Sorry if I’m wrong but I did a search for this but didn’t come up with much. It’s probably out there but I’m not using the correct boolean expression!
The only whistle key I don’t own is E or Eb. My hands are too big for a high Eb but I’m considering a low version. Since I haven’t needed it yet, I’m suspecting this is just WHOA taking control of me. First time for that… right?
Would some of you wise sage experts please enlighten me as to why I’d need this and which is more useful. Maybe voice accompaniment? I expect this is a case of “horses for courses”, but how can I resist owning just one?
I doubt that I qualify as wise, being sage or an expert but here’s my experience. You raise a good question.
I look at things two ways but both make an attempt to be practical. First way I usually look at whistle keys is based on what music you expect to play and what keys will be called for in that music. And based on that tactic I’d suggest buying what keys you need when you discover that you need them. And if you have not as yet run into a situation where you need an E or Eb whistle, then why buy one? So, I carry both high and low E and Eb’s with me. I have in the past run into some session situations where the Eb came up but not in recent years. I use these keys almost entirely for vocal accompaniment these days. The E whistle is a guitar friendly whistle and is good for accompanying songs in the keys of E and A (as well was their relative minors). I use the E whistles fairly frequently along with a B natural whistle for the key or E. The Eb seems to get called for in some church music (IME) and that may not represent a need for you. There are enough recordings out there in Eb to warrant having an Eb whistle (or flute) handy. Before we had software slow-down tools, if you wanted to play along with a recording in Eb or E you had to have an instrument in hand. These days you can just shift the pitch.
The second way to look at things is that whistle keys are colors in your palette. And to paint musical pictures with as much color as possible you may want to have as many colors in your palette as possible. Sounds like a rationalization for WHOA, doesn’t it? I happen to like E whistles.
For some reason a whistle in a particular key, like say a Low E, may strike you as more expressive in a different way than a Low D or Low F might. If you have big hands you may not feel like a Low D is a stretch where for some folks a Low D might be uncomfortable but a Low E might be comfortable. And for many a Low E may seem lithe and more responsive than the Low D just because it’s that little bit smaller and easier to finger. So maybe a slightly smaller whistle could inspire you. More reationalization?
You’ll probably end up with at least one whistle in each key.
ah - i keep a B and low e in my arsenal to accompany other musicians. most of which are guitar folks. none of them like to play in Eb - its the only major key i don’t have on hand. even had to add a Db . . . but haven’t needed an Eb yet.
i’ve found the e a fun key to noodle around in…
so i cast my vote with the others - get 'em so you’ll be ready and have fun in the meantime.
my reason to buy an Eb is because I want an Optima and don’t feel the need for another low D other than my MK, so i sure am glad Phil is making other keys right off the bat!
as a music teacher, i usually do the opposite of what has previously been discussed. i choose what whistle i want to use for a tune, and then have the student transpose their instrument to whatever the correct key is (good brain work!)
First time for that… right? 
