Well, the subject just about says it all, without any useful information
I’m Irish, so of course I got the usual “here’s a tin whistle, we’ll now spend a year teaching you how to play it” in school, which left me with the ability to maul a Walton so badly that it played “Three Blind Mice” just to get me to stop touching it. I promptly dropped it as rapidly as I was allowed to (since it was a school thing, and school things are never, ever, cool, right? :roll: ). Then, a decade or two later, I go out with this girl who happens to be a classically-trained musician that plays everything from tin whistles to saxaphone, and wouldn’t you know it, I got interested in playing again for some strange reason
Anyway, it’s now a few months later, and I can just about play a recognisable “Amazing Grace” (this time on a Feadog - and yes, I’m desperately slow with learning, I can’t even get past the first six bars in “The Irish Washerwoman”…). And I’m annoyed that it never sounds like I’m actually playing well, and the tone, well, warbles.
And then I start reading here and note that not all Feadogs and other low-end whistles are all that great in terms of quality control, and in many cases demand more skill to play well. Plus, I’m exceptionally shy about being listened to while practising, so I’d like a quieter whistle, and even the blu-tack on the blade trick isn’t perfect as the tone gets really unstable with respect to breath control that way
So I’m wondering if a mid-range whistle (like a Hoover D smallbore for example) would be benefical, or if this is just something that everyone does and there’s something I’m missing? Or is this just another WhOA case?
I’ll let others comment on the Hoovers, but here is a bit of a trick: Get a Clare. Nasty green tops, I know. But they play very quietly, and you can make them even quieter by taking a paper clip and sticking it in the window. Jam it in there gently until it sorta sticks. It should be angled back toward your mouth. Makes the whistle a bit breathy but the tone stays pretty bearable, through both octaves.
And if you are just learning, forget the Irish Washerwoman. That’s a hard one. Try Road to Lisdoonvarna (jig) or Fig for a Kiss or the Spanish Lady.
Hard to say. For some of us, acquisition of whistles was more important at first than acquisition of skill. Which in my case may explain my disappointing rate of skill acquisition. At the same time, the fact that you seem to be hitting (and more importantly, recognizing) the shortcomings of your Feadog suggest that a smoother and more consistent whistle might do some good.
There are a few whistles which aren’t particularly expensive (the Dixon springs to mind) but still play a lot more smoothly and less shrilly than a Feadog. Maybe that’d be an option.
Hi Sparks. For a quiet yet innexpensive whistle, try a Clark original. I keep going back to that instrument over more expensive ones just because I like the breathyness and the quietness of it.
I think there is a subtle and healthy relationship between getting better with the music and getting better whistles as you go. This is certainly not to say that the only thing that stands between you (or me) and great whistle playing is a better instrument (though I’m still hoping…) Still, there are a lot of decent ‘mid-range’ whistles out there that just sound better than some of the more common generics (duh). I like my Hoovers and my Dixons, which are fine mid-range (price-wise) whistles. Also, amen to Clarke (tweaked, it’s worth it). Also, there is a Shaw tweaker out there about whom there is some favorable press as well.
And, if you want to spend more, a wait is often involved. In my opinion, there is nothing like the feeling that goes with being on ‘the waiting list’ of one or more of the many other fine whistle makers known to the C & F community. In the approximately four and a half years I have been at this with any degree of seriousness, I have usually had a decent whistle on order (not the same one, of course.) If you anticipate sticking with the playing, place your order now. You will surprised at the progress you will make in the interim, so that when the six months to twelve months have passed, you will have a decent batch of tunes ready for that special instrument. Throw your spare change in a jar every day, and you will have what you need (and maybe more) by the time that custom job arrives.
Wow, I just tried this with my Clare with my kids watching a movie in the next room - nobody groaned or shut the door! This may be a new era in my household!
As far as the topic at hand, I am also probably further ahead in WhOA than I am in whistling skills, but I will say that having a decent whistle makes learning much easier and more enjoyable. I started with a couple of Sweetones neither of which I cared much for (many others have had the opposite experience, there is a high chance of variation within a given manufacturer it seems) but ended up getting a Susato which was for me very easy to play and learn with. I like my Clare, too. Maybe get a Susato or Dixon (neither will put too much of a dent in your pocket book) and see how it goes.
