Hi
I play my home made high D at our session from time to time,
it depends on what mood I’m in as to whether I take it or not.
I’ve dabbled quite a bit making whistles, mainly working with Guido’s ideas
but the whistle I play at the sessions is the result of 15+ metres of pipe
and many hours of frustration but its well worth the effort.
Hats off to the guys who now make these things professionally,
the effort they’ve put in must be 100 times what we’ve put in..
Intereting thread
Nick
I’ve been playing mine ‘in public’ since the first one I finished over 2 years ago. Keep making new ones and usually playing the last few that I’ve made except for for a couple special ones - well except the purely experimental ones which I just learned from.
Bill
Just curious… could the non-commercial home builders post pictures of their whistles? I wouldn’t mind if the commercial builders did as well except it might be considered a commercial post 
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Bill
I once made a few whistles and played one in public a few times, although not in a session or gig. No sessions in the area here, plus I’m not an accomplished player - so no gigs. However (since I gave some whistles away) I know of at least one that was played at a Renaissance Fair and was received favorably. My main “tool” was a Dremel and a steady hand. It’s a good place to start. Making your own whistle is another wonderful (possibly addicting) way of ‘making’ music.
For Liam, a couple of pictures:
My first and only whistle. Bic pen, modified with red hot paperclip wire to drill the holes and a razor to clean up the holes and make the wind way.
I don’t bring it to sessions.
The flipside question is have any of you semi-pro whistle makers been to a session and unexpectedly spotted one of your whistles being played (with the obvious exception of whistles you’ve given to close friends). I remember a musician friend describing the weird experience of hearing his CD being played in the background when he telephoned someone…
Resourcful, and impressive. What did you use for a plug.
Judy does not sell the whistles she makes, but has given them away. I have been to my friends home where there was a JudyK whistle, and played it. She makes very nice whistles with her dremel.
It is the back end of the pen, it has a black end cap that extends about 1/2 cm (hollow, didn’t do the poster putty tweak) I just cut away the white plastic tubing and that was it. The cap has three holes in it by design, so no modification needed. It should really buy a box of them and find a way to make one playable, as it is, half of the “notes” it plays are funky cross fingerings.
No, and I don’t meet that description. But I’ve had someone* explain to me that the O-ring on their Susato whistle is a special tweak from some guy named MTGuru on Chiff & Fipple.
Sorry to hear the session is so far. Maybe you can start one closer? Ask around, maybe you’ll find some other ITM players. Or not. But it’s worth a try.
I don’t know exactly where you might be, but I drove a 1966 Alfa Romeo thru Montana (mainly along 90) in the mid 80’s. I stopped near sunset to photograph the big sky as I approached Billings from the East. When I pulled back on the road .. clunk..clunk..clunk… One of the U-joints went. So here I am in Billings with car who’s dealer network in the US ceased a decade or more in the past, and I doubt there ever was a dealer in Billings. Big problem. But one of the best adventures of the whole cross-country trip. It was July and Montana was grand. I saw lots of photos of Billings in winter. Interesting thought Montana in winter. The people in Montana were great.
One vivid memory I have from nearly 25 years ago is all the little white crosses along the roadside. Slows one down better than any speed limit sign.
As you embark on your whistle project, feel free to shoot me an e-mail or call with questions. Be sure to buy enough material to make several. It will take one or two to zero in on what works for you.
And with the wonders of the internet, we can have a virtual session as soon as you finish it. I bet we could scare up a flew players, maybe playing their own self-made instrument. http://tunerooms.com/
Carey
I know of a couple ITM players, but they are pretty busy doing other things, especially the fiddler who is part of other, non-ITM groups. I’ve managed to play w/ him a little bit. Even got paid to accompany him in front of some students earlier this year (we were both surprised to receive money from that).
I don’t know exactly where you might be, but I drove a 1966 Alfa Romeo thru Montana (mainly along 90) in the mid 80’s. I stopped near sunset to photograph the big sky as I approached Billings from the East. When I pulled back on the road .. clunk..clunk..clunk… One of the U-joints went. So here I am in Billings with car who’s dealer network in the US ceased a decade or more in the past, and I doubt there ever was a dealer in Billings. Big problem. But one of the best adventures of the whole cross-country trip. It was July and Montana was grand. I saw lots of photos of Billings in winter. Interesting thought Montana in winter. The people in Montana were great.
One vivid memory I have from nearly 25 years ago is all the little white crosses along the roadside. Slows one down better than any speed limit sign.
I’m in the opposite corner of the state, west of Glacier NP. Billings is flat and wide open. We have mountains and trees (where the critters hide while playing their game of chicken w/ us drivers). For your next trip out here, Glacier is the place to visit, though leave the Alfa at home I have to agree, the people of Montana are friendly.
Montana does have a speed limit now, something that probably wasn’t around back when you were passing through.
As you embark on your whistle project, feel free to shoot me an e-mail or call with questions. Be sure to buy enough material to make several. It will take one or two to zero in on what works for you.
And with the wonders of the internet, we can have a virtual session as soon as you finish it. I bet we could scare up a flew players, maybe playing their own self-made instrument. > http://tunerooms.com/
Carey
Appreciate the offer and you’ll probably hear from us as we get into this. My friend has a piece of buffalo horn left over from a project (replacing a plug on a powderhorn) that he wants to use for the fipple. The virtual session sounds fun. I’ll have to check that site out.
Yes, do. I tried to set the tone to one of fun not perfection. I just recorded a common set in one go, didn’t even play thru it once first. There’s a couple small flubs in it, but that’s good. I don’t want people to stress over making a good recording, just play it like it’s live and if it’s not horrible post it and move on. That way the mix will sound more like a session than a band and maybe encourage others to join in. We’ll see. It’s just an idea who’s time may have come thanks to TuneRooms.com.
Carey