It seems to me that most of the music for the whistle from Scotland and the ‘north of Ireland’ sounds better when played on a C Whistle. Is there something to that or is it just me?
I find that many tunes sound better on a C or Bb. I haven’t paid any attentiion to where the tunes were from. I just bought a Dixon G and it is beutiful on some tunes.
Ron
Its true and they sound even better on an Alba low C
BTW Clarke whistles only used to be made in C
This is probably analagous to a lot of uilleann pipers prefering the sound of “flat sets” (sets pitched lower than standard concert D). In fact, it was only due to vaudeville performing in this country, apparently, that the standard became D. The C and Bb uilleann pipe sets just weren’t being heard by the audiences. The higher pitched D sets carry farther.
And even better on A and G, preferably timber
Trisha
Joanie Mitchell said it best, back in the 1960s:
“C is a happenin’ key.”
Waltons C is the best whistles I’ve ever played. I’ve had the nickel ones and he brass ones and love them both.
I am waiting to try that low C Stacey. I want to see if I can play it better than some of the low Ds I’ve tried. Several people have told me I will love it. If its like my Q1 it will be great. I have an Alba low D or low C fund.
Ron
Where’s the “C” man (BlackHawk) when you need him? Sorry to say, I haven’t owned a C as yet. I happen to like Bb, myself, after low D.
And the best part is that the air compressor you have to carry around in order to have sufficient air to sound that big horn is now available in a battery operated backpack model weighing less than 54 pounds.
Its the best way to give up smoking.
we will have to wate and see what Bloomfield has to say about it his on the list of the Low C tour
Yes, and I am taking up smoking so I can quit in time to try your low C.
There aren’t a whole lot of great C whistles out there. Waltons mellow, maybe Oak, some Burkes… I got a Reyburn that’s OK. I heard Humphreys are good too.
Phil Hardy makes great C whistles, as does Burke. A Freeman-tweaked cheapy may be the ticket as well. I currently have a Silkstone C that I like very much - not the greatest I’ve ever tried, but still close enough for jazz as they say. I’m sure Michael Copeland builds a beautiful C whistle too…I tried a Bb of his that was one of the great whistles I’d ever tried. And I’m picky about whistles
As a treat for myself, I just sent my Generation C whistle to Mack Hoover for a little Whitecapping. If it comes back as the Whitecap Generation D whistle I got July, I will be very happy. I also sent a Generation F to keep it company!
As a treat for myself, I just sent my Generation C whistle to Mack Hoover for a little Whitecapping. If it comes back as sweet as the Whitecap Generation D whistle I got July, I will be very happy. I also sent a Generation F to keep it company!
Sorry about the typo…
Oh, i almost forgot, Mack Hoover makes excellent C whistles.
I’m waiting to see if the Sindt ‘C’ whistle is as great as every owner seems to say it is.
If it’s as good as it’s stablemates,then it’s a winner!
Funny thing is that just because a maker does well in one key doesn’t mean his whistles in the next key will be as good.