Need playing hints on Susato D vs Sweettone knockoff.

Whistle
1

I’ve been playing a “Mel Bay” whistle by Clarke (the cheap version of a mass produced children’s whistle). When I first started, I had a hard time consistently getting the low D and E, especially if I wasn’t in a state of zen-like calm. Of course, this has been improving with practice. The high end of this whistle has proven to be clear and piping and very responsive. I am able to play the high D with completely closed fingering and not crack the note, and I never had a problem with this, even when starting.

Because I liked the Susato Low-D that I had a few years ago, I went ahead and got a Susato “Dublin” small bore in D. Being larger bore than the metal whistle, it requires more air and is easy to sound the low D and E, as well as get up into the ear piercing 3rd octave. It is also much louder. The whistle is much richer, which is great on the bottom end, but sounds a bit shrill on the upper end. The walls of the Susato are thicker than the Clarke, and thus the finger holes are larger.

The problem I am having is that the Susato sounds like it is always breaking notes, but gets much worse when playing at speed or crossing the register break. A (moderate speed) reel that sounds jaunty on the Clarke is mangled on the Susato, sounding as if every note is a slide because of the breaking. I am specifically thinking of the middle of part A of Salley Gardens Reel, where it goes dbebdbab. I’m using a steady breath and no tonguing (that is, I don’t feel a register break here on the Clarke, like I do between the E and F#, and I’m not articulating so I can work on clean fingering).

So, any ideas? I’ve tried applying more air and less air, but that didn’t seem to fix it. I’ve also considered that the little sounds are actually squeaks and slides because the bigger holes are requiring more precision to get them covered properly.

2

My guess is that at least part of the problem is in not completely sealing the larger tone holes of the Suzie. Slow careful practice, making sure your finger placement is precise, would be the solution. That and just getting used to the different air requirements of the Suzie.

3

Also this:

https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/mtguru-o-ring-susato-tweak/47141/1

:slight_smile:

4

Thanks for the tip! I’m going to be picking up an O-ring soon. I think it IS an air issue on the Susato. There seems to be a requirement for slightly more air to get a clean attack than to sustain a note. I just happen to be sitting right in the spot where b and d sound fine, but the higher note doesn’t have a good attack. The Susato is a much more aggressive whistle than the Mel Bay.

Still having tone issues on both whistles, but I’ve only been playing a month, and on the Susato for only a few days. I’m also experiencing the phenomenon of getting better ears for the instrument. I’m noticing little things about the tone that wouldn’t have come to my attention a month ago (a certain breathiness on the Mel Bay, for instance).

Part of my practice session is usually at night so I practice by blowing over top of the fipple, rather than into it. I seem to have learned “Cooley’s Reel” as a one-octave tune without realizing that I wasn’t blowing the 2nd octave properly all the time.