I’m new to the whistle. I will mostly be playing at home for my own enjoyment but may try to play in my church occasionaly once I get comfortable. I was looking at the Reyburn session C as a starting point because I read on this forum that it was not as loud as some others. But then I read folks say it was loud. For someone practicing in my bedroom mostly, will this whistle fill the house (and spouses ears)?
Steve
Hi Steve, and welcome.
Any particular reason for the key of C? Also, the Reyburn sessions are among the loudest whistles I’ve played. I’ve not played the C but had a session D and it was extremely loud…louder than my Susato and Abell, and nearly as loud as my Chieftain. I’d venture to guess the C would be in the same category since it’d basically be the same head as a session D on a C body.
Hey Bally… thanks for the response. Here’s the infamous words “I read that a C would work good in a church for praise and worship”?? I really couldn’t give you a better answer other than, after listening to several keys of whistles I wouldn’t want to go any “higher” than this key. Preferably lower. I just don’t think I’m ready for a peel the paint off the wall sound (I know it’s an overstatement). Something a little more mellow.
Steve
Howdy. I’d recommend a C/D set if you’re buying new from the Reyburn site. It’s just a few bucks more. Then you’ll have your C for Praise, and the D for Irish Trad.
In my experience the “new style” whistle head is not as strident as the old style. The standard voicing on the old style head is relatively loud. Though you can play a Goldie/Overton as loud if you want to, and a Copeland will blow it away.
Also, tell Ronaldo (Ronaldo Reyburn is the maker) that you want a kinder gentler voice and he’ll do it for you. Though with a quiet voice, you may need to mic the whistle if you’re playing along with other musicians. Some of those Praise folks are getting all crazy with the amplification nowadays.
Have fun!
Steve,
For simply playing at home, a C whistle will be fine. But Praise music can consist of many different keys (D, G, A, E, F, Em, etc), which would require more than one key of whistle if you were to participate in every song or tune. What keys are the majority of songs you’d be doing at the church? This will dictate what key of whistle(s) you’ll need to get started.
At the basic level, with a C whistle you can easily play in C, F, and Dm. With a D whistle it’d be D, G, and Em. For songs in E, you’d need a B natural whistle. For songs in A, you can use a D whistle with a little extra effort to play G# by half-holing.
Thanks Bally and Daniel. I’m rethinking this and I’ll probably play it at home and an occasional solo (or lead with a track) in church so I’ll pretty much have control over my key. I’ll probably start with a D and if that works get a C. That’s why I love forums.
Steve
I play whistle (and flute and trumpet) in a Catholic Mass setting every Sunday… Were I thee, I would follow the above advice to get a C and D whistle. That would give you the keys of F, C, G, and D to play in, which probably covers about 80% of the literature. It seems to me that the composers who wander from these keys are likely to use accidentals (single changed notes), which is problemmatic on a whistle. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever played anything other than my Burke D (DCN model) in church (whistle-wise) - music in the keys of D and G are often derived from Irish/Celtic melodies and just seem to sound “right” on a whistle. Then again, I am “really” a trumpet player, so take ALL of this with a grain of salt! (Or maybe a shot of poteen)
Pat
I agree with Pat. I think having both a D and C whistle will cover the majority of what you’ll be doing at church. Most of the Praise songs I’m familiar with are in D or G, sometimes A and Em, in which case a D whistle would be the first choice.
There are several whistle makers that make C/D sets. That’s one whistle head that you can switch between two bodies. The cost will be substantially less than buying two whistles.
I have a Reyburn set as an example. Other folks may have recommendation for other makers.