Well, I started playing the whistle and I’ve grown to love it. I’ve got a cheap Clarke’s D that I’ve been practicing on, but I think that it’s about time that I got a good one. So, of course, I must come to you guys for help. I have a few questions.
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I have a couple of other cheap whistles, but I like my Clarke’s best, not because it has the best sound (which it does) but because it is quieter than the others. I’ve seen in a few places that a quieter whistle will have a narrower bore. Is this correct? If so, do high end whistles come made like this?
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I’ve seen tuneable whistles. Now, I’m not a musician, meaning the whistle is only the second instrument I’ve ever even attempted and I can barely read music. I only play by myself, although that could change. Do I need a tuneable whistle? Are there any advantages to getting one that can’t be tuned?
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I’ve been told that the material the whistle is made of can influence the sound quality. So far, I’ve seen them in sterling silver, nickel, brass, aluminum, wood, and plasic (pvc). What are the differences between the sounds that these different materials make?
I’m sure I’ll come up with more questions once I have the answers to these and have pondered for a while, but if anyone can inform this newbie musician, I’d really appreciate it.
How much do you want to spend on a whistle?
What kind of tone are you after?
What kind of volume do you need (do you plan to play with other musicians)?
Doc
Price isn’t really a factor. My 21st birthday is next month, so the 'rents are going to cover whatever I choose 
As for the tone, I have no idea, what are the options?
Volume, well, I prefer something quieter, as I’ll very seldom be playing with others, if at all.
I first started out with untunable whistles…they were fine (even if some were slightly out of true), until I started playing with other musicians. I never thought I’d be up on stage, in a band. (Of course, I never really gave much thought to playing at session at the time either)…but eventually, I got to the point where I was doing a lot of both.
If you end up in the same kind of idea, that’ll probably be a good time to invest in a good tunable whistle. Most of the really expensive ones are already tunable anyway, so if you get a non-tunable, you’re not going to be out a whole lotta bucks. Of course, you could get a tunable now, “just in case”. I guess the point I’m making is don’t assume that you’ll only ever be playing by yourself forever..you may very well not be.
From what I can tell, the only real advantages non-tunables have is that 1) they’re generally less expensive and 2) they require less maintenance, and experience less wear and tear, 3) You don’t gotta worry about learning how to tune the thing.
On 2002-08-10 16:11, Revanche wrote:
Well, I started playing the whistle and I’ve grown to love it. I’ve got a cheap Clarke’s D that I’ve been practicing on, but I think that it’s about time that I got a good one. So, of course, I must come to you guys for help. I have a few questions.
-
I have a couple of other cheap whistles, but I like my Clarke’s best, not because it has the best sound (which it does) but because it is quieter than the others. I’ve seen in a few places that a quieter whistle will have a narrower bore. Is this correct? If so, do high end whistles come made like this?
-
I’ve seen tuneable whistles. Now, I’m not a musician, meaning the whistle is only the second instrument I’ve ever even attempted and I can barely read music. I only play by myself, although that could change. Do I need a tuneable whistle? Are there any advantages to getting one that can’t be tuned?
-
I’ve been told that the material the whistle is made of can influence the sound quality. So far, I’ve seen them in sterling silver, nickel, brass, aluminum, wood, and plasic (pvc). What are the differences between the sounds that these different materials make?
I’m sure I’ll come up with more questions once I have the answers to these and have pondered for a while, but if anyone can inform this newbie musician, I’d really appreciate it.
Well, here’s my take.
Tunable is sometimes necessary when playing with other musicians. I say sometimes because two factors may make it unneeded. #1, most other instruments can tune to you. #2, many high-end non-tuneables are dead-on in tune.
However, the volume issue really can be very important. I absolutely love my Dixons as practice instruments, because of their wonderful tone, and their lack of volume. I can practice for long periods without driving my wife up the wall. In fact, I can practice in one room, while she practices keyboard in the other, without interfering with each other.
On the flip side, the Dixon, especially the low-D, is inadequate for session use. For that, I like the Chieftains I have, as well as my old Soodlum. But, too much practice with them in the house will get me dirty looks from my wife.
So, if you’re really looking for a quiet whistle to practice with, tuneability is of minimal use, and I wouldn’t be concerned with it.
The ironic part for me is that my Dixons are tunable, while my Chieftains are not. OTOH, my Chieftains are in tune, and I don’t miss the ability to tune them very much.
Hi Rev,
Narrow bores are quieter. (Thinking about a Susato narrow bore? It’s an acquired taste that some never acquire, so I’d say “no” to that).
I would recommend you be careful around “session” whistles at this time, unless you have a soundproof room. Also, they require a lot of wind to play. My Chieftain hurts my ears at the top of the upper octave. Since money is no object, why not go straight for the very best, A Copeland whistle (in the key of D, of course). OK, Copelands are loud compared to a Clarke, but the sound is so good you’ll get fewer objections.