Can You Afford Low Whistles and Flutes in Different Keys?

Whistle
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I am a musician and have played with other musicians for almost thirty years and over that time, I have noticed that the most popular keys used in music are: C, A, G, D, E, and F. Sometimes Bb and Eb are used but these keys are normally rarely used unless you are playing with brass or woodwind instruments like saxophones.

I am a new tin whistle player and since whistles and flutes are diatonic, I’ve noticed that there is a problem with playing music with others. Let me explain, if I have a D whistle, which is the most popular whistle key and the most common key used in Irish Traditional Music, I can play that whistle in the keys of D, G, and maybe A. That whistle covers three of the top six or eight most popular keys used in music.

The next most popular whistle is the C whistle. This whistle takes care of the keys of C, F and again G. Now we are looking at five of the top six or eight keys. Irish Traditional Music is usually played in the keys of C, G, D, and sometimes A, so with just two whistles you can cover most of the popular keys used in ITM.

Some people can play more than three keys on the D whistle but it is difficult and the majority of whistle players can’t or don’t do this. So, I’m going to need more whistles to cover the other keys if I expect to play with other people. I could probably not worry too much about playing in the key of Eb because it is not that popular. The keys of F and Bb are hard to play on a guitar but can easily be done using a capo. The key of E, however, is a popular guitar key and is used in other types of music like bluegrass, country, rock, etc.

The problem playing in other keys is not so bad on the regular high or soprano tin whistle because Generation Whistles makes inexpensive tin whistles in many of these keys needed to play with others (except for the keys of A and E). You can cheaply buy tin whistles in most of the keys you need .

But what are you suppose to do if you also play the Low Whistle or the Irish Flute? Again the most popular Low Whistle is the key of D and the most popular Irish Flute is the key of D. Low Whistles and Irish Flutes are just too expensive to buy them in all the keys you need to play with others. How can you afford to buy all the different low whistles and flutes in the various keys that you will need?

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eh? eh?

I’m serious. Most places you need something that’s not in D, G, or A, you’re not playing Irish music anyway… and you can play darned good Irish music on a Boehm flute anyway, so why not?

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Hi Gerard, welcome to the exciting world of whistles. Most whistle players have more whistles than then need, but not all the whistles they want. :slight_smile:

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Hello Gerard1973. Welcome.

While the vast majority of Irish dance music can be played on a D whistle or flute, there are other keys that are utilized. Fiddlers like other keys for some tunes, they sit better in those keys like A or E. Then there are the songs and the singers which you may want to accompany. So if you like being in those situations and playing along, you may want a few more whistles.

I can offer two solutions. First buy whistles in the keys you most commonly encounter. And you have listed those. Whistles in D, C and A would cover your needs. So start there. Mid priced whistles are readily available in those keys. Over time you’ll have them all.

Second, you could try your hand at making your own whistles. It’s a hoot and a toot too.

Having played for many years, I have a set of whistles that range from high E to low C with the most used keys in between. Generally I only carry a high D if I am going to a session or workship. And I only play a D flute - keyless or a five key.

So, add those lower voices to your whistle bag. Just my opinion.

Feadoggie

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I like Feadoggie’s thinking on this. If you play a D flute most of the time, you could easily switch off to another key on the penny whistle. I doubt that it’ll happen often enough to warrant buying more flutes. Or you could buy a bunch of Tipple flutes in different keys.

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How do you afford it? Base the purchase on your needs. Do you really need an F# whistle? Probably not. Even when playng with singers, moving up or down a half-tone is usually acceptable. As long as you’re in the singer’s primary range, a half tone should be within their grasp.

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And you can double up and get a two in one by getting the dual flute/whistle for both D and C. Two bodies, four heads, and if I calculate correctly six different keys.

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Well, remember that Irish traditional music as we know it evolved with three instruments as its major transmitters: the uilleann pipes, the old-system flute, and the fiddle. The very nature of the flute and pipes limits the keys which were utilised. So, if one sticks to traditional pipe/flute repertoire, there is no need to aquire any keys other than D.
The keys used in this traditional pipe/flute repertoire are the keys available using one or two sharps: D major/mixolydian, E minor/dorian, G major/lydian, A mixolydian/dorian, B minor, and C lydian.
However there is a somewhat seperate repertoire which has evolved on the fiddle, accordion, and tenor banjo. In this repertoire you will find tunes in the normal keys but with added range (the lowest note on pipes and flute being D, however these tunes will often go down to G). Also you will find tunes in keys like D minor and G minor which are difficult or impossible on the pipes or flute.
Irish wind players differ in their response to these tunes when they crop up at sessions. Some choose to go get another pint. Many will bring a C whistle to handle the tunes in D minor and G minor. Many have come up with creative ways to compress the tunes which go below their bottom D.
I myself love playing these fiddle/accordion/banjo tunes. Rather than compressing them, I use a low A or low G whistle as needed to get the low notes. For example, The Bear Reel fits wonderfully on an A whistle and the entire tune can be played without alteration. Tam Linn and The Dawn also work in this way.
As far as affordability goes, I know people who have full sets of uilleann pipes in the keys of D, C, and B, at around $7,000 a piece.
I myself recently got out of fluting due to hand cramps, and the sale of one of my flutes more than paid for extremely high quality whistles (from Michael Burke) in low D, G, A, C, and high D. I went to a session Sunday and used every one of them.
I should add that playing in a group, and doing studio gigs, is very different from session playing, as you never know what key you may need to play in. For studio gigs I show up with all my whistles, ones in keys like A flat, C sharp, B natural, etc etc. Actually I have every key save for F sharp/ G flat. That’ll be next. See the “photos of your collection” thread for a photo of all my whistles if you’re interested.