If a whistle reacts like uilleanns do, then doing a slide with keys wouldn’t be that hard. The body however, would be a pain to make unless you use mounted keys similar to a concert flute. I’ve considered this and am toying with offering a keyed high D when I eventually make the transition to nickel-silver and wood…the time in making the body with wood mounts is considerable because you have to turn large “donuts” on the body, and then sand them away until only the actual area to be used for the key mount remains. You then have to fabricate a key, mill the slot, drill the key hole, and pray you don’t screw up in the process of all this. That’s why uilleanns/Northumbrians/ etc are so expensive.
I play a Wind Controller and I’ve done strikes, rolls and trills on it with no problem. The whole thing is keyed, but it is extremely responsive.
Daniel,
Just out of curiosity, what kind of wind controller do you play?
James - I too have an early keyless Sweet Kiloorhy in African blackwood; a wonderful and beautiful C whistle. I didn’t know he made the Kiloorhy in rosewood. Philo
My rosewood Killourhy came through the Whistle Shop, if I remember right.
Mine may be a very early prototype. The tone holes on this whistle are different from any I’ve ever seen.
You definitely have to let this whistle warm up, till it does it is a shrieking monster.
But after it warms up, it just comes alive. Warm and resonant on the low notes, clear on the upper notes, the whole thing with just a little bit of chiff and bite. And loud and projective–about as loud as a Susato but warmer.
It’s getting through that first ten or fifteen minutes that can strain my patience, sometimes, but it’s worth it in the end.
–James
http://www.flutesite.com
I think a keyed low whistle would make an excellent idea. I play a Susato Low G because the reach is easier than the Low D. I love Irish Trad music and do want to learn to play it, but…I also want to learn non-Irish Trad. I like playing contemporary tunes on my pennywhistle and flute. And I know that there are others here who do also from some of the threads I have read. A keyed low whistle wouldn’t matter if you are playing music that doesn’t contain some of the elements of Irish Trad.
Craig
I play a Yamaha WX-5 Wind Controller with the VL-70 Tone Generator.
I’m building a 7-key Low-D flute/whistle at my shop right now. It’s in the development stage.
[ This Message was edited by: Daniel_Bingamon on 2002-04-14 14:16 ]