I have been making Quenas but as they are hard to just pick up and play I’ve decided to make some fipple flutes/whistles. I can obtain a fairly good tone before I start drilling tone holes. At this point the high register gets mushy and sounds awful. What’s my problem? Any advise would be appreciated.
Hi Sid, and welcome. I’ve moved your post here where you’re likely to get responses from the whistle builders among us. Cheers!
What is the key of the whistle, what are the dimensions of the voicing window, what material are you using for the tube, and what is the inside diameter of the tube?
Best wishes,
Jerry
The Quena is an open ended flute, like the Shakuhachi. These flutes need a little more internal acoustic backpressure. I suggest a narrow bore in the 1/35 to 1/40 range (bore diam/length). I also suggest using Pete Kosel’s Flutomat calculator for the hole placement.
Thomas, I believe he’s looking for help making a fipple flute/whistle. What is your advice on length/bore ratios for whistles, as opposed to quenas?
Best wishes,
Jerry
Thanks Jerry (my bad)
A good “middle” bore diameter/length ratio for whistles is about 1/30. This is based on the keynote wavelength. The bore length is slightly less than 1/2 frequency wavelength. The Susato style voicing is the easiest for the beginner because it uses a curved labium ramp and a round fipple plug. I suggst a detailed examination under magnifier glass. The fipple plug is designed to be removed, pop it out and have a good look.
I also suggest examination of the fine details on standard Recorder Voicings, such as rounded windway exit lips, etc. Small details are important here because the Voicing or Embouchure (not “Fipple”. A Fipple is the plug beneath the windway) generates the fundamental keynote frequency
Serious about whistlemaking? Get all the books here…
http://www.shakuhachi.com/TOC-CM.html
Especially those by Lew Paxton Price and Bart Hopkin.
For another point of reference, a Generation or similar traditional D whistle shows a length to bore ratio of just over 22.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Thanks for your great advise. I guess I should be a bit more specific. I started making quenas from pvc. After a little trial and error I was able to figure things out. As most folks can’t just pick up a quena and make music I thought I’d make a fipple whistle. I started by online examples and was able to make noise. When I wanted to make music I ran into a world of problems. Using 3/4 inch bore into walnut, mahogany, etc. I was able to make a consistent tone. Making the notes up the scale, adding tone holes (in the same fashion as the quena) I’d loose tone quality. This is what I can’t figure out. As for the other dimensions it was all SWAG(Silly Wild A** Guess).
[/u]
Can you tell up the key of the whistle and voicing window dimensions?
Best wishes,
Jerry
I’ve made several experimental flutes with different dimensions etc. One that sounds not too awful is in the key of E. It is made from half inch schedule 80 pvc. I’m not sure what you mean by “voicing window” but if it’s the hole with the blade it’s 3/8" long by 1/4" wide. The flute is pentatonic and doesn’t sound too bad. If I sharpen the blade will that make a difference? Also will the inner and outer angle of the blade make a difference?
Yes Sid, he is referring to the hole with the ramp.
Schedule 80? That’s pretty thick stuff - are you using the thickness of the plastic to make the thickness of windway? If so, it could be quite breathy sounding. Schedule 40 is a bit more appropriate - is this a high E?
Also, the hole would be better off at 3/8" wide and 1/4" long - just the opposite of what you stated.
If you look down through the slot (windway) from where you blow air into it, how does the blade line of with the duct. Above, Middle, close to the floor or floor level - I personally like them at floor level with a small chamfer on the floor where it exits into the rectangular hole (window).
Here’s a terminology chart:
