First off, if you understood the topic line of this thread, you need to get a life besides whistling. Seek help now.
Here is a mini review of the new Susato Very Small Bore D as compared to the Small Bore D. I recently ordered a VSB E so I could play Caliope House in E, the key it’s meant to be in. For $12, Thom Larsson was kind enough to throw an extra VSB D body. This means that now I not only have an high E (something everyone needs) but also two Susato high Ds: Small and Very Small Bores (I am the Big Bore).
I would hesitate to describe the sound of the VSB D as “sweeter” than that of the older SB D. It is thinner, and even a bit edgier. The older SB D has fullness and depth to its sound that the VSB does not have. The pitch may be the same, but the VSB sounds higher.
That is not to say that VSB does not have the hated/loved recordery Susato sound. The VSB is thinner, but it still has plenty of Franz Brueggen, if you know what I mean.
In the upper octave the the VSB is comparatively quieter than the SB. Also the balance in volume between the lower and upper octave is better, which is nice. And of course the the VSB is a bit quieter over all. On the whole, the sound of the SB seems to me more complex and more interesting than thinner VSB sound.
I’ve discovered one interesting difference between the VSB and SB Ds. It has always bugged me that the Susato whistles are very sensitive to covering lower holes for balance. I routinely play high a, b, and c# as xxo oox, xoo oox, and ooo oox. On the older SB this easily leads to squawks and drops and other embarrassing sounds (in the upper octave). The VSB D is much more stable here and does not mind a stabilizing sixth finger. That being said, it is my general impression of the higher Susatos that they are quite sensitive and are more prone to squeeks and squawks than other whistles in the hands of a player at my level of proficiency. That is why I don’t use my Susatos much, except for big contra-dances, unruly sessions, and to cut ceramic tiles in the recent renovation of my bathroom.
I agree with your review, and nicely written, by the way.
The VSB is less sensitive to having lower holes covered for stability, but here is a flip side to that: the SB is a very chromatic whistle using cross-fingerings. The VSB has far fewer good cross-fingered chromatics available.
And I suppose it really does mean I’m beyond all hope, but I know who Franz Bruggen is. His Sour Cream album (the Henry VIII stuff) has been one of my favorites for years. (I suppose to a whistler it’s nothing to lose your head over though!)
On 2002-06-07 16:49, Bloomfield wrote:
First off, if you understood the topic line of this thread, you need to get a life besides whistling. Seek help now.
But I PASSED the insanity test!
This means that now I not only have an high E (something everyone > needs> )
I wholeheartedly agree! And a low-E, too. I don’t quite know what it is, but E just seems to work with whistles. IMHO, the E is the best (by a longshot) of the high Water Weasels (which is saying quite a bit), and I have a Burke composite low-E that just rocks, too.
I know that composers throughout history claim that different keys have different feels. I tend to agree, and wonder if maybe E is “my” key, or whether maybe I’ve just lucked out and gotten some really excellent E whistles?
as everything on Earth has a natural resonating frequecy, including the human body, I guess it’s quite possible, not to say likely, that some keys would sound more “right” to one player than another. Maybe E sound better to you than D for this reason.
So for those who wish to study the natural resomating frequencies of the C&F members, for the record I’m 5’10", 175 pounds, of medium build, but composed of pure fat from the shoulders up.
Presented for further edification, I submit another review of the subject whistles. Bloomfield’s review is right on. I verified everything he wrote on the matter. However, here are some additional comments on the VSB VS SB Susato soprano D. (VSBVSSBSSD)
The VSB Kildare is longer than the SB model. The VSB has a narrower window with square sides. The SB window sides are flared outwards on about a 45 degree angle. So, not only are the tubes different, the heads are different, too. The VSB design is like the Kildare alto whistle head. My alto G Kildare has two ‘O’ rings to seal the head joint. The D’s possess only one each.
Comparing the sound of the two, the SB has more of that Clarke’s hollow tone. This I attribute to the larger diameter bore. The first octave is very sweet. This whistle is reminiscent of my beloved Susato Kildare alto G. If you like the alto Susato’s, the SB D Kildare is its closest cousin.
The VSB has more of a reedy tone, and none of the hollowness mentioned above. The note volume balance between octaves is more equal than the SB Kildare. It is quieter overall and particularly in the second octave. That is very nice. The SB was difficult to hit the second octave A and B. (My tinnitus is flaring up!) The VSB requires less air, but clogs more easily. This is due to the smaller wind way. This is not realloy a problem as you can play a complete tune before the clogging is evident.
Recording the VSB using Cool Edit, and a Shure SM-57 microphone, it demonstrated excellent note-to-note volume balance across both octaves. It possesses more odd harmonics than the SB and this is what gave it a reedy tone. The recording worked best with the microphone near the whistle head. Near the end of the tube, the reedy-ness was more pronounced. The smaller diameter tube plays faster and has more pop, likened to a Feadog or Generation type cylindrical whistle.
The perfect whistle would possess the first octave of the SB Kildare and the second octave of the VSB model. Regardless, the VSB is a winner. My compliments to Susato for making an outstanding whistle that is in tune.
Which one would I buy? I would buy the VSB Kildare soprano D.
Interesting, Gary. But if you’re like those Europeans, you had better keep your hat on.
If I had to choose, I think I’d pick the SB after all because the tone is more interesting. The thing about the VSB, though, is that it plays more like my other whistles with none of the “don’t put your ringfinger down” kind of finnickiness. When you play the VSB next to another whistle, like a Generation, you realize how much more depth there can be to a whistle’s sound.
\
/bloomfield
[ This Message was edited by: Bloomfield on 2002-08-21 09:57 ]
Agreed about the depth, Bloomfield. It just came down to personal preference.
This Euro thing is getting to be a big topic. Did you know that the Y chromosome (sp?) is passed from father to son, virtually unchanged? This is how anthropoligists trace our lineage to our original people group.
