On one of the Joanie Madden’s Cd’s the liner notes say she plays the “air whistle” on particular tune. I am not sure what is meant by this. I have been able to somewhat duplicate the sound by taping over part of the fipple opening which both reduces the volume and give my whistle that same “Airy” sound. But, as I said, I am not sure this is what she is doing. Anybdy know what she is doing?
Try blowing over top of the windway and not into it. I jam the wind way under my lip and blow at the blade. That should work.
It also works well if you hold your whistle like a flute and blow into the windway
Air whistle… I believe Dale’s interview of Joannie (found on the C & F website) contains her full explanation of this effect. She explains that some people actually thought that they were listening to a defective CD! Come to think of it, when I play I’ve had some wonder if they were listening to a defective… oh, nevermind.
Jef
When I saw the subject line I thought at first that this was the whistle equivalent of an air guitar. I had this picture of the closed eyes, the intense expression and the fingers fluttering in clear air.
On an allied subject, have you noticed that if you slap your fingers down hard enough you can make out the tune on a flute without actually blowing. Doesn’t carry very well in a session though…
As I understand it, Joanie used a combination of both ‘air whistle’ and this finger slapping technique on “The Otter’s Holt” (A.K.A. Track 3)
They mic’ed up the end of the whistle a lot and joanie played the melody, and what you hear that sounds almost like roto-tom drums, or perhaps high pitched hand drums is actualy her fingers striking the key tube of her whistle.
Pretty cool idea!
B~
On an allied subject, have you noticed that if you slap your fingers down hard enough you can make out the tune on a flute without actually blowing. Doesn’t carry very well in a session though…
I went to a flute concert at my local university last week and witnessed an incredible performance. The artist was flutist Robert Dick, and the percussion sounds he can get out of a standard flute just “slapping his fingers” on the open holes (?) are incredible.
Blaine