Thank you, everyone for all of the helpful information. As so many of you are so enthusiastic about Michael Burke’s whistles, I have decided that’s the way to go. Now, I just have to decide Aluminum, Brass Pro, or Wide Bore Brass Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Any opinions?
Tom
Though I have aluminum Burke whistles in the lower keys, the only high D Burke I have ever played is the Brass Pro Session. I too had questions like yours and after a conversation with Mike Burke on the phone I felt this was the right one. Though I can’t compare it to the others, I feel that I got exactly what I wanted with this whistle.
And thanks, Tom, for your kind words about the clip.
Carol
[ This Message was edited by: cskinner on 2003-02-28 17:43 ]
Carol, that air was beautifully played and arranged. I posted before as Whoa Jim,but I thought I was cured. Now I WANT that whistle. I also want that air( I know, want.want, want.It’s all about me).Couldn’t reconstruct a title that worked in JC’s tunefinder. Can you give us the title? Thanks for sharing that haunting sound.
Carol, that air was beautifully played and arranged. I posted before as Whoa Jim,but I thought I was cured. Now I WANT that whistle. I also want that air( I know, want.want, want.It’s all about me).Couldn’t reconstruct a title that worked in JC’s tunefinder. Can you give us the title? Thanks for sharing that haunting sound.
Couldn’t reconstruct a title that worked in JC’s tunefinder. Can you give us the title?
Thanks a lot! It’s actually a tune I wrote, called Salt Air Waltz. I wrote out the music and chords for it and can email you a .jpg if you’d like.
Jim Conway (my whistle teacher) added so much to this recording with his harmonica playing, as did my friend Donald on guitar. And those Burke whistles: I’m tellin’ ya! 
I really appreciate your comments.
Carol
[ This Message was edited by: cskinner on 2003-02-28 17:38 ]
I’ve played aluminum and brass, literally side by side (blowing and fingering both whistles simultaneously), and couldn’t tell the difference. Brass gets that dull patina that some people like but others spend time and effort polishing.
The wide bore takes marginally more air, and is marginally louder.
I have AlPro and old-style wide-bore brass Burkes. The Al is purer sounding; I think the volume is pretty comparable, but the Al seems louder because of the purer sound. I’ve played a brass pro, and it sounded pretty much like the AlPro to me. The WBB has more of a traditional whistle sound, it’s still pretty pure, but has a little hint of breath that makes it more traditional-sounding.
Tyghress, I didn’t find the Rose particularly touchy, but it certainly doesn’t play itself like a Burke or Abell. The one thing about it surprised me (other than its shape 
) was its tendency to clog. I had thought that the wooden windway would take care of that completely, but it doesn’t. Of course, when you get one iota of condensation in the windway, any whistle becomes temperamental.
Cheers, Charlie
FWIW, I like a whistle pair:
-one to learn new tunes on and quite forgiving-a Susato VSB. The other is a Silkstone D+alloy-more demanding of precise breath pressures and fingering, but also better sounding. I like the Silkstone better when I’m highly energized and really tuned in, but play the Susato better when tired or when just doodling around. The Susato VSB is more forgiving, the Silkstone has better tone-but both are good whistles having a different balance of qualities. I’m curious about the Water Weasel sopranos, but only have a WW Low G at present, and its a gem.-Good luck choosing!
On 2003-02-28 16:01, tcm wrote:
Thank you, everyone for all of the helpful information. As so many of you are so enthusiastic about Michael Burke’s whistles, I have decided that’s the way to go. Now, I just have to decide Aluminum, Brass Pro, or Wide Bore Brass Decisions, decisions, decisions.Any opinions?
My opinion is choosing your whistle based on a popularity contest on this message board is not necessarily the best way to get a whistle which is suits you. Would it be at all possible for you to try some whistles before buying one?
Carol,
That’s a beautiful piece of music, beautifully played. The whistle playing is lovely, and the other instruments sound great. I enjoyed the harmonica. Couldn’t figure out what it was. It brings in a complex, reedy sound that’s reminiscent of strings or concertina. Very nice.
Any chance you could email me that JPG?
Best wishes,
Jerry
I’ve owned or own all three types of Burke…aluminum, brass and composite.
I like the brass better than the aluminum..seems purer to my ear. Both were exceptional. The composite burke has a more “woody” sound. I really like them (but I prefer wooden whistles. The only disadvantage in composite is they are not as indestructible as the metal tooters. You can’t go wrong with any of them. I’d also heartily endorse the water weasel as others have. Great tooter!
