If I can play the whistle, what other instruments should I be able to play with only a little variation in technique?
Specifically, I do Middle Eastern dance and my troupe is thinking of also playing our own music. But I don’t know WHAT Middle Eastern-sounding instruments I could play. Are there any that are LIKE a whistle?
I CAN play a recorder (although I don’t like to) but I CAN’T play a flute. So I guess I’m asking–what other end-blown finger-holed instruments are there?
Well, there are those Native American flutes (actually end-blown fipple flutes, but they play a different scale…I think they’re pentatonic). A tabor pipe would also be doable.
Redwolf
I’ve been thinking about a shawm just for fun.
With single reed : bamboo sax, bamboo clarinet, other variations of the “chalumeau”.
With double reed, all ancestors of the modern oboe (shalm, etc.). Like today’s Breton bombarde, or piston (its “low whistle” or bassoon equivalent)…
With duct and fipple, and simplified fingering : English tabor pipe, Basque txistu…
With no mouthpiece whatsoever, and ultimately simplified fingering…
didgeridoo 
A lot of what people think of when they think of Middle Eastern sounds (at least Westernized versions) are reed instruments. How in-depth do you want to get with this? Are you just looking for a sound that sounds “right” and can be played melodiously while someone else keeps the beat on a drum? Or do you really want to learn to play authentically?
For the latter, look for a competent teacher, because you won’t be able to pick up the cultural nuances from text or even from having the best instruments. Sort of like real Irish music is distinctive and very hard to imitate if you didn’t grow up in that culture. It can be done, but you have to learn a new “accent” when doing it (see Brother Steve’s site for more on this).
For just noodling around and keeping the beat as the important part, there are a couple of options. A while back, someone on this very board posted a bit about making a Middle-eastern sounding whistle using a commercial head and hobby-store brass tubing. Do a search for the details. Alternatively, Daniel Bingamon makes some minor-key whistles and whistles that play some odd scales. He could probably fix you up pretty quickly.
If you want the reed sound, be warned that you have to maintain a constant pressure on the reed. This is not a bad thing if you have a good reed, but can be a real gut-busting experience with a hard reed. This is just a warning of something to be aware of.
Shawms are the instrument I think of most with ME dance. Them and doumbeks. Shark in the Morning carries a selection of interesting-looking shawms and other reed instruments under Middle Eastern Winds. Not sure of quality and you can usually find the same product elsewhere for a better price. But that would be a place to begin looking.
Hope that at least gives you something to think about.
-Patrick
Here are some instruments you’d probably be able to also play:
Frula
Dvoyanka
Melody Flute (available from http://www.melbay.com )
Sweet Potato ocarina
Maui Xaphoon (Sound)
Tarka
Some Middle Eastern type instruments you might try:
Sipsi
Mijwiz
Raita
Zurnas
Argul
Mey
Duduk
Mizmar
See if you can try out a Renaissance recorder. It has a different sound from the usual Baroque type, and may be what you’re looking for.
FWIW-- the recorder is extremely popular in Israel, which is indeed in the Middle Easst, so the recorder is authentic, at least sorta.
Thanks for all the advice. I do in fact want to just SOUND okay, and not necessarily get up to authentic/professional quality. I mean, the focus will be the dancing, and then the novelty of the dancers being able to stop and become the band is sort of just an extra.
I’m not sure how hard it is to play a reed instrument, but as I do live in a city with a Lark in the Morning, I can guess I’ll be going on a trip soon to try it out.
Again, thanks!
Okay, take the couple of minutes to go to this site: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kadima/whis-himetal.htm and scroll down to the Ahava Rabba whistle. Listen to the WAV files. Coooool…
If I wanted to do any sort of middle-eastern whistling, I just decided this is the tool I’d want to use. I only just listened to it because I was thinking of this thread. For $40, I’m tempted to get one next time I have spare cash.
-Patrick
The ‘Nai’ or ‘Ney’ is a middle eastern duct flute which doesn’t have a fipple-this is formed by the players lips-the breath being directed onto the blade by the player(like the Shakuhachi).Because of the way that the sound is produced,this instrument is capable of great subtlety,and variation of sound.Sounds just what your after,Don’t know where you’d get one though! Might be worth a Google.
On 2003-02-05 06:23, brewerpaul wrote:
See if you can try out a Renaissance recorder. It has a different sound from the usual Baroque type, and may be what you’re looking for.
FWIW-- the recorder is extremely popular in Israel, which is indeed in the Middle Easst, so the recorder is authentic, at least sorta.
