I’ve been lurking here for a few weeks…thought I would jump in. I have played woodwinds since grade-school, first clarinet and then on to alto-sax. Recently I had been playing native-american wood flutes and enjoying them…but there are not as many cheap, good native flutes! I guess I have a head start on a few of you as I read music like second nature, so it is just my playing I need to work on. I had ordered a Walton LBW and a Clarke Sweetone from The Whistle Shop, but I couldn’t wait. I bought a Waltons Mellow D at the local music store and really like it. Also, I just received my Susato D VSB in the mail…I swear I am done for the time being. Man, you just look at the VSB and it wants to jump up an octave! The LBW seems touchy too..a little shrill…maybe I just got used to the Mellow D. The Clark is the most pleasing to my ear and is easiest to control…but “She who must be obeyed” likes the Susato best so I may be playing it more to keep the peace…as I am playing all the time now! Sorry this is so long but I guess I had a lot to say. Glad to have found this place…lots of nice folks.
David
Welcome David!
I’ve recently seen Susatos being played a lot in performances. Maybe they sound better at a distance and on recordings! They get a lot of good press from professional players. I got a VSB very recently too and haven’t given it a fair trial yet, but do you find when running down over the octave break that the note suddenly vanishes? Try playing edcB repeatedly without and with tonguing, and tell me if you get an odd break between d and c (that’s the lowest d on the upper ocatave and all fingers off). Maybe it’s just me. I got it hoping it would be really quiet, but I don’t find it much quiter than the regular bore.
The Clarke Sweetone is another whistle that some love, some hate. It’s sometimes considered a beginner’s whistle, but records well too. I have one but rarely play it, I’ve got used to Generations and Feadogs I guess.
If you don’t want to catch Whoa, don’t even think of looking at Tony Dixon’s site and the new Tuneable Brass Slide. Oh, but then I just …
Anyway, glad to see you’re having whistlin’ fun! All the best!
Martin,
Glad to hear from you. I don’t notice the problem going over the break, but low E and D really want to jump up an octave. It feels like just a breath or a puff is all that is needed…any more and up you go. Maybe I got used to the Walton Mello D, but the Susato VSB feels really touchy to air pressure. I may try a regular bore Susato…but not for a little while. I’m trying to keep the Whoa under control and I feel like I have a good selection to try now. See ya,
David
“She who must be obeyed” Rumpole of the Bailey–love it
Welcome
Bob
[ This Message was edited by: RCORC on 2002-03-28 20:34 ]
David,
I have one of those Native American flutes. It’s made out of cedar, I think. I can’t get a note out of it. Is there some trick to it? It has six holes, just like a whistle, but I can’t get it to make any kind of real note.
Hallo David,
Welcome to the message board - you’ll have a load of fun here! You have a very good head start on your journey into the wonderful world of pennywhistling. I only started out with an Acorn and after seven months of playing, have only four whistles. It sounds as though you’re gonna, if not already, have the common disorder, Whoa! 
Peace and creativity,
Sara
RCORC- thanks for the welcome
Belcatar- I just picked up the Native flute and it feels BIG after playing the whistles exclusively. No real secret; same mouth seal and air pressure- little different fingering. The OOXOOO finger stays down.I can’t get it to go up an octave…
Sara- hello. I am trying to stick at the 4 for a while. I was surprised at the price for what I feel are nice instruments. The Clark sounds and plays great…for 5.80!
Lots cheaper then my Selmer Mark VII Alto.
That’s one reason why I love the whistle so much - the price is quite reasonable; though I’ve seen some whistles 300.00 or more. I’m quite happy with 5.00 to 10.00 whistles - I’m pretty sure the next whistle I’ll buy is a Walton’s LBW.
Peace and creativity,
Sara
Hello, David. I, too, am new to posting, but have been reading the boards for a few weeks. Like you, I’ve been playing woodwinds nearly all my life, primarily clarinet and bass clarinet, and am married to a fellow clarinetist. I’ve toyed with the whistle for about 10 years and have gradually been getting more and more into it.
In the beginning, you’ll find moving from the sax, clarinet, or flute, for instance, to a whistle can be a bit tricky breath-wise. Most D soprano whistles take considerably less breath pressure than a sax and you can be prone to overblowing until you’ve practiced the transition enough. For me, the regular bore Susato was a wonderful whistle discovery. I play both clarinet and whistle in church from time to time and it wasn’t too hard picking up the Susato right after playing the clarinet.
Recently, I was diagnosed with WHOA. My illness prompted me to convince my wife to make several whistle purchases as anniversary gifts to me (which, I guess, makes her a WHOA enabler … very sad). One of my new whistles is a Susato VSB. It took about a week of practice to adjust to the smaller air requirements, but now I gotta say I really like it a lot. It has a nice, whistley sound, is noticably quieter to me than my regular bore, is quick to respond, and most importantly can soar up to that third octave D without screeching.
It will take a little practice, but don’t give up on that VSB altogether. It really is a fun little whistle. In the meantime, you might try a wider bore whistle, like a regular Susato, and see what you think.
Take care! Paul.
Paul,
Hello. I plan on spending some quality time with the VSB this weekend as we are going to St. Simons beach on the Georgia coast. I am bringing the VSB only; after playing it some more it feels really “tight” compared to the other flutes. I have to blow/breathe as light as I can if starting a song on low D or E. I have thought of trying the regular bore, but I will wait until May when we will be in N.C. and I will be going by the shop where they make the Susato. That should be cool…if my checkbook survives!
I do envy you folks who live closer to the higher-end whistle makers. You’ll have to let me know what the Kelischek Workshop is like if you do get to visit. My wife and I have both ordered items by phone from them and have had some enjoyable conversations. Until the kids are a little older and we can take longer vacations I’m afraid the only whistle maker I’ll be visiting in Idaho is me … that is, once I finally get around to cleaning out the garage so I have some workspace! I’ll look at it as therapy for my WHOA (unless, of course, it turns out to be an entirely new disease).
Take care … Paul.
Welcome, justwhistling! Don’t fight the WHOA, just give in . . . there now, doesn’t that feel better?
You’ll enjoy the board–great bunch of folks.
On 2002-03-28 20:59, Belcatar wrote:
David,I have one of those Native American flutes. It’s made out of cedar, I think. I can’t get a note out of it. Is there some trick to it? It has six holes, just like a whistle, but I can’t get it to make any kind of real note.
Belcatar, make sure the “bird” on the flute is positioned properly. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, email me - this username and at yahoo.com.
Hey Justwhistlin,
I forgot to mention that if you’re not using the nifty thumbrest as a thumbrest (does anybody?), don’t take it off and lose it (like I did, d’Oh).
To quote mike.r:
The positioning of the thumbrest at the end of the whistle also helps to give a more solid tone and improved intonation on the 2nd oct bell note which is ever so slightly raised and better aligned with the 1st oct bell note.Not convinced?Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised.If you cant hear any difference at least you know your whistle won’t roll off the table. Peace, Mike
I’m giving the VSB a better test now - it is quieter! But I prefer my new Dixon ITTS.
I picked up my Native American Flute again, just as an experiment, to see if practicing the whistle would have any effect on my ability to produce a note…
It was MAGIC.
Magic, I tell you! I played “Amazing Grace” and it poured forth with such a startling beauty (this is purely due to the flute, and not to me) that it lifted my spirit…it’s rather difficult to describe in words, but I truly felt like I was bonding with the flute…I was literally high for an hour after.
Thanks to those who offered advice! If I wasn’t hopelessy addicted to playing these types of instruments before, I am now…
Thanks!