Doc
On 2003-02-28 19:42, colomon wrote:
On 2003-02-28 16:01, tcm wrote:
Thank you, everyone for all of the helpful information. As so many of you are so enthusiastic about Michael Burke’s whistles, I have decided that’s the way to go. Now, I just have to decide Aluminum, Brass Pro, or Wide Bore Brass Decisions, decisions, decisions.Any opinions?
My opinion is choosing your whistle based on a popularity contest on this message board is not necessarily the best way to get a whistle which is suits you. Would it be at all possible for you to try some whistles before buying one?
I don’t think that is a fair or accurate description of what is going on here. Whilst some people are recommending their favourite whistles, every contributer seems to me to have taken seriously tcm’s specific requirements and budget. Nobody is recommending whistles that aren’t pure. Nobody is suggesting very expensive whistles. Look, we even asked about budget before tcm thought to tell us. My favourite high D as of now is an Overton. I don’t notice anybody recommending them.
The advice to try is of course good advice, if tcm is in a position to do this. I’m only in this position if a friend sends me one on loan.
[ This Message was edited by: Wombat on 2003-03-01 00:33 ]
I don’t really have recommendations for a whistle, for I’m just starting out as well.
But boy that was a nice song there Carol! I played it a few times in a row. I sure am going to learn that tune next.
On 2003-03-01 03:04, Hoed wrote:
I don’t really have recommendations for a whistle, for I’m just starting out as well.But boy that was a nice song there Carol! I played it a few times in a row. I sure am going to learn that tune next.
Thank you very much, Hoed! And Jerry and Dancing Rat, the music is on its way to you.
Just a belated footnote to blackbeer’s post: I too have recently experienced the Micho Russell epiphany–the wonderfully satisfying sound of the breathier Generation kind of whistles–and also love the sound of Overtons (and a few other whistles as well). Wombat’s summed up this thread just right, though; I’ve tried to focus in my posts on what Tom says he wants.
Carol
Just occurred to me as I thought some more about blackbeer’s comment that there’s a clip online of Jim Conway playing a Burke on the jig Humours of Ballyloughlin. The clip is from Jim’s harmonica CD, called Mouth Box.
Carol
[ This Message was edited by: cskinner on 2003-03-01 11:40 ]
Wow Carol that was a cool tune. I think I am lucky that my Burke is the WBB which I think has a little of the traditional sound to it. It is the whistle that sits right here next to my keyboard. I think my only problem with it is volume and my inablility to push it. I have found that my Gen D, tweeked, is a little more expressive when, say I want to push the uper octive E or F#. The Parkhurst Eb, by the way is king in this relm so far. Though it is a new whistle to me and I am still learning of its capabilities. There are of course many things I havent tried with the Burke yet. But isnt it grand haveing so many choices.
Tom
On 2003-02-28 16:01, tcm wrote:
Now, I just have to decide Aluminum, Brass Pro, or Wide Bore Brass Decisions, decisions, decisions.
I have the wide bore brass (WBB) as well as the brass pro session (BPS), brass pro narrow bore (BPNB), and aluminum pro narrow bore (APNB), so my comments apply only to my particular samples of these whistles.
The WBB is a soft whistle with a mellow, slightly breathy tone. The BPS is the loudest of the four whistles and has the richest tone. The BPNB has a purer tone, low breath requirements, and is extremely easy to play, although the BPS is very similar in playability. The APNB has a rather incisive tone and is subjectively as loud as the BPS. It requires slightly more air pressure in the second octave than the BPNB.
My favorites are the BPS and the BPNB, both for playability and tone quality. The main differences are that the BPS requires slightly more air pressure, is a little louder, and has a somewhat more complex tone, particularly in the first octave.
[ This Message was edited by: Ridseard on 2003-03-02 01:50 ]
On 2003-02-28 12:09, tyghress wrote:
Nick, I don’t usually disagree with opinions on the board, but I find my Rose to be EXTREMELY sensitive to breath pressure. I love the whistle dearly and sincerely, it is one of my top 4 for playing, but I feel it takes a lot of attention or you’ll get squeaks and jumps that aren’t intended. It is sweet beyond belief, but finicky.At least that is the feeling I get from playing mine, and the impression I get from listening to clips of Roses.
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Hi Tyghress - of all the high D whistles I’ve played (Abell, Burke, Sindt, Dixon, Elfsong, Overton, Chieftain plus ALL the cheapies), my Rose is without doubt the most stable and least finicky. This leads me to believe that you may have one in need of attention - why not contact Fred to check?