Transposing question

[highland-piper]

I really like Liz Carroll's Lost in the Loop. She plays it in C, starting on a C.

I found that by starting on A on a D whistle (playing in A) the whole tune fits.

So what whistle would put the tune back into C? Would that be an F whistle?

[plunk111]

Uhhhh... What???

[hans]

Your reasoning is correct. But listening to the tune I would rather play it on a C whistle, since it goes up to second octave A, and that would be difficult on a F whistle.

[highland-piper]

But you can't play the A's below C on a C whistle, and those seem to be a crucial part of the tune.

I was thinking if I get serious I could potentially make a low-F whistle so as to play it in the same register as the fiddle. But I'd need to find a fiddler willing to learn it first..

Thanks

[MTGuru]

So what whistle would put the tune back into C? Would that be an F whistle?

By your description ... Yes, an F whistle.

The tune is bi-modal in CMaj/DDor. So it actually sits better in GMaj/ADor fingering. Playing this on a G whistle puts it back in the recorded key. In either case, you need to fold most of the C part down an octave, but it works.

As Hans say, a C whistle (using DMaj/EDor fingering) also works, and would be my first choice in a session setting. You simply need to fold up all those low B's that occur frequently in the tune, but that works less well from a melodic POV.

[highland-piper]

Liz's tunes seem so well thought out, I hate to reposition notes if they can fit (which they do in A).

[tucson_whistler]

fyi, i found the notation for this song on the session website:

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4791

(and just another fyi, Mrs. Carroll playing the song on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Ow7-xAcG0--i see why you want to try it, it's a beautiful song

anyway, there's only one sharp apparently in the whole song, so it is Cmaj--no regular sharps or flats. so for my money, although all the notes would fit on an A whistle (without having to fold any notes up or down), you wouldn't sound like Ms. Carroll at all, because on an A whistle, since it plays in Amaj, you would be playing 3 notes sharp (c#, f#, g#)--unless you halfhole all those notes.

whereas if you play it on a G whistle, you only have one sharp to deal with (f#). or you could drop it down one semitone lower and use and F whistle, but then you'd still be a semitone off (you'd have to sharpen the Bb) and you're 3rd octave A is going to start sounding pretty shrill (bring your earplugs if you try it .

anyway, good luck...
eric

[MTGuru]

it's a beautiful song

... tune, actually. Tune will save you grief. I'm not sure Liz claims any vocal prowess.

so it is Cmaj

Well, at least it starts as C-ish.

the notes would fit on an A whistle (without having to fold any notes up or down)

Oops, I think you misread the thread, Eric. No one mentioned an A whistle, only A fingering (on an F whistle). An A whistle would put you in FMaj/GDor fingering - pretty awkward. And you'd still want to fold down the high c' and d'.

whereas if you play it on a G whistle, you only have one sharp to deal with (f#). or you could drop it down one semitone lower and use and F whistle

Again, GMaj/ADor fingering works on a G whistle. Dropping the fingering a semitone would give you GbMaj/AbDor fingering on an Ab whistle, which is goofy. Yes, that's the technical term.

Sorry to be so nit-picky, but transposition is tricky enough for many as it is.

[talasiga]

I really like Liz Carroll's Lost in the Loop. She plays it in C, starting on a C.

I found that by starting on A on a D whistle (playing in A) the whole tune fits.

So what whistle would put the tune back into C? Would that be an F whistle?

These sort of questions always astound me because you already have the answer.
I am actually astounded at the lack of confidence in your own logical thinking process.

If playing something from XXO OOO on a D whistle works for you for this piece
well then it will work on any other whistle from XXO OOO
If you want XXO OOO to be C, well yeah, you will need an F whistle!

Its not rocket science, you know.
And you don't need a music degree to have confidence in these conclusions.