I recently got a Clarke Sweetone tin whistle, but to be honest, it sounds terrible to my ears. People often describe its sound as “husky,” but as I go into the higher octave, it feels more like ear torture than a musical instrument.
I want to know if this is due to my poor technique, or if it is a chronic issue with this specific low-cost model.
If the problem lies with the Clarke whistle itself, could you recommend any other budget-friendly beginner whistles that have a beautiful, clean sound? I find the breathy, metallic harshness of this one really difficult to tolerate.
I’d say that Clarke Sweetone whistles are not especially loud in the upper octave, or in general, relative to other high D whistles. They are pretty comparable to many inexpensive whistles in terms of volume and balance, and, quieter than many of the wider bore expensive whistles. That being said, there is some variation from whistle to whistle.
To be honest, and this may be a controversial thing to say in this forum, but there is a certain amount of ear torture that is pretty much inherent in playing a high D whistle, especially if you are in an acoustically live environment. The problem is just that the upper notes are very high pitch, which we are sensitive to, and loud, because of how the instrument works. For this reason, people often recommend hearing protection if you play a lot.
You might find that you would prefer playing a lower pitched instrument, such as a low whistle or flute. If you are wanting to play with others you’ll need it in the key of D, but if you are just wanting to play by yourself you might try a high whistle in a lower pitch, say like a Bb, to see how that sounds to you.
If you are particularly attached to playing a high D whistle, and are sensitive to the volume of the higher notes, then some of the vintage Generation whistles, vintage (mark 1) Feadog, and other narrow bore, quieter, whistles might work for you. But you may well still find that you just don’t do well with the high pitched notes.
Perhaps, if you have the opportunity, see if you can try out a few different whistles from other players. Play them and listen to them being played by others. That should pretty much tell you if its the instrument for you (or the instrument or you).
Without actually hearing it, there is no real way to tell one way or another what the problem is.
However, you’re a self-confessed beginner and no whistle is ever going to sound beautiful and clean (or in tune) in the hands of a beginner. Learning an instrument is about developing the skills to make beautiful and clean sounds. There’s no instant gratification.
I am not a particular fan of Sweetones but they are mostly described here as good to learn on, tolerant to various breath-pressures etc. The ones I had when they first came out weren’t particularly harsh as far as I remember.
A lot of beginners who come here asking why their whistle sounds bad have problems with breath control: under or overblowing. I’d consider that first before running out to get another whistle. Sweetones are reasonably tolerant of varying beginner’s breath pressures but try being gentle when hitting a note. And make sure you aren’t starting in the second octave, trying to push into the third (now, that would sound harsh).
Most whistles sound a bit rough in the hands of a beginner. I came back to playing comparatively recently, and although I’d been a decent player in my youth, I had to start again from scratch. I sounded terrible.
I bought myself some Doc’s Pro swimmers’ ear liners to take the edge off, and worked at getting better.
To get sweeter high notes you have to develop good breath control and learn the knack of varying air speed and mouth shape. There’s no shortcut, it’s just a normal part of learning. I worked my way up the scale, playing tunes or parts of tunes that only went up to high G to begin with, then adding high A, then high B.
If buying a mid-range whistle (Wild, Killarney, etc) becomes possible, you’ll probably find it easier to get a good tone. It’s not essential, though, you can learn all the skills you need on a Generation, Clarke or Feadóg. Good luck!
I did the putty fix on a couple of Megs, made them tunable, and they sound great! I bought too many pricey whistles that don’t sound as good. The best ones take a lot of volume to play correctly.
The Clarke Meg takes less wind and is not as loud. You can play it indoors without deafening the family.
I think the Megs are great! Perhaps you’re trying to play louder than the whistle goes. Using more wind than it needs. Irish whistlers must lose their hearing, even without amps.
I have “better” whistles, and I might play them outside, or when I really need the volume.
Like auto transmission and cruise control, the Clarke Meg makes whistling easy. If you want a whistle that’s easy to play, this is it!