Hi, etc.

Whistle
1

Hello, all.

I’ve been lurking on this board for maybe ten days now, and I’m absolutely hooked.

This all started as I watched my 10 year-old daughter making her first efforts to play the flute from school. I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing her venture into the world of music without me, so I started looking for instruments that I might be suited to.

Her mother is a fairly accomplished musician, but I’m not. I’ve sung in choir briefly (and poorly, but with a gifted director who taught me some really good things), done some shape note singing, and played recorder a bit (even more poorly). My experience with traditional music is mainly with that performed at New England contra dances, including many nights to the music of Timothy Britton when I was back in Iowa.

The more I learn about whistles, the more I’m hooked. The straightforward fingering; the wonderful, joyous or mournful, soulful sounds they make; the fact that they can cost next to nothing; that I can make them myself; and tonight’s clincher: that they’re an ideal instrument to set up with just tuning, which I’ve been enamoured of since I learned about it in choir.

You folks are awfully nice. I’ve looked around a bit at your websites to see who you are, and I’m just thunderstruck at how generously “competitors” (professional whistle makers) among you routinely share technical tricks and insights with each other. And your banter is delightful.

I’ll be around.

Best wishes for a very Happy New Year,
Jerry Freeman

P.S. I don’t have a whistle yet. My business is somewhat of the “feast or famine” type, and I’ll have to wait for my next sale (probably only a few days off) before I can afford even a six dollar whistle. But then, I’ll be able to buy a nice array of the cheap ones and the materials to start making myself a Low G, hopefully with enough precision to come up with some semblance of just tuning. I love the sound of those low whistles, and was thinking a Low G would be a good place to start since it would be easier to play than a Low D, but is still a common key for the music. Yes?

P.P.S. What happens when you play a just tuned instrument in its appropriate key, but accompanying a tempered instrument?

2

Thank God I’m a country boy!

I try to make whistles that look and sound good. Every now I lose my temper and never for a just cause. When I play with others they sometimes lose their temper just because.

Seriously, welcome to whistledom! Others can answer questions about temperment, but not I. But I can tell you you are in for the ride of your life!
Mack

3

Welcome to the wild and wacky Chiff and Fipple community, Jerry! Welcome to the fray!

4

Welcome aboard,
The sticks may turn out to be right place for whistling. How “Upstate” are you? Some people think White Plains is “Upstate” for others, its Plattsburg. There are some active Chiff & Fipplers in upstate new york. I can’t speak for everyone on the board, but if you hook up with someone in person, you might be able to get a loaner whistle and a few pointers to get you started.
Good luck,
jb

5

Well, thanks.

I’m in a village of about 300 souls, not far from the east end of Lake Ontario. I’m about 40 miles north of Syracuse, about 65 miles south of Canada.

Best wishes,
Jerry

P.S. It snows here.

6

ok, That’s upstate!

7

Well yes, it is upstate.

I didn’t mention, the other thing we get around here besides snow is big fish. I’m not a fisherman myself, but you can’t throw a stone around here without hitting an establishment with a sign that says something like, “salmon cleaning station.”

Favorite bumper sticker seen hereabouts: “Women adore me. Fish fear me.”

Best wishes,
Jerry

8

Welcome aboard, Jerry. I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only horrible singer that plays a whistle :slight_smile:

Erik

9

Ah…another contra dancer! I think it enhances both the dance and musical experience to understand how the tune fits the dance and the dance the tune.

You read music, yes? Keep your eyes out for the New England Fiddler’s Repertoire. You and your daughter can both play from it and it’s a handy size to haul around.

Then, look up “Statten Island Hornpipe.” Someone has written a dance so there’s a balance on both the C-naturals in the B part.

And surely you’ve danced to Wild Asparagus and Swallowtail? Sit out one and watch David Cantieni on most the woodwinds in the world, including a bombard.

M

10

Hi Jerry,

a couple of questions before we can advise you much about whistle purchase…

  1. What sort of music do you intend to play?

  2. Are you going to play along with your daughter, and what sort of flute does she play?

The “standard” whistle for Irish Traditional Music (ITM) is soprano D. Some people find them a little shrill in the upper register, so for solo playing, a lower key can be easier on the ears/family/neighbours/pets. Low G would be a nice choice.

D whistles can easily be played in the keys of D and G, and A with a little half-holing. These keys cover 95% or more of ITM.

On the daughter/flute thing, ITM can be played on a standard silver flute, but sounds better on a wooden flute, which generally have open holes and very few keys. I believe the silver flute is generally pitched in C, so a C whistle would presumably be a good choice to accompany her with.

Regarding Just vs even temperament, I tried reading this article, and I still haven’t got a clue!

http://home.earthlink.net/~kgann/tuning.html

best of luck!

11

Hi Jerry-- Welcome!
I’m also from Upstate, but not quite as far upstate as you: Cohoes is at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, a bit north of Albany. If you ever head down the Thruway to NYC, give a call ahead of time and stop in.
I’d lend you a cheapie whistle, but the postage both ways would probably cost more than simply buying one!

12

Low Gs are swell whistles, especially
because they enable you to play
in C and they have a nice sound–to
my ears. But the place to start, of
course, is a high D, which enables
you to play in the keys where
most celtic music is pitched. Also
the high D is going to be easier
to play initially. And cheap! Good luck.