Wish someone experienced with Quenachos would chime in here. I am also struggling with getting a consistent sound - I don’t think blowing harder is the ticket.
Try making your embouchure smaller. The smaller the hole the faster the air has to travel through. think of covering half of a graden hose with your thumb - the water will come out twice as fast but the pressure of the water hasn’t changed.
Cunparis - re your ‘open type whistle’ What key, size pipe, and size of opening are you using and have you drilled the holes yet - if so how is it sounding ? Mine still has a mind of it’s own !
I used a tube from a failed PVC guido whistle. I trimmed off the window and then made a notch. It’s pitched in Low E. I haven’t drilled holes yet, but I really need to do that so I can try to play some tunes. I just pick it up now and then when bored to see if I can make a sound. it still takes a while before I get it just right to get that first sound.
The notch is indeed quena. I have one and the notch is the same as in the photo.
I made a xio from plans. I did not close the top and made the notch the same way. I used 3/4 pvc sched 40. Not too bad.
I found that you make the notch and get the fundamental right with the right bore to length ratio. Then put in holes and fine filing for the notch if needed. my two cents.
I may make a diatonic high D or alto something.
What cpvc? size for the high D? 1/2 inch? alto 3/4 inch?
Feadoggie. 
I made 4 this weekend. Used cpvc from low e’s. Id is 18 mm and the wall is 2mm. I used Dr. Phil’s calculator (thanks my friend). Put in the parameters and found with the notch at 5 and 5 and 2 on the calculator that the length for E was 453 (you can used different approaches from the calculator). I drilled the holes to size and fine tuned the emb with just fine sand paper ( I saw this mentioned in a quena making pbs special once).
Nice low E flute. I learned that watching the cutoff to get to 2nd octave very important. Also the bore to length ration is important as well.
Finally, with the notch or quena, your emb is important as it is with flutes. In fact, my flute emb really helped with this one.
So, I had fun with it. 
A pleasure - it is nice to know that it is helping others. Credit should go also to Daniel Bingamon who let me ‘reuse’ his calculation algorithm.
the hardest part of learning the quena/quenacho… is the first note… it takes forever, it seems, to get a good solid tone… after that, following notes come a little easier… the quena is counter intuitive… to get into the second and third octaves, do NOT blow harder… it’s all in the emb… a smaller, tighter, more focused emb is what is needed. it can actually be played very quietly in the upper registers… i have several that i’ve made (F, G, A) that i play regularly… they can be quiet, they can be loud… it just takes time…
be well,
jim
[Thread revival. - Mod]
New website: http://www.open-whistle.com/en
This is exactly what I need!
I played Irish Flute for many years, but just physically can’t do transverse flutes any more. Things held straight in front, like whistles and bagpipe chanters, are fine for me.
As we all know the Low Whistle has a number of limitations for session playing, one being the volume differential between the octaves. Get a Low Whistle that’s just nearly as loud as a flute in the low range, say an MK or Burke, and you’re considerably louder than a flute on the high notes. Related to this is the ability on the flute to play any note, high or low, as loud or soft as you please.
Years ago I dabbled in Kena and got fairly good. I have a great-playing Kenakena/Quenacho in D, and years ago I spent a while with a piece of PVC pipe trying to duplicate the excellent “cut” of that Quenacho. I got pretty close, then I cut Low Whistle holes on the thing.
The thing I made plays fine, but the octaves are bad, the 2nd octave being flat. I’m guessing that the diameter of the tube is incorrect for the length. What’s the correct ID for Low D?
Is there off-the-shelf PVC pipe that’s the correct diameter? This thread has inspired me to have another go at making one of these things! I’m thinking that once I get a really good “cut” I can saw it off, and use that “head” on various experimental bodies.
Thanks! Richard
PS for those not used to the Kena embouchure, if you play flute it’s not difficult to adapt to it. Kaval, now that’s a different story!
Yes this is exactly how it is with transverse flutes. It’s why somebody with a well-developed flute embouchure can take fairly quickly to the Kena.
Excellent site! Your whistles look beautiful and sound great.
Eric, your “cut” is much wider than on the two Quenachos I have.
Could you share what reasoning went into that design?
