Daniel, have you been talking to Casey Burns?
I dunno… I played an Eva Kingma contrabass flute once, and it seemed to play just like a normal flute, with normal voicing and response etc. Didn’t take any more air than a normal flute, and I could use pretty much the same embouchure. Cows ain’t in it.
I didn’t see that before.
Many Whistlemakers think alike when it comes to making new instruments. Anything that is cylindrical and hollow is immediately thought, “What kind of whistle would that make?”.
We have to contain ourselves when we pass the plumbing aisle at the local hardware store.
That reminds me, the new “foam core” PVC that is offered in large diameters is in my thoughts for Subcontra whistle 2.0.
And I’ve been thinking about a Bass-D 146.832 Hz made from cedar panels in a way similar to the Paezold, except it will follow 6-hole theory (aka Diatonic Tin Whistle, that is) - except the price range would be more “whistlish”. Funny thing is, basswhistles now seem so small in comparison. Like when they broke the mach 2 barrier, mach 1 no longer seemed like a big deal.
Anyone who makes whistles that is trying to improve the volume, try making a bass - it will teach you some new things about whistle voicing - then apply it to the smaller whistles.
On the subcontra, I started out trying to make a curved windway - like always. I was however able to get better voicing in this case using a flat windway. I think the curved item had too many imperfections in it. I also had to made the windway floor longer in order to get it to sound decent.
Yes, and I do have that same affliction myself. I had a real chuckle when I read Casey’s post about the shipping tube after reading about your latest project here.
The Peatzold recorders have been in the back of my mind for the last 20 years and I never seem to get around to making anything like them ( diatonic or otherwise) - too many other instruments at the top of the list. So I would be interested in seeing what you may come up with Daniel.
Have fun!
Feadoggie
Many Whistlemakers think alike when it comes to making new instruments
I know as I was replacing all the cracked/rusted cast iron and galvanized steel pipe in our upstairs bathroom that I was eyeing the various pipes with a view to building a looooooooow whistle - and it was not the first time. Visions of bellows and multiple players (to keep the instrument simple)
Here’s the head for the prototype, the great experiment:
Well Daniel, it looks like you are on your way. Looks good. Thanks for sharing.
Feadoggie
Finished leak testing the body tube and it’s now playing a nice long 146.83 Hz Bass-D.
Exciting to hear it working, I will need to get my interests back on the shipping tube whistle but I’m happy about the tone quality and the air usage of this square organ pipe whistle.
Spraying the interior with varnish spray has helped the tone immensely. The lower you go in pitch the less leak tolerant the whistle becomes. In the second octave, you can feel the vibration backing into you chest.
Cutting the long length of 1/4" sheets straight with my old bandsaw was kind of difficult. If I went into production with these, I think I would get someone else to cut it.