Being a beginning whistler sure can be confusing. My first whistle was an Oak and I loved it, till it developed the famous “Oak buzz”. Aided by helpful information provided by a fellow C&F member, I wrote to the manufacturer and received a replacement Oak. However, when I received it, I was dissatisfied with its tone, so in frustration I tossed it into the old vase that holds all of my Unworthy whistles, and sadly wrote off the Oak.
In fairness, at the time I had been playing a Copeland quite a bit. Lately, however, my time on the Copeland has dropped significantly, and on a whim I retrieved the Oak from the boneyard, and voila! It was every bit as wonderful as I remembered my first Oak to be.
Why? I dont know exactly, but I suspect I was overblowing the Oak because of my acclimation to playing the Copeland. I’m hoping its not a matter of either playing the Oak or the Copeland on a regular basis, and that with experience I’ll be able to switch between the two.
Anyway, a word to beginners playing both high end instruments with high breath requirements and low end instruments…dont be quick to blame the low end instrument, and if the low end instrument doesnt sound as good as you think it used to after playing your high end instrument a while, it very well may be you, not the instrument.
Dazed: Very interesting analysis… In my own case, after dealing with a number of different whistles for years, ranging from the breath requirements of Overtons to the same for Hoover NB’s, I learned that the differences between the instruments were detrimental to my development as a consistent player… I play in public quite a lot with my band - using whistles in many keys - and need to feel comfortable with the wind and playing characteristics of those instruments. For me, the answer was to settle on two different sets of instruments with similar wind requirements…This allows me to have different instrumental timbres when I need them, and yet be able to concentrate on the music, and not have to think about wind requirements and playing characteristics…It has made all the difference…
Cheers and the best to you.
Byll
Yeah, I find my self playing my Meg more than my Copeland lately, and now probably will play the Meg and Oak more. I still love the Copeland, but dont always enjoy having to deal with the greater volume when playing the upper octave. The Meg and even the Oak are much quieter.
I think Oak has gotten tired of replacing their whistles. I contacted them a while back about the numb lips syndrome – they took my address and said they’d replace the whistle when they figured out what the problem is. Fair enough, but for some reason I don’t think they’ll ever figure it out.
Dazed,
I think I am just behind you in beginnerhood so I clicked with your comment. I have several cheap D whistles, some better than others. But when I am learning a new tune I usually go back to my Sweetone because I know it’s reliable and I won’t have to deal with the quirks of the whistle I’m playing while I am learning a new tune. Like, is this tune so hard or do I suck so bad or is it the whistle? If I am playing the sweetone I know that it’s just me.
Mike
Just for what it’s worth, I bought an Oak from thewhistleshop.com about a month ago.
I have played it frequently–it’s a really nice little whistle, lovely tone–and so far, no numb lips, or tingling, or any of the other things that have been described here on the boards.
I have found that the Oak is squeaky in the 2nd octave until it is warmed up, after that it gets a lot more forgiving on air pressure and note attack.
On 2002-09-06 11:43, burnsbyrne wrote:
Dazed,
I think I am just behind you in beginnerhood so I clicked with your comment. I have several cheap D whistles, some better than others. But when I am learning a new tune I usually go back to my Sweetone because I know it’s reliable and I won’t have to deal with the quirks of the whistle I’m playing while I am learning a new tune. Like, is this tune so hard or do I suck so bad or is it the whistle? If I am playing the sweetone I know that it’s just me.
Mike
Right on, Mike!
I may be betraying a pronounced lack of musical sophistication in saying this, but the more I play the more I develop a feeling that the Meg/Sweetone is my absolute favorite whistle. For the price, what mor could you want? A Copeland designed fipple/mouthpiece. A conical bore/body. Chiffy, light and responsive. Tunable. And, true to the original essence of the pennywhistle, insanely cheap. And indestructible…my SweeTone has survived a summer in the car in the Florida heat, kayaking in the Gulf, and the usual rigours of Pub life.
The Oak is also nice, with a low breath requirement and a nice clear tone. This morning I taped its underbelly to counteract slipperiness.
I’m still a bit intimidated when attempting semi-warp speed at sessions, so first I try on fiddle, and failing that I usually reach for the quieter Meg/Oak as opposed to the Balls to the Wall Master Blaster Copeland. Someday, perhaps…
Tomcat: I own 2 sets of whistles…The keys are high D (standard and narrow bore) and C, mid Bb and A, low G and D. The material is aluminum. The makers are Mack Hoover (aluminum non-tunable) and Mike Burke (Alpro). I also play high D and C brass whistles (Brass Pro), made by Mike…I have worked quite closely with both men over the years, and they are excellent people. I feel honored to call them both ‘friend’…
I never liked the Whoa game and I did not play it very well. It made me uncomfortable and was frustrating and expensive. Mike and Mack have given me what I need, and their expertise lets me concentrate on the music. The two sets of whistles compliment each other very well. They are very different, sonically, but playing characteristics are very similar in all parameters.
I frequently switch between a Copeland and an Oak as well. Both are my favorite high/low end whistles. There is a saying that goes something like ‘never blame anything on your equipment.’ Just sounds kind of cool.
Thanks Byll,
Interesting approach to Whoa . . . it makes a lot of sense to find a whistlesmith who “speaks your language” and to use their instuments. Time that would be used in acquistion is used instead in playing!
BTW, I attended a Celtic concert last nght by a local group - very talented musicans and singers. The whistle player used a Susato D. He related he also enjoys a Kerry Pro but used the Susato because he needed the volume. He made the Susato sing.
Personally, I love Mack’s whistles and have a Burke on the way.
Tomcat: If this is your first Burke whistle, you are in for a treat. I will be interested to hear how you feel it compares to others in its playing demands on you…I have used all of my Burkes in concerts - small and large venues - except my Hoover narrow bore. It is built for a purpose and is truly too soft in volume, and too easy to overblow for me, personally, to use in front of crowds, even when amplified. I use my Burke NB all the time in concert. Its pure crystaline sound and low air requirements are perfect for slow airs which stay in the upper range for long periods of time…Conversely, I also like the speed the instrument makes possible…
Let me know what you think of your new Burke…either on or off board.
Cheers and best.
Byll
I still believe that the secret to the Oak is in one’s breath control. That’s why they’ll work one day, but not the next. It’s the air. They don’t require a lot of air, in fact they require little, but it has to be big. I open the back of my throat and move a big, steady wall of air slowly through the whistle, hence the breath control. I can hold a note for a long time on my Oaks, and I have many. While talking to Pat O’Riordan about my whistle order, he told me that I couldn’t do much better for a high D than an Oak. That’s why he is making me a low D–over two and a half years in the waiting, with only about three more months to go! JP