EDIT: oops I forgot to add Susatos are pretty loud so that might not be your best choice.
Just to give credit where it’s due: I got the paper clip trick from Jim Stone. I find it works best with the Clare, but works also with Generations and Feadogs, and with Waltons, to a certain extent.
Being a perpetual novice and avid buyer of whistles let me chime in…I feel as I become a better whistler, the better whistle becomes more enjoyable, encouraging more time whistling, improving my skill level,etc, etc.
As I improve, I become less tolerant of “cheap” whistles..
So I think it is a natural progression to desire better instruments as you become a better player..Of course not everyone shares my feeling, just my thoughts on the matter.
I guess that could explain the Fred Rose order and the new set of Reyburns…
ps…for a mid range whistle…Dixon or Syn..can’t go wrong..
Sparks: If you are really hot to purchase a better quality whistle, the Hoover narrow bore D may not be the best choice. It is an incredibly quiet whistle, but there is always a price - in this case, touchy breath requirements.
Mack Hoover’s Whitecap, in brass, is a whistle you should consider. Even in its normal form, it is quiet, and Mack can produce one that is even quieter…It has a sweet tone and relatively ‘normal’ breath requirements. It also is not particularly expensive. My eight year old daughter has improved her playing on this instrument - and played in public with it, 2 weeks ago…I own one, also, and find that when we are practicing together, I always reach for the Whitecap…Its complete lack of harshness is even acceptable to all of our cats…
Whether or not you should get a higher quality whistle as a novice depends on your ability to tell whether your cheap whistle is any good. A lot of what held me back a long time ago was the fact that the whistle I was using was very touchy, and produced the most gawdawful sounds if you didn’t hit things just right. For the beginner, this can be distressing, and can seriously impede your desire to continue.
If you’ve got someone who’s good, have them test your cheapies. Hopefully, they will make sure that your whistle is not holding you back. If you don’t have such a person to test for you, you may be best moving up the whistle food chain a bit so that you’re getting a whistle with a better reputation for consistency.
Personally, I would never recommend a Generation or a Clark Original for a rank beginner who does not have someone to quality test them for him. My experience has been that thier quility control is middling to poor. Instead, I would lean toward recommending a Sweetone or equivalent. While I personally don’t like the sound of Sweetones, the ones I’ve played have always been well in tune, and consistent in thier octave jumps.
As was mentioned before: sweetones are consistently easy to play. I’ve never touched a whistle easier to play. That said, I don’t care for their sound (I don’t like conical-bore whistles in general, to be honest), but for someone just learning how to play, they’re a good starting point. You can focus on learning to play the tunes and not fighting with your whistle. One thing you do need to understand is that even “high-end” whistles require specific breath control, and they’re often trickier to control (at first anyhow) than your garden variety Clarke Sweetone. They do tend to allow for more specific control and flexibility, facilitating a more expressive playing style, if that’s what you want.
Bottom line: You might want to wait until you’ve been playing about 6 months to a year and have a decent handle on the basics before you jump to a fancier instrument. Or if you have the patience of a saint, you can get one now and muck through the frustration until you learn its specific nuances. If you think you’re ready for one, go for it.
I recommend buying every cheep whistle you can get your hands on, you are bound to find one that you like. To make sure that your skills come along to match your whistle collection, never have more whistles then songs you know. So when you have all the cheep whistles you are going to get, even if you don’t like any of them, you will have some knowledge of what you want, or don’t want, in your more expensive whistle.
Also having many whistles that you are ambiguous toward is good as this helps spread the sickness. Some become gifts for others that show an interest.
I’m agreeing with all the advice given above, with one additional comment:
If you are shy about practicing and are unconsciously or consciously trying to hold back or play quietly, it’s very likely that the warbly tone and inconsistent breath control are because you are not supporting your breath properly. You have to breathe from the diaphragm (ask your girlfriend about this); practice standing up for a while, and learn to focus your airstream instead of puffing into the whistle. You will find that your tone improves after a while, and so will the length of time you can play between breaths.
That being said, I’d say get a Sweetone AND a Clarke original (tweaked if possible). I think you’ll find your tone improves dramatically. And if you get an untweaked Clarke original, you will learn to support your breath or die trying! I like to think of mine as “calisthenics”…(but I love her dearly…)
