I play a number of D whistles, my personal favourites remaining the Clarke’s Original and (sometimes) Dixon aluminium tunable. In order to gain a bit more volume for sessions I recently bought a Susato Dublin SB. I find this wonderful for playing tunes in the lower octave. However, when going any higher than the E in the upper octave I need to blow so hard that the volume is uncomfortably loud, shrill, and generally displeasing to the ear.
Any comments ? Would the VSB model be more sypathetic ?
The Clarke original is one of the quietest of whistles, and the Susato one of the loudest. So the contrast between the two may be something you’re simply not used to. The Susato shouldn’t take much more air in the second octave than in the first. You might be overblowing. Try narrowing your lips a bit at the windway to reduce the air volume without reducing the air pressure/speed in the second octave.
Yes, the VSB is a bit quieter with a smaller air requirement. I’d say the volume may be comparable to your Dixon. If want a session blaster, the Susato you have is probably a better choice. With some practice in breath control, and perhaps the O-ring tweak, it should be manageable.
You will find the Susato is not difficult to play all the way up to the high B, and will not be shrill or overpowering, if you learn to control your air.
Yep the high notes on high-pitched Susati can be tricky. It just takes a lot of playing to get used to them. As pointed out above, there is a wide range of volume available in high D whistles. I use an old tweaked Feadog for quiet playing (it’s a fantastic whistle), a Burke session-bore for medium playing, and, rarely, a Susato when I really need to blast out volume (outdoor acoustic gigs or very loud sessions). I don’t like how my high D Susato plays and I only use it for high-volume situations.
(my old keyless low C Susato is a great player however)
While that is true to some extent, the susatos can be improved. I recommend replacing he curbed blade with a straight one. Here is where I got the idea: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=7282
Yeah, I like this . I did some tweaking on a few high whistles , basing what I had learned on making the whistle mech. on NA flutes, which I know is not the same. But It seemed to give the whistle less shrill bite and less volume. Less volume is good for me , my wife seems less bothered , as I play when the tv is on.
If I could sound sweet like Captain Picard I guess she wouldnt mind, just joking,
I even put a coup[le layers of elec. tape on the blade, then a thin rectangle of stiky under the blade to make the cutting edge thicker, but obviously you cant file it to make it more blunt..
I had read the great FReeman uses plastic , glued on
Im going to try Bloomfields idea. Ive got 11 whistle coming from Toughknot,. I will stop rattling
My Susato VSB in D doesn’t require too much air. I can play it without problems.
I also have a Susato SB in C which is easier to play than my VSB in D, IMO, but anyways I have problems to play the high B sometimes.
In the end it boils down to this: some people seems to like the Susato and some don´t… There is absolutely no logic in this just a matter of taste. I don´t like it. I bought my first Susato over ten years ago. I think it´s to shill in the upper octave and it sounds to much like a recorder. I´m more of a Original Clarke guy! But I have the deepest respect for those who like the Susato whistle.
WOW! That works REALLY well! I think I read about this before but this is the first time I have tried it. Now i have a Susato head that can be used all night on C & D tubes without the police being called. THANKS!
I think I read about this before but this is the first time I have tried it. Now i have a Susato head that can be used all night on C & D tubes without the police being called. THANKS! 