Paul, did you try Adriana’s Dream (block)Flute, manufactured by Mollenhauer ? It does look like a revamped Renaissance (Adri says it hides a Van Eyck bore), comes in Soprano c’’ and Alto f’ . Now, if one could just shave off its painted joint ring, the last cutesie in its design…
Here’s a sop, without the pig-nose holes.
I understand Susato sells them.
[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-02-07 02:56 ]
On 2003-02-07 02:55, Zubivka wrote:
Paul, did you try Adriana’s Dream (block)Flute, manufactured by Mollenhauer ? It does look like a revamped Renaissance (Adri says it hides a Van Eyck bore), comes in Soprano c’’ and Alto f’ . Now, if one could just shave off its painted joint ring, the last cutesie in its design…
Those are great for those looking for an authentic looking instrument. And it has the common standardized recorder fingering.
I think if I ever got up the gumption to visit ye olde Renaissance Faire, I’d like to tote one of these along.
And they also have a line of “Renaissance Recorders,” if you are looking for the playing characteristics of that era recorder.
This recorder idea led me to think of one made by Adler-Heinrich, which I think would be great for a Middle-Eastern themed musician.
All of these recorders seem to be on the not inexpensive side, though.
On 2003-02-06 14:02, Patrick wrote:
Okay, take the couple of minutes to go to this site: > http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kadima/whis-himetal.htm > and scroll down to the Ahava Rabba whistle. Listen to the WAV files. Coooool…If I wanted to do any sort of middle-eastern whistling, I just decided this is the tool I’d want to use. I only just listened to it because I was thinking of this thread. For $40, I’m tempted to get one next time I have spare cash.
-Patrick
I have an Ahava Raba and a Harmonic Minor, both in D. I like them both. They’re great value at the price. The hole size and spacing on the Ahava Raba will take a bit of getting used to but it’s well worth it. If you just want one, that’s the one to get I think. Daniel will probably have it to you very quickly too and help you out with advice on fingering—well, so would I for that matter.
The link (kadima, etc.) is to our fellow chiffer Daniel Bingammon. He seems the only whistle maker ready for any adapatation (even to Dixon heads) and in any scale one would ask.
With interchangeable tubes, you could get one for blues, one for minor, etc.
The multi-diatonic instrument ?
[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-02-07 03:54 ]
On 2003-02-05 06:23, brewerpaul wrote:
See if you can try out a Renaissance recorder. It has a different sound from the usual Baroque type, and may be what you’re looking for.
FWIW-- the recorder is extremely popular in Israel, which is indeed in the Middle Easst, so the recorder is authentic, at least sorta.
What exactly is the difference that makes this more suitable? Can one use half/quarter holing techniques to get microtones?
paul sure knows better but here :
Renaissance, bigger bore, less conical, louder with stronger bell tone. Usually limited to 2 octaves, instead of pretending to 2 1/2 with weird fingering.
1/'4 tones ? Same lady–Adriana–goes at another’s manufacturer for :
http://www.moeckmusic.de/english/instrumentenbau-frame09.htm
Her slide-recoder : a mouthpiece with a slide you press with the chin to alter tone…
Check also for her own Adriana Broeking site, with more explanations.
Thanks Zub. Some interesting stuff here. Those slide recorders look seriously wierd; just the sort of thing I like. I can already feel a slide recorder/erhu duet coming on. A bit pricey though. Pricey but nicey.
On 2003-02-05 17:43, Kar wrote:
I do in fact want to just SOUND okay, and not necessarily get up to authentic/professional quality. I mean, the focus will be the dancing, and then the novelty of the dancers being able to stop and become the band is sort of just an extra.I’m not sure how hard it is to play a reed instrument, but as I do live in a city with a Lark in the Morning, I can guess I’ll be going on a trip soon to try it out.
Again, thanks!
Hey, my wife used to dance with the Suhaila Dance Company in the Bay Area (she’s taking a sabbatical now); I like being married to a professional bellydancer/biologist!
If you don’t have to play in tune with anyone else, a sipsi might be what you’re looking for. I got one for something like $8.00 at Lark in the Morning in SF. It’s reeded, but you just stick the whol reed in your mouth and blow. That is, you don’t have to have contact with the reed itself (imagine your mouth as the bellows for a bagpipe, with the reed just in the airstream in your mouth). The sipsis they sell don’t seem to be in tune with each other, or themselves, but you get a neat middle-easterny sound and can play simple tunes. Funny: the instrument is quite small, but produces quite a low tone.
Good luck.
Did anyone notice the BiWhistle on the page Patrick linked? Nifty! Anyone ever tried one of those?