For Christmas, my guitar-playing friend got me a Shaw A (the middle one, as I understand it), which is a very interesting creature indeed!
I’m totally befuddled if I try to transpose while looking at the music but can pick up tunes by ear without much trouble.
But, as an unreconstructed flute player, I’m confounded by its air requirements–I can’t make it through a whole A, nor even the first time through! I foresee some period of retraining.
Is the solution to play a little more percussively because I have to take a lot of breaths?
I AM excited about having a little more low end to play with and the reach is pretty easy for me. This may be the lowest whistle I can handle, and being able to also play in D was its big attraction.
Any advice?
\
Marguerite
Gettysburg
[ This Message was edited by: mvhplank on 2003-01-06 19:37 ]
Therefore, my option is to find a way to make it work.
A tweak of which I have read but which I haven’t tried myself is to put small segments of insulated wire of the thickness of the windway between the wood block and the top. It’s cheap and reversible and I’ve heard it cuts down the air requirements without sacrificing the quality of the sound.
My apologies if this has come up before, but I haven’t read it on the board, for what little that’s worth.
I think Clarke originals are similar to Shaws, and I had a Clarke original C that was impossibly airy. I looked at the blade and too much of the air was going out of the whistle, so I turned it on its side and hit it with a mallet; the blade came out a little and made it more bearable. I ended up evetually melting the whistle, but that’s another story.
On 2003-01-06 20:10, JMcCYoung wrote:
A tweak of which I have read but which I haven’t tried myself is to put small segments of insulated wire of the thickness of the windway between the wood block and the top. It’s cheap and reversible and I’ve heard it cuts down the air requirements without sacrificing the quality of the sound.
My apologies if this has come up before, but I haven’t read it on the board, for what little that’s worth.
John
That’s a bit more along the line I hoped this thread would go. I was considering attempting a wax fix.
By the way, the windway is metal all around; there’s a sort of metal “floor” that meets the wooden plug.
I don’t think I’m quite ready to whack it with a mallet yet.
My (very limited) experience is that for some reason, the Shaw A is the most breath intensive of the line. I find myself gasping more playing the A than even the low-D. Of course, that may be psychological.
I’ll have to try the wire (or toothpick) trick. I’m not totally thrilled with the sound of the A, but the low-D is wonderful.
Okay, yeah, it takes a lot of wind. Do you want everything in life to be easy?
I’m not a performer who would require the best axe around–so I’ll just have to come up with a different way to treat it when playing with friends.
It’s a challenge, right? Those who know me well have figured out I do my best work when someone throws down the glove. (I know I’m being manipulated but I can’t stop myself )
Besides, it’s a poor workman (craftsperson) who blames his (her) tools.
On 2003-01-06 23:15, mvhplank wrote:
Besides, it’s a poor workman (craftsperson) who blames his (her) tools.
Bull. A dull knife does more damage than a sharp one. Given a decent instrument, it’s up to the player to make it sing. Otherwise, it’s absolutely legitimate to blame the tool.
(Re. transposing) I have not tried this but I read about it.
If you read D music and use D fingerings on a whistle of another key, the tune sounds right. I am hoping to get a Bb whistle next and intend to try this.
On 2003-01-06 23:57, FJohnSharp wrote:
(Re. transposing) I have not tried this but I read about it.
If you read D music and use D fingerings on a whistle of another key, the tune sounds right. I am hoping to get a Bb whistle next and intend to try this.
Yes, that’s right. Regardless of what key whistle you’re playing, you can use the same fingerings to get the same tune…it’ll just be in a different key. So if you’re playing a Bb, just “pretend” that low Bb is D, and you can play any music you would play on your D whistle.
I think these whistles are playable,
but quite demanding. Often I’ve
found my breath inadequate for
a new whistle–goal posts pushed
further back, etc. It can be
an opportunity to develop further,
unless the whistle is simply
impossible. I think I can play
a Shaw low D alright–now.
On 2003-01-06 23:15, mvhplank wrote:
Besides, it’s a poor workman (craftsperson) who blames his (her) tools.
Bull. A dull knife does more damage than a sharp one. Given a decent instrument, it’s up to the player to make it sing. Otherwise, it’s absolutely legitimate to blame the tool.
I believe placing blame is a slippery slope toward avoiding personal responsibility–like smokers sueing tobacco companies when it was their own decision to smoke cigarettes.
If you have a dull knife you get it sharpened. Otherwise, it’s your own fault when you hurt yourself–not the tool’s. But if you have a workable but breath-demanding whistle, why not take to opportunity to learn from it? It’s demanding, but not unworkable.
Sorry, your “get another whistle” approach isn’t helpful. If you have a constructive suggestion that will help me to best use a thoughtful gift, I’d be interesting in knowing it.
On 2003-01-07 06:51, jim stone wrote:
I think these whistles are playable,
but quite demanding. Often I’ve
found my breath inadequate for
a new whistle–goal posts pushed
further back, etc. It can be
an opportunity to develop further,
unless the whistle is simply
impossible. I think I can play
a Shaw low D alright–now.
That sounds hopeful. Do you use the need to breathe more often to accentuate parts of the tune? Do you attack some notes a bit harder or percussively as a result?
Thanks,
M
Marguerite
Gettysburg
[ This Message was edited by: mvhplank on 2003-01-07 07:37 ]
A tweak of which I have read but which I haven’t tried myself is to put small segments of insulated wire of the thickness of the windway between the wood block and the top. It’s cheap and reversible and I’ve heard it cuts down the air requirements without sacrificing the quality of the sound.
My apologies if this has come up before, but I haven’t read it on the board, for what little that’s worth.
John
Thanks–I hope to try this.
Now…I’m having an “oh my God!” moment–you’re the son of John Young, a co-worker of mine until last May. I had no idea you were interested in anything but Latin.
Very best regards to you–I admire your dad greatly and have enjoyed some of the interesting e-mail that you’ve shared with him–which he then shared with me.
Marguerite Plank
Marguerite
Gettysburg
[ This Message was edited by: mvhplank on 2003-01-07 07:34 ]
It seems Shaws are often, if not unanimously, criticized for their fipple end.
Did anyone attempt “hybridizing” a Shaw, for instance with a plastic mouthpiece out a Kerry or Howard, or whatever ?
[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-01-07 08:02 ]
Marguerite, I’ve never had an opportunity
to come to terms with a Shaw–
I picked up the low D a couple
of months ago in Lark of the Morning,
Mendocino, and I could play it alright.
I’ve been swimming and walking lots,
and playing some other breath demanding
whistles, too. I liked the low
D, but they wanted 115, which seemed
high, and they caught me trying to
slip out of the shop with it
hidden in my shirt.
So I don’t really have a strategy,
percussive or otherwise, except that
I would play the thing for a couple
of weeks and see what develops.
I figure the mind/body/heart
may sort this out naturally; also
your wind may improve.
But if it’s really impossible,
as perhaps some Shaws are, I
wouldn’t persist indefinitely. Best, Jim
On 2003-01-07 09:18, jim stone wrote:
I liked the low
D, but they wanted 115, which seemed
high, and they caught me trying to
slip out of the shop with it
hidden in my shirt.
I ordered one over the web from Elderly for $75. I got mine ~6 months or so ago, but last I knew they hadn’t raised their prices.
