Hi,
I’ve been playing a high D whistle for about a year and half (okay, so technically it hasn’t acually been “playing” for that long, but trying). The acquisition condition has kicked in and I’m considering another whistle. Which key would be a good choice? I’m not very good at half covering holes and would like to be able to play tunes in keys other than D and G. Any recommendations?
Kat
It sort of depends on what kind of music you’re playing.
I have a Hoover Whitecap aluminum in A. It’s far enough below high D that you really notice the difference, but the finger spacing isn’t bad. One thing I like it for is ballads, where I alternate between whistle and voice. A tends to be better for my vocal range than D.
I’m about to be in the market for a low G, too, since A is sometimes a bit high for me these days.
I also have a high C (Burke brass) and high E (Hoover CPVC tunable), both of which are nice, but they don’t get played a lot. I bought the E to be able to play along with a couple of songs on CD.
One of my favorite keys is Eb especially my Humphrey. I also like G. I have a Dixon G and it is very nice but I would rather have a metal G. I am thinking of a Humphrey or Alba.
Ron
Bb might be a key to consider or Low D.
Hey Mike, you say your Burke brass C doesn’t get much attention? 
Is that a wide or narrow bore, with or without the black delrin tip?
matt
I forgot to put my two cents in on keys.
I too, love the key of A. Honestly, I don’t have many songs that are required to play in that key, but hey, you can play any song in any key when you’re not playing with others
One thing to consider is that different whistles, depending on the materials used, barrel diameter, and so on, can make some keys in certain whistles real nice.
Also consider how you plan to use the whistle. For instance, I have a Hoover Whitecap D/C narrow brass set that is a great quiet pure sounding whistle, very easy to play. On the other hand, my Glen Schultz Water Weasel high d has an almost woody tone and has good volume. Then there’s the Chieftain Gold mezzo A that has just the right amount of chiff (to me) and is one of my favorites.
Ron, have you thought about the Burke Al Pro G? I borrowed one for a spell and it was amazing! So much so, I’m about to get the smaller brother, a high D (just have to decide brass or aluminum)
did anyone notice I just posted three threads in a row? Oops, now four 
My husband gave me a Susato low D and I love the tone, but can’t play it. I have very skinny fingers and there just doesn’t seem to be enough “meat” on my fingers to cover the holes. Currently I have several high D’s; a Walton, a Feadog, a Susato and my favorite, a Michael Burke. I’m really no musician. Would an A whistle let me play songs written in D and G that have notes in the octave below middle C? At the moment, I’m not playing with anyone else although I’m trying to work up the courage to find a session somewhere. I think I know where this is going - at least one whistle in C, G, A, Eb…and the elusive search for a low D that I can manage.
Thanks for all the info - it’s appreciated.
Kat
A difficult question to answer because the question appears to be based on several misunderstandings and suggests some confusion.
-
If you mean D key signature, then you could only play any songs in D key signature on the A whistle in the following modes without having to half hole to get a note:-
D Ionian (major scale - a lot in ITM))
D Lydian (none in ITM)
E Dorian (rare , or none, in ITM)
E Mixolydian (none in ITM)
F# Aeolian (F# natural minor scale - none in ITM)
F# Phrygian (none in ITM)
G Lydian (rare or none in ITM)
G# Locrian (none in ITM)
A Ionian (none in ITM )
A Mixolydian (some in ITM)
B Dorian (none in ITM)
B Aeolian (B natural minor - rare in ITM)
C# Phrygian (none in ITM) -
If you mean transposing from D key to A key, of course you can transpose music for any whistle to any other whistle. No exceptions.
-
What is the relevance of “notes in the octave below middle C” ?
[quote="alespa[/quote]
Ron, have you thought about the Burke Al Pro G? I borrowed one for a spell and it was amazing! So much so, I’m about to get the smaller brother, a high D (just have to decide brass or aluminum)[/quote]
I did not make myself very clear. The G I like is the Alto G, the G below the Hi D whistle. For hi G I have a couple of Gens. The dogs in my neighborhood are not amused.
Ron
Technically speaking, you do not have a full blown acquisition condition, as you have only 1 D whistle and are already looking for other keys. The condition of which you speak in its purest form dictates that you must have 1 of each kind and make of soprano D whistle before moving on to other keys. You can check with Dr. Dale, but I believe my assessment in this matter is correct.
Philo 
I suspect we have a case of a related disorder, Whistle in Assorted Keys Collection Obsession, (WAKCO). This pernicious disorder is what keeps Generation in business, of course, and severe cases of this have given rise to providers of whistles in keys that generation doesn’t make (like A, just for an example.)
In rare and tragic cases, a person can be afflicted with WAKCO and WhOA at the same time, which can lead to the attempt to collect whistles in every key by every maker. Such persons end up, of course, in bankruptcy, or the insane asylum, or as curators of whistle museums.
–Chris
You guys are cracking me up.
Where are the whistle museums?
Philo
Um, that would be at Dale’s place 
Ron, were you thinking I was talking about the high G on the Al Pro? I meant the alto/low G. I am seriously thinking that if I get a low G, it will be the Burke Al Pro low G—that was a really sweet and easy to play (breathing, fingering, transition thru octaves and responsiveness) whistle.
Kat,
Have you tried any other low D’s, aside from the Susato you have?
Matt
As well as a number of high Ds I have recently bought an Alba alto G and a Chieftan F…these I use when I want a change from my highs…both are rally nice whistles…both with different qualities…the Alba plays and looks beautiful and I find the Chieftan a viable alternative to a low D which I found difficult to get to grips with. Les.
Les, would that be a gold Chieftain?