Quenachos are of course rather different, my cane ones having a slightly conical bore because the cane tapers down to the node, which forms the bottom of the instrument. Rather than an open bottom, it’s a closed bottom with a hole the same size as the fingerholes drilled through it. There’s not as much power in the low range as one would want for Irish music, but a very sweet high range, the upper notes in the 2nd octave and into the 3rd octave, which wouldn’t be needed for ordinary Irish music.
I’m guessing that the desire for low-range power, the lack of necessity of the 3rd octave, and the differing requirements of a straight bore led Eric to his “cut”.
I wonder how much breath one of Eric’s Low Ds takes compared to an “average” Low D whistle . . . or is it difficult to make such a comparison?
What’s an “average” low whistle? It’s all relative! 
Mike, we had a tour over here a while back with two of Eric’s early Open Whistle designs. It looks like that was three years ago now. You can read through the comments here: https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/cp-open-whistle-tour/80306/1
You’ll get some ideas in terms of a comparison of the Open Whistle to low whistles in that thread. Just looking at the latest models on the Open Whistle website I can see that quite a few refinements have been made on the instrument since those two models went round on the tour.
You can certainly make comparisons between the Open Whistle and a low whistle. I’d avoid describing things in terms of an “average low whistle” since everyone has a different average based on their experience with a few or many low whistles. But stepping out on a limb I will say that these Open Whistles should use less air than the average low whistle when played properly (caveats do apply). That was my experience with the tour instruments. The thing you want to keep in mind is that the so-called Open Whistle and low whistles are really two very different types of flutes - one a fipple flute and the other an edge blown notch flute.
Anyone can play a whistle. It’s like falling off a log. What’s that famous Lauren Bacall quote?
An edge blown flute is another matter altogether. So while air use comparisons can be made, that’s sure not the whole story. Notched flutes require the development of a particular embouchure to play well. Air efficiency is mostly up to the player. You have to devote time to that. So air requirements might seem quite high at first. But as you develop more focus and improve your tone you will find that, much like the transverse flute, the air requirements are reduced. If you have experience playing quenacho or other edge blown flutes you’ll probably find the Open Whistle pretty efficient. It is more like playing a flute, IMO, and sounds more like a flute as well. Just harder to get on terms with than a whistle. Fingering and ornaments work the same so there’s no re-jiggering there.
I do think these instruments have a place in folk music, including Irish music. A lot of players run into physical issues playing transverse flutes. I can’t play fiddle anymore because of neck issues. Sometimes struggle with the flute for the same reasons. Being able to play the flute vertically solves that problem. Vertical flutes exist but are hard to find and don’t always sound the way you want them to sound. So the Open Whistle is another good option that sounds flute-like - as airy as you and your embouchure like - or not.
Hope that helps.
Feadoggie
I have played flute and whistle. What I loved about flute was the control with the embauchure. I loved being able to play high notes (upper second octave) very quietly. Just focus the airstream. With the whistle one has to play loud to get upper 2nd octave. I really liked the flute embauchure but my fingers got numb.
I ended up switching to fiddle for other reasons. But I still play low whistles and my flute occassionally. I’m interested in the open whistle because it seems like it would combine what I love about the flute and whistle. Something I can use a flute-like embauchure yet hold like a whistle. I’m note sure about putting the tongue in between the bottom lip & teeth, that seems weird to me. I’m used to just making a tiny hole with my lips. Why not have a flute head, curved neck, and whistle body? I’m talking about the curved necks like the alto flutes. that would be cool.
I’m also concerned that the open whistle is designed for volume and I actually prefer the opposite, something quiet since I play at home and not at sessions.
So I guess I’m interested in the open whistle as well. We vacation about 1hour away from where the maker lives so I keep thinking I’ll pay him a visit and try them out and pick one out.
Cunparis:
See the giorgi flute for a historical example of a flute embouchure on a whistle type (well cylindrical tube.
http://www.oldflutes.com/articles/giorgi.htm
Thanks for your thoughts, Feadoggie. I put average in inverted commas for just the reason you mention. What is average? But at the same time was hoping for some comparison. It certainly doesn’t seem like an extension of the low whistle but rather a very different instrument more akin, as you say, to the flute and perhaps sounding more like a flute than a low whistle. A whole new set of challenges. I’m very tempted . . . but at the same wonder if I shouldn’t spend the time improving on the Low D. Anyone can play a whistle but to play particularly a low whistle to a high standard is another thing.