Choroi Recorder (Whistle?)

Whistle
1

Has anyone heard of a Choroi recorder? It’s used in the Waldorf curriculum and is sold by several companies that specialize in “natural” toys. It seems to be a whistle, not a recorder, but from some descriptions I think that one might blow across the hole rather than through the fipple. It’s also quite expensive: US $80+. I wonder if a basic penny whistle would be an equivalent, cheaper, and possibly easier-to-play, substitute.

Here’s a pic: http://www.achildsdream.com/images/pentatonic_flute_250.jpg

2

Never heard of 'em. From that picture, though, it looks decidedly
end-blown, due to the curve of the windway. But you never know…

3

They’re ‘non-fipple’ flutes

More about the Steiner/Waldorf instruments on the manufacturer’s website here

the D flute/whistle (i.e. not a pentatonic one):

4

I wish I could see the mouth end. Is it like a quena?

5

The manufacturer sells spare tone blocks. Wouldn’t having a block make it a fipple flute?

6

Silly. Get a tinwhistle, I say, galdurnit.

7

Looking at the page, it seems like only one of the models, which doens’t haev spare tone blocks advertised, is fipple-less (fippless?).

8

It may be fun, but note that since it’s pentatonic you won’t be able to play most Celtic tunes.

9

Hi,

I´ve got two. I found them in a flee market in Sweden. As far as I understand they are used in basic musical education for children. The Choroi flute (or whistle) is a recorder type instrument. The tone is rater soft and quiet but beautiful (like a quiet recorder). The tone is also very stable and solid, it doesn´t rise very much when blowing harder. No overblowing is possible. The bore is wide. The construction also seems very strurdy and well made in hard wood with thick walls.

One of the flutes have five finger holes and one thumb hole and it produces a pentatonic scale. The other one have just one (!) finge hole and you can only play a fifth on it.

The Choroi flute is probably a very nice first instrument for small children. One drawback is of course that you only can play pentatonic melodies.
It´s probably a better choice than the traditional plastic renessance recorder if you are teaching children in the age of 5-7 years, but I think that a whistle would be a very good option also.

10

So, do you blow into the end, or over the hole?

One octave, pentatonic scale. Sounds like you’re stuck with Highland pipe tunes.

11

Not many pipe tunes in pentatonic either- Highland pipes are in myxoldian, not pentatonic, if that’s what you mean. Mixolydian = A B C# D E F# G A, Pentatonic = A B C# E F#, much more limiting :stuck_out_tongue:

12

Or chinese tunes…