistle for those.
In the mezzo range, there's something about the size and range of an F whistle that seems to be just right for solo playing. Or crazy 4 AM sessions.
But your second whistle to get I agree would definitely be a C whistle.
Wish I lived in North County Dublin. I have a friend in Skerries who wouldn't mind either!
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Yeah, sorry, the terminology isn't very standardized. One scheme: Bb whistles and up are high. Whistles from A down to E or Eb are mezzo or middle. And low D or below are low. Or mezzo G whistles and below are simply called low to easily distinguish them from their 8va counterparts. Kerrywhistles uses a different scheme of mezzo, alto and tenor.Fun Time Dub wrote:Is there much difference betwwen a soprano d and a mezzo d? Could either be used in a d session for example?
Sure, low D whistles work fine in sessions, doubling the flute range.
Vivat diabolus in musica! MTGuru's (old) GG Clips / Blackbird Clips
Joel Barish: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.
Joel Barish: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.