I got an email from a guy who wants to play the whistle but only has the use of his right hand.
My rather obvious question is, does anyone know any tunes that could be played with just the right hand?
I would be grateful for any general suggestions or comments on this rather unusual problem.
Thanks,
Dave.
That’s a hard one and I have come across somebody in UK asking about this. The only tune that sprung to mind immeadiately was ‘Merrily we roll along.’ Thinking of the Tabor? The one with three holes at the bottom as there must be some music for that.
Another idea. I wonder if it would be possible to fit some sort of bar with keys to be operated by the little finger so the bottom holes could be played? There is also a one handed recorder available. In the UK there is a Charity called Remap who specialise in making adaptations for all sorts of things. They made me elbow supports for a wheelchair so I could get my arm at the correct angle to play a flute.
This fella definitely needs a tabor pipe. Two holes on top and a thumb hole on the bottom. I know the Susato one also has a little attachement to help keep it steady. It needs a lot more overblowing than a whistle and I’ve never heard it playing anything faster than Morris Dance speed although that covers quite a range. I don’t think it would manage hell for leather session speed but you never know until you try.
Ummm, this sounds like blasphemy, but, they make a one handed recorder with some keys that allows a one handed player full access to all notes. Not even that expensive. The company subsidizes them to a degree. I’ll find it and post it in a little while.
The great Quebecois musician and composer Jean Duval has a book of 12 “suites” that he composed for playing the whistle with just one hand, using four fingers. He has recorded a CD of these tunes as well, but that’s not available yet, probably later this year.
The tune book is available for $10 Canadian (plus postage) by writing to Jean Duval, C.P. 201, Ste-Justine-de-Newton, QC J0P 1T0, Canada. He has an e-mail address too, but I’d rather not post it on the board; PM me if you want it.
Found it. Zen-on, Mollenhaur, Yamaha and Dolmetch all make one handed fully functional recorders. There are also some after market additions to make recorders one handed. Most notably Bobby Harrel.
http://www.iinet.net.au/~nickl/cgi-bin/db.cgi?db=makers&uid=default&Maker_ID=&Maker=Harrell&Country=&Address_1=&Address_2=&Telephone=&Fax=&Email=&Web_Page=&Instruments=&Notes=&keyword=&mh=10&sb=---&so=ascend&view_records=View+Records
It’s possible you may find someone to modify a whistle into a one-hand-enabled instrument.
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/product/recorder/hand/img/yra900r-l.gif
one handed alto recorder(picture is for the right hand,it costs 36000 yen).
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/product/recorder/hand/img/yrs900r-l.gif
one handed soprano recorder for the right hand. The price is 13200 yen.
And if they can do it for recorder, it can be done for whistle. Likely even easier.
Not sure if it is still true, but Dolmetsch will add one hand keys FREE to any of their recorders if the player can document that he/she truly has the use of only one hand. You pay the normal recorder price ( and they’re good recorders) and they will add the keys for nothing. A remarkably enlightened business policy.
I remember one company adding keys and stuff free to the handicapped.
Wow. One person could play two fully functional recorders at once.
OT (but have been wondering) - vomitbunny, why, oh why did you choose that name? It invokes fairly recent memories of morning sickness for me.
It was my name in the soundmachine drum and bugle corps forum.
It made sense at the time. I can’t remember why now.
I was gonna use my other nic in here, but I figured Booger_Sandwich
was already taken.
AHHHHHHHHHHHH, HAHAHAHAH., YOU ARE SO GROSS!!!
HAHAH…
Even GROSSER if that avatar was animated!! 
Bleugghh!
quick edit,to get back to the original topic- Dolmetsch’s excellent site;
http://www.dolmetsch.com/index.htm
It becomes even grosser when you know that bunnies are coprophages (sp?); that is, they eat their own excrement, so in essense by calling yourself vomitbunny you’re saying you’re talking sh*t. 
I drew up another bunny with easter colors, but I can’t covert it to gif format till I get to another workstation.
Thanks to the on topic people for the helpful replies. I will give the man this link and he can sort it out for himself.
Cheers,
Dave.
Better hope Stacey doesn’t get hold of it! 
Ok, my easter look is up.
Eating too many chocolate eggs in one sitting used to have that effect on me too!