This may be a dumb question, but does anyone have a favorite high whistle for playing slow airs (for those of us with limited funds)?
A brass Hoover standard bore Whitecap does a fine job. It is sweet, not brittle or loud, and plays well…
Best.
Byll
How about a Jerry Freeman tweaked Generation Bb. I think I saw them @ Celtic crossings.
Oak, or Clare.
–James
Good gosh what a loaded question. Hmmm. Sweet sound for airs…
Hoover, tweaked gen or feadog, syn, oak,…several others you could find used would fit that bill too…
Probably the Hoover or the Syn would give you the sweetest purest sound…
A lot can be said about a 3 dollar Meg as well. The one I got was exceptionally sweet and pure, with a cross between chiff and ocarina-like sound too.
This may seems strange to some, but I really like playing a gen in F for slow stuff. So high and pure.
I prefer an Oak.
Clarke original or a good/tweaked gen are my favorites for airs. If you don’t mind the key then pick up a gen F or Bb.
Durn I need to find my gen F. Time to clean my room.
It would be a toss-up for me between a Whitecap and a Cillian O Briain “Improved” Feadog. Similar properties, both really sweet whistles.
Redwolf
What about the Freeman tweaked Mellow Dog? Anyone have experience with that baby?
Tweaked Oak is great for that medium ranged haunting slow aire sound. Its a sweet sounding whistle.
I agree especially that the Hoover whitecap, and the new model Syn, are both fine whistles for airs.
Hoovers in particular have a sweet, pure sound that works well in giving airs a melancholy feel.
–James
I prefer whistles lower than D for slow airs, and the Syn C is just perfect…for me.
I like my Hoover whitcap on a Gen tube for a sweet, sweet sound. Under $50 with change left for an Oak.
Of my under-$50’s, I’d definitely say that my Hoover Whitecap on the Feadog tube is my favorite–and I play almost nothing but slow airs.
In addition to having a sweet sound, it’s relatively easy to play across both octaves.
I also have a Hoover Low A–aluminum tube with Whitecap–that’s fine for slow airs. They run $60. (Note that shipping is included in the list price for Hoovers.)
I tend to stick with hight D whistles for learning, so that I can play along with recordings while learning. However, it’s nice to have something lower sometimes.
Tony Higgins has a Jerry-tweaked Generation high D that sounds mighty nice on airs.
I have both the Jerry Tweaked Generation and the Hoover brass whitecap..and I love them both…for slow airs each has it’s own voice. Gee, I don’t think I can choose a favorite between them! Especially for slow airs. Because of my lung power my JT Generation still has problems reaching the upper G,A,B’s..but I’m tryin!
Get them both!! Get them all!!! WHOA is me!!
I want a Clare now.
:roll: :roll:
Nancy
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the tweaked Clarke Original. Mind you, it is very airy (which isn’t a bad thing), but it is perfect for slow airs and is in the price range.
Michael, you bring up an interesting point. Do you know how the tweaked Clarke and tweaked Shaw compare?
I have a Whistle Shop “tweeked” Clarke, and a Jerry-Tweaked Shaw. I’d say the Clarke is a bit thinner and tinnier sounding, and a touch more airy. The Shaw is a bit rougher and grainier, not particularly for airs I think, but great for songs and rough-and-tumble stuff. Breath requirements are similar. But of course individual instruments vary, I tried someone else’s tweaked Shaw once, and it was a bit purer than mine.
i do like my hoodawg.. it has a particularly sweet sound.. but .. sometimes i just have brath control problems with it.. i mean.. my breath goes stale really quick because i cant seem to exhale quickly enough with it.. so.. ide say syn great tooter for the $$
I had that problem at first, but learned to let out extra air around the outside of the mouthpiece.
I prefer that to the problem I had with the Jubilee low D practice whistle at first. I could barely get through a bar (of music) without running out of breath. Vomit Bunny’s idea of inserting a short length of drinking straw into the windway cleared that right up. (And, if you use the kind of straw with the accordion-like bend, you can hold it at a variety of interesting angles.)
There’s an idea for slow airs. At $18 for a low D whistle, how can you go wrong? Also, the fingering on mine is not difficult at all. I was having a little problem holding it, but a saxophone-style neckstrap fixed that.