7-hole Tinwhistles

Whistle
1

There was a recent thread pertaining to 7-hole whistles. I just got one of these from our friend Carol. It is a Bb nickel-plated Generation, and it has, in addition to the typical 6-hole configuration, a hole for Ab, to prevent the need for oxxooo, or the like. The extra hole is situated on the underside of the whistle, to be operated by the left-hand thumb (right-hand thumb for left-handed players), but does not function like the thumb hole on a re***der.

I made a recording with this whistle, using the thumbhole, rather than cross-fingering or halfholing. It is at http://www.geocities.com/aaronwalden/pollywolly.htm

It’s a small download, for an Mp3 (less than 300K).

2

I’m amazed that a Gen sounds that good. Been thinking about using Peter Kosel’s 8-hole calculator to build a whistle. It would play like a 6-hole, but should have an easier-playing bell note that sounds more like the upper notes, according to the calc spec.

( an edit to add that the dulcimer was a very cool idea! )

Anyhow, thanks for sharing! :smiley:
serpent

3

that sounds great! is the sixth hole on the other side comfortably positioned for the thumb or do you feel like you are reaching a bit?>

4

To me there was no problem with the finger spacing.

Here’s how the holes were laid out:
(top being closest to mouthpiece)

o
← thumb hole
O

O

o

O

O

5

Funny how opening an extra hole is like opening Pandora’s box…

Because, what extra hole are we tlaking about here?

  1. The one Walden is describing, underside and in-between L1 and L2, for a clean =C ?
  2. Some want to take the layout described by Walden, but reversing =C to the top, so C# becomes sort of a recorder’s thumb vent hole, for an easier, quieter jump to the high register
  3. Serpent is working on the 8-hole Flutomat, where the 7th and 8th hole are only vent holes like on some simple-system flutes (and the “foot” of all Boehms, when you think of it); these extra holes can also be quite handy to fine-tune the bell tone without further cutting of the tube, too.
  4. Or the one starting a simultaneous thread about Silkstone “Plus” whistles? There the 7th hole is for the right pinky for an extension to low C or C#. I did order for myself a similar Bb whistle with a Ab extension, to play Breton and Scottish bagpipe tunes…
  5. And there are other alternatives, see Colin’s “modal” whistles, and more…
6

One point about the Silkstone: though it’s occasionally convenient to be able to hit the low C natural, the real advantages of its extra hole is that it allows you to finger the middle C natural so easily. You just cover all the holes rather than messing with cross fingering and half-holing (though it does not deprive you of those options). Also, it allows you to do regular rolls on the low and high Ds.