I posted the youtube-video: “one minute, please” a few days ago. The question was, if I can play really in tune with the new curved “Whistle-Head”?
I play my “Whistle-Head” not only on the Boehm-Concertflute to have a fully chromatic “Low D”, but also on my low - whistles ( D-Eb-E-F-F#-G ) ! search for my youtube-video “Superwhistle”.
The head improves the octave-intonation of the whistles dramatically, just like it does with the Boehmflute.
If you’reinterested to hear the whistles on more youtube-videos, I can upload more stuff!?
In this next “Youtube” you can hear a demonstration of the intonation-abilities of the curved head. I used a straight sound from my keyboard as a drone ( A= 442 hz ):
I make flutes, whistles and quenas as a hobby, like some of you do also. If I make this whistle-head from delrin and can find a way to produce it in semi-industrial way, the price can go down to an affordable amount !? That depends on the orders a can get. Do you think, that there is a market for that and how much would people pay for it ?
I’m allready playing around with different timbers and measurements of the labium and windway - that is fun to build the heads, but it takes a lot of time to make it properly without expensive mashines and tools…but I am getting better every day.
Since I’d happily be talking to you about handmade fipple heads for my flute if I wanted one (quite likely sometime!), anything you can do to make it cheaper can only add to the temptation…
I’m allready playing around with different timbers and measurements of the labium and windway - that is fun to build the heads, but it takes a lot of time to make it properly without expensive mashines and tools…but I am getting better every day.
But you’re already very good (it’s a truly impressive achievement)!
I believe that there is a market provided the price makes sense to a whistle player. With this in mind, most whistles, even the ones considered as expensive, cost far less than quality orchestra instruments.
EDIT: My comments were intended toward the curved whistlehead/mouthpiece only as it relates to a Low whistle.
Hohner did a whistle head for b hm flute about 30 years ago .. it never took off .. seems a flute and a whistle are not the same …
Just learn to play your B hm and let whitles be what they are.
IT’s a modern Vs. post mordern thing .. the difference between farmers and sheep - let the sheep alone .. we need the fleece ..
hair is looking a bit long dude .. I know a REAL good tailor and get yer money in the new energy thing it’s better for your rent.
That would make two of us… I had to give up the transverse flute a few years ago since I lost partial control of my lower lip after an operation and have been unable to produce a clear tone or access the upper octave anymore.
I’ve been watching your youtube vids and feeling the temptation increase too.
Just learn to play your B hm and let whitles be what they are.
Perhaps we can play our B hms (and our whitles, recodrs and other flues) but find this exciting as well?
Sorry to hear that! So Martin’s head joint sounds like it could be a godsend to you, although I must add that it’s appealing to me (as it obviously does to him) as an additional option rather than a replacement.
I think that there is a market for your whistle head, but I also think you will have to create a bigger market than already exists, and the best way to do this is to get your instrument seen and heard in performance by more players than just yourself. I do enjoy your videos quite a lot, and they give me the idea that you may be able to seek out other YouTube users who play jazz flute (for example), and contact them about some collaborative work with your whistle head. If people start seeing them played by a few players, it will likely foster more interest in what you are doing.
Another thought I had is that it may work out that for some flutes, a standard design will not give the optimum sound and performance. You may need to customize your whistle head to some extent, to individual flutes, in some cases. In other words, you may need to voice each one individually to bring out the full potential of what your whistle headjoint brings to flutes of different makes.
You might also consider selling it as a full whistle as well - you will probably find interest among whistle players comes quickly and easily.
Thanks for your videos. I believe there’s a market for this sort of thing. I am developing a similar mouthpiece for the boehm flute, and would appreciate any advice. Don’t want to steal your trade secrets or anything… do you use any kind of wedge device to correct the second octave intonation? I haven’t had so much luck with the third octave, but then I’m not a flute player and I’m not sure of that’s my lack of abilities, or the mouthpiece. I’ve been discussing my mouthpiece in another thread with the board here.
It really is a Godsend for me. I’ve been communicating with Martin the educciman and he’s a fantastic guy as well as a great musician and instrument maker. Martin is making me a fipple head joint and I’ve ordered myself a grenadilla open hole flute with a B foot since I had given my concert flute away after I was unable to play it anymore . I’m really looking forward to playing flute again.
I sent Martin’s YouTube vid link to a colleague of mine, who is a virtuoso saxophonist and flautist, and he was very impressed with both the intonation and the tone. I really think that every flautist should have one for the different tone colour and response, just like drummers have wire brushes and mallets… and to remind them of the joys they had in primary school recorder classes.
and get yer money in the new energy thing