Goldie low D

[bruce.b]

I only hear chiff at the start of the notes. Some whistles have more chiff than others, the Goldie has some, which I hear in this recording and when I play mine. My MKs have very little chiff. I’m neutral on this, I like how it sounds if it’s not too overwhelming, Goldies are a good example. It’s a more trad whistle sound. Some of the cheap high whistles many people love have more chiff than I prefer. MKs are my favorite sounding whistles, with a powerful, fat, rich tone and not a lot of chiff. Goldies and MKs sound strikingly different when I’m playing them, but less so on recordings.

[pancelticpiper]

After listening to that video I have to admit that I don’t know what you’re referring to.

What stands out to me is that he’s tonguing the attacks of some of the notes very crisply, which is a technique that I’m sure he could do on any whistle he played.

I’m sure he could choose not to do it on any whistle he played, but he obviously prefers that extremely sharp attack. At his level, he could play from that sharply tongued attack to full legato and anywhere in between, I’d wager.

My tongue just doesn’t move that quickly! So my tonguing is a bit more sluggish.

[BKWeid]

Yes, tonguing. I’ve worked on not being sluggish—working toward being more crisp when tonguing. Yet, I struggle. Hearing Brian Finnigan hit triplets in lightning speed makes me wonder how he’s accomplishing the feat. tonguing on attack of a note is much easier.

[sfmans]

@BKWeid

Yes, tonguing. I’ve worked on not being sluggish—working toward being more crisp when tonguing. Yet, I struggle. Hearing Brian Finnigan hit triplets in lightning speed makes me wonder how he’s accomplishing the feat. tonguing on attack of a note is much easier.

Well tonguing is a whole topic in itself and not without its controversies; but rather than going with a hard T every time, try te-re-de for triplets (as in say those phrases and internalise the different way the tongue moves for those three sounds, then apply that to your airstream).

Apologies to anyone who is triggered by the mention of recorders, but the splendid Sarah Jeffrey (Team Recorder) channel has some great YouTube videos devoted to recorder tonguing that gives lots of food for thought for application to the whistle -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T58BhGsbTjs Double tonguing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnPB1_y7wRM Double and triple tonguing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T58BhGsbTjs A ‘clean’ sound, with some info about tonguing

[bruce.b]

I use triple tonguing. Ta-ka-ta is how I think of it. Front of the tongue, back of the tongue, front again. Pretty much all players tongue on some notes, it a question of where amd how often.

[Narzog]

@pancelticpiper

After listening to that video I have to admit that I don’t know what you’re referring to.

What stands out to me is that he’s tonguing the attacks of some of the notes very crisply, which is a technique that I’m sure he could do on any whistle he played.

I’m sure he could choose not to do it on any whistle he played, but he obviously prefers that extremely sharp attack. At his level, he could play from that sharply tongued attack to full legato and anywhere in between, I’d wager.

My tongue just doesn’t move that quickly! So my tonguing is a bit more sluggish.

Hmm I’m wondering if the sound I’m talking about it high enough pitch that not everyone can hear it. Or its possible that people are just used to it and find it a normal whistle sound.

But him tonging a lot makes sense why the sound is happening on most notes. When I had my Goldie it was hard to not have the sharp wind breaking sound at the start of blowing. Which hes making on most notes. Which makes sense now. And makes his playing even more impressive.

[bruce.b]

It’s possible, like you stated, that I can’t hear it of it’s high pitched. My hearing is good for being 68, but my kids can sometimes hear a high pitched sound that I can’t. There is definitely more chiff to the tone of my Goldie low D than to my MK low D.

[JohnF_Nejedlo]

@pancelticpiper

@bruce.b

I’m unsure what the windway was in mm…I was amazed how solid the low D note was and how sweet and unforced the highest notes were.

Yes exactly, when I compare my “soft” to “medium” heads the “soft” is more musical overall, with easier high notes and fatter low notes, and more facility switching between octaves.

After playing the “soft” for a few days, when I return to the “medium” it seems stiff.

So the “soft” is clearly the better whistle, yes? But the “medium” is more air-efficient, allowing longer uninterrupted phrases to be played, which is very nice for airs.

I would like to try one right down the middle. It might be the ideal compromise for me.

That being said, the “soft” while requiring more air to be sent through the whistle than a Goldie “medium” is still more air-efficient than many if not most non-Goldie Low D’s.

The information in this comment, especially the final sentence, greatly assisted me today in my conversation with Colin before purchasing the Goldie Tenor D (standard soft). Knowing the actual size difference in millimeters and the terms from very soft/easy blower to hard blower made the conversation much more effortless and allowed my wife and me greater confidence in our final selection. I can confirm that any comments about #1 versus #2 are only in comparison to reading an eye doctor’s chart during an eye exam. Thank you.