IMHO the mouthpiece of the Abel is very short. It’s like the Susato, but the Susato is at least curved so that you can rest it on your bottom lip. The Abel is straight. I usually ended up putting the whole whistle into my mouth…goofy looking, I’m sure.
When playing in the wind recently I turned the head upside down, as standard way of reducing wind interference. Lo and behold, it’s easier to hold in your mouth that way.
Just a tip for all Abel owners / lovers.
Yes, the Abell mouthpiece is quite short. Yes, it bothered me too at first. Until I discovered that mouth position, i.e. how far into the mouth the whistle is, the angle of the whistle, etc. has a great deal to do with tone and pitch quality.
What the Abell forces me to do in order to get the best sound is to develop my whistle embouchure technique. I would like to suggest that you purse your lips a little, more like playing a flute, keep as little in your mouth as possible, be aware how a change in the angle or position in your mouth affects sound quality by changing the direction and volume of air flow. And don’t try to hold the whistle with your mouth. (all based on my personal experience of course as I obviously have not seen you play!)
Now I have more difficulty playing my Burke whistles because the comfort factor encourages me to stuff it all in instead of concentrating on the best technique for a given whistle.
I believe that Chris has made Abell mouthpieces short for a very good reason. And how can you argue with a guy who commands $10K for a flute?
Based on my own experimentation with my Abell whistle, I have incorporated this “shortness of beak” into the South Wind pennywhistle. I like it so much that I rarely touch anything anymore except my own South Winds and, of course, my Abell.
Hmmmm! I dunno. There’s a school of thought, to which I partly subscribe, that believes embouchure has nothing to do with whistle playing.
Also, in my youth I saw older players in Ireland and I was always struck by how far they’d have the doggone thing in their mouths. Not that their example is gospel.
In any case, turning the mouthpiece upside down does lead me to that pinched lip position you describe.
BTW, your post turned into a nice little commercial. I guess you can’t get the America out of the American.
I myself feel that the windway probably does most of the work on whistles…
Then again, there’s the odd exception, like the O’Brien’s I’ve played, where the angle of the whistle in your mouth dramatically changes the sound.
The angle at which I hold my whistle has a great effect on the sound and so do things I do with my cheek muscles, back of throat, and lips. I haven’t got it anywhere to the point of being figured out but if it doesn’t sound right or won’t go high or something, doing something with my mouth will often help.
Whitmores, I thought notus made a very helpful comment. Notus mentioned several brands of whistles, and very highly praised what I believe would be a competitor. Notus didn’t praise the whistles he makes more than the others, in fact it was quite the contrary. It seemed to me he was just stating that the short beak was preferred by some and that he played the Abell as well as the South Wind which he makes.
I doubt notus will trouble to answer your questions any more.
I have another problem with your statement. Is it really the sole province of Americans (which actually does refer to the inhabitants of both North and South America----I have a feeling you would like to leave out Central Americans, South Americans, and Canadians from your remark), or US citizens which is what I believe you intend to say, to work things into commercials? This has nothing to do with notus, but this was also very rude.
You’re right about the O’Briens, Wanderer. I think the fact that he doesn’t sharpen the blade makes them much more sensitive to the direction of the air flow.
I don’t know a thing about any “schools of thought” to which Whitmores might be referring. All I know is that after a few hundred hours of examining the design of my Abell, O’Brien, and Burkes, that I can definitely influence the sound, especially breathiness, by changing the way I blow. Perhaps embouchure was not the correct term but it sounded so much classier than saying “the way I blow it.”
I also know that every whistle I pick up, even by the same maker, sounds and plays a little differently, and requires a slightly different technique. And as the term pennywhistle has been applied to an increasingly diverse range of designs and sounds over the past few decades, it makes sense to me that not all instruments are exactly the same. I hate to use the dreaded “guitar metaphor” on a whistle forum, but otherwise, why would anyone require a Martin over a Wal-Mart special?
On the off chance that we may someday overcome Whitmores anti-American sentiments, I would like to apologize for the fact that I mentioned that I make pennywhistles and that I enjoy playing them. Perhaps we should all remove our www links from our profiles as well!
And at the risk of sounding like an American, I would like to place this advertisement in honor of Wanderer, who taught me a great deal of what I know through his generous conributions to pennywhistlers everywhere via the Wandering Whistler Archives. Please visit his site!
Internal and external embouchure. Internal embouchure might not have to be called ‘embouchure’.
Anyway ‘internal embouchure’ is the most important part of Recorder-like instruments to change their tonal colours/to creat good sound.
I was wondering what to call the things that you do inside that don’t seem to be directly related to your lips. Because it does seem like those movements inside have the biggest effect. That is interesting.
I cannot speak for other players, but I find that I do have an embouchure when playing whistle and that on certain whistles it is crucial to the sound and response of the whistle, particularly in the 2nd octave but also on the lowest notes as well.
Regarding the Burkes, I have 2 and love them, but I do find that even though you can play them just by sticking them between your lips and doing nothing else, they play far better again when you play them with a well controlled embouchure and airstream.
If you haven’t learned to play a Burke with embouchure control, you haven’t discovered a tenth of what that whistle can do yet.
–James
Cynth, you make some very good points. I agree that there’s something that goes on in the the mouth and throat that makes a difference.
