IS anyone making whistles with a side blown fipple?

Whistle
1

I just received a flute whiste that I won on EBAY. It is metal and constructed like a flute or fife but with a fipple tube attached at right angles to the body. The sound hole is square. It sounds pretty nice and it is loud!

My question is whether anyone has experimented with this type of design. I can imagine it might have some advantages and some challenges.

Failing active experimentation, can anyone tell me the history of this type of hybrid whistle flute?

Thanks!

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2

I have one experiemental side fipple that I’ve built at my shop. I’ve noticed that they are loud also.

I used a piece of PVC pipe with rectangular brass tubing from K&S with round tubing surrounding it to fit the mouth better. The tubing is then held in place using a poly clay material - the poly clay is nice because you can build up “ears” around the fipple with it. The hole on mine is round. It makes a nice Low-D.

I might try to make one out of delrin and brass next time.

3

Mel Bay publishing company sells these under the name Melody Flute. I used to have one. They have a nice sound.

4

Yowsers! I’ve never seen one of those before.

Maybe it’s a kind of practise thing for getting used to holding a flute, without the fuss of getting the embouchure right at the same time?

5

Hey Martin,

Actually its the American version of a grade school musical instrument (as opposed to a pennywhistle). I had one in the 4th grade (along with the rest of the class). We were given lessons on them, then performed for the school. I think it’s keyed in Bb and it does have a pretty nice sound.

Vinny

6

What you have there is a Meody Flute, probably from the '50s. If you look close, about halfway between fipple and first hole its incised with something like “Melody Flute Co. Laurel, MD.” and the key, C. At one time, they were sold as school teaching instruments like plastic recorders are now. They were initially nickel, later black plastic. I have one of each, the nickel having the better tone.

What they really are are six hole fifes with a cheater mouthpiece brazed, or in the plastic ones, molded. on the side.

Mel Bay sells one now. I haven’t seen one in the flesh, but it appears to be a metal tube with a plastic mouthpiece, but otherwise looks like the old ones.

7

Yes, a brass fife or piccolo in C, with a plastic mouthpiece. It has a really good sound, but the embouchure is a little trickier than the whistle or recorder. Still marketed as a school introductory instrument.