Okay PCP - I noticed it was now in your clutch - first impressions? Absolutely on the OXO XXX
Stephen
Well I’ve played that green MK Low D quite a bit over the last couple days.
Yesterday it got a workout at the local session. I alternated the MK with the Burke, sometimes switching in the same tune.
They’re both great session whistles. Though their volume, as best I can tell, is similar, the Burke’s tone stands out a bit from the other instruments (several fiddles, two flutes, a high D whistle, and an uilleann pipe) while the MK’s tone blends in. Don’t know why. So, at the moment, I think I would give that MK a slight edge as a session whistle, if the purpose is to have a tone that becomes part of the overall session sound.
Tuning: I wish the MK had a bit sharper Cnat oxx ooo, and a bit flatter Bottom D. The MK’s bottom D is right in tune at normal pressure, but I discovered that I have the tendency to “push” bottom D which results in a sharpish note on the MK. (When I “push” bottom D on the Burke it’s still in tune.)
Been spending more and more time on the MK, and the more I play it the more I like it. It’s “chiffier” than the Burke Viper I’ve been playing regularly for a couple years now and it’s changing my playing style. Funny how when I spent a lot of time on a certain whistle my style will unconsciously alter a bit. On the Burke, which is buttery smooth, I had tended to play less and less ornamentation and tonguing and play in a smooth flute way. Since the Burke has a huge round booming bottom D (and by extension closed middle D) I was doing a lot of “hits” on that note.
But the MK’s D can’t be “pushed” like that so I’m off that thing. On the other hand cuts and crans pop out clearer on the MK so I’m playing with a lot more cutting and tonguing, in short I’m playing the MK more like I would play a high whistle.