As for the American’s/ commercialism thing. Yes, I’m rude towards whistle makers who cleverly who use this forum to promote themselves. And I’m hard on those who put out inferior products. About 4 years ago this forum was used by a new whistle maker to promote his wares and he took many “for a ride” because people were so intent on being nice that nobody would acknowledge what was going on. I’ve personally been “taken” more than once, and one of these days I will do an expose on the BS that these guys pull off on us.
OK, maybe I’m just grumpy.
Well, it sort of seems like you are judging people on the basis of your past experiences which would be reasonable if they are the same people, but if they aren’t then it doesn’t seem quite fair.
If some Americans took you for a ride, well I am indeed sorry about that and I know you aren’t alone, but, at the same time, I feel a little weird when you say “can’t get the America out of the American” like I’m (happening to be an American) some kind of polluted being or something that can’t be cleaned up. I would feel this way about any country and people you mentioned. I’m just saying that some Americans are bad and some are good just like in any other country.
I do realize that people will differ on what a commercial post is and we just won’t be agreeing on that and that’s okay.
As for being grumpy, I think that is one thing we have in common. 
Absolutely, what you do inside your mouth influences how it sounds!
Actually Mike (Burke)'s whistles are player whistles as in player pianos - they play themselves. 
Internal embouchure sounds like a good term to include all those little things one does when adjusting to a particular whistle. I just took out my Abells and neither did there seem to be any particular adjustments needed nor any need to place the entire mouthpiece in the mouth or any other such issues. I guess we all mostly without realizing just make the adjustments when first picking up a new whistle - after that muscle memory seems to just kick in.
A word about the poster Notus. He can’t be too pushy with his advertising campaign, because this is the first time I noticed his whistles and I’m a fairly regular reader/poster - he’s been on the Board for almost 6 months.
Whitmores are good folks who IMHO were a might rude to Americans (yes, I agree, meaning US citizens really) and a bit quick on the trigger regarding Notus. Per the rules, I believe a once a month commercial ad is permitted without special approval; perhaps Whitmores objects to working in an ad without labelling the subject as commercial. Although I understand that, I feel it was more than outweighed by lack of a history of such behavior by Notus as well as the overall helpful whistle related content of the posting.
And while I’m giving off hot air, we need to stop saying things that seem calculated to drive away people with something to contribute, including yes makers and prospective makers.
Haruuuumph and good night Gracie!
Philo
Thanks PhilO!
I have been a member of the board for almost 6 months, but I have been lurking since the end of the last millenium (literally!). Before I created my signature, I was careful to observe how other whistle makers presented themselves and still find nothing out of the ordinary in the information I provide. I have never asked ANYONE to purchase one of my pennywhistles!
I believe it is much more fair and honest to let people know where you are coming from instead of hiding behind an anonymous user name or Avatar.
Anyone who would examine the postings I have made is sure to find a subtle cry for attention worked in! Anyone who believes that I am some sort of master criminal advertiser would do well to just count the number of posts I have made to date. Many member’s posts number into the thousands within the first year.
Precisely because I have commercial influences/intentions, I have taken extra care to make sure I have something I believe to be of value to the community as a whole before I open my mouth.
But, first and foremost I am a lover of music–a student and a seeker! I readily admit to being a lifelong novice. I always try to give credit to my mentors, as well.
In case it is not obvious who those mentors might be, I would be happy to spell it out. M-I-K-E B-U-R-K-E and C-H-R-I-S A-B-E-L-L
Both these guys offer superior customer service as well as superior products! Chris’s assistant hand-delivered a beautiful blackwood A right to my door, some 3 hour drive from his shop. Mike’s wife called me up after I placed an order for a low D Viper to extend a special offer (that I couldn’t refuse–WhOA is me 
)
Years ago, I spent a considerable amount of time in therapy. I was miserable over the sales job I had in which I was being trained to lie about products that I didn’t believe in. The shrink recommended that I quit my job. After that, my mental health improved considerably (although some would disagree 
).
For more than a decade, I owned my own commercial contracting business, in which I raked and stacked piles of money without ever making a sales call. Still, my sales force was extensive. The customers…
This time around, I am going for love, not money! (Will all millionaire whistle makers please raise their bloody fingers?)
My sincerest apologies to all that will consider this to be another crass commercial attempt at fraud! Unfortunately, I do not respond well to personal attacks by strangers and feel this strange need to explain myself when my feelings have been trampled upon 
This discussion seems to have changed topics, but, if I may - back to the original subject?
That’s a very interesting idea to turn the mouth piece around in the wind. I’ve never thought of that. But if it’s at a gig, how do you continue to mic the whistle? (This is not a critique, but a serious question - I’m curious because this happens in my life too).
My Abell rests pretty intensely on my bottom lip (lip is pressed against bottom teeth) and is clasped lightly just behind the tips of my front top two teeth. I can articulate very well this way. I just tried it with the whole thing shoved in my mouth and I don’t feel like I’m in control any more.
Hi Kate,
I guess it’s all a personal thing. Turning it upside down stops me from shoving the whole thing in my mouth and looking weird.
Mic-ing:
The volume to the mic will be lower, of course. But the Abel is loud enough to get it out there, I think. I’ll know tomorrow when I play this way miced.