TABOR PIPES

Whistle
1

Anyone got any suggestions for sources of information on hole positioning for making Tabor whistles? :confused:

I can find loads on the history and principles but not a lot on how to make one.

2

It looks to me from this link:

http://home.freeuk.net/sussexbrew/finger.htm

that it is close to a tinwhistle, with the topmost hole being rotated around to the back of the body. That link shows two holes open playing an F, not an F#, but I think that’s a mistake. If you look at the scores on his site:

http://home.freeuk.net/sussexbrew/notation.htm

They’re written in D or G as you’d expect.

Of course, you could always just buy a cheapo Generation tabor pipe and copy the holes from that.

– Scott

3

So, what does this instrument actually sound like?

4

Shrill and horrible, if you get the ‘high D’ version, which starts in the second octave wrt to a 6-hole high D whistle.

The ‘low’ Tabor pipe’s not too bad on the ears though.

5

Seriously, it’s that bad, huh?

6

I’ve made several, and they’ve come out nicely. I simply left off the top three holes and moved the third from bottom hole to the back. Voicing is a little different too. You don’t need the normal low three notes since a tabor pipe starts up one octave and then plays overtones for the second half of the scale. Voice it to favor the high notes.

7

A tabor pipe is just a whistle without the top three holes, and the F#
hole (the fourth hole counting down from the mouthpice) moved
around so it is a thumb hole. You start on high D and lift the fingers to
get E, F#, and G. Then you put all fingers down and overblow to get
the third harmonics of each (A, B, C), then you get to some serious
ear bleeding with the third octave D, etc. You can try this on any
whistle by just keeping the top 3 holes covered. It’s pretty excruciating
with a highD whistle, as Gary says. I don’t think I’d do it with anything
higher than a lowG.

8

Remember this thread?
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=523060
Tabor pipes spend a significant ammount of time in the 3rd octave.

9

I have a generation tabor pipe, which appears to be a standard whistle–either a c or a d, I don’t recall–with 3 holes, aligned differently.

I also have dick somebody’s tabor pipe tutor and cassette.

All of these are for sale, fairly cheap, if you’re interested.

When I get home I can be much less vague about details.

10

any tin whistle can be turned into a tabor pipe. simply tape the three upper holes then find a drill bit that is the same diameter as hole 4. insert it in the hole and drill through the back. tape the front hole and voila instant tabor pipe. i wouldn’t reccomend using a sterling silver copeland etc. not that it wouldn’t be a fabulous pipe.

11

I don’t agree with that statement at all, using mainly D- and C-pipes myself - and loving their sound. If you have a well made instrument, like on of Paul’s for example, the high D and high C sound very nice. Ok, bad high Ds (and bad taborers) can be a real pain :boggle: - no doubt about it. But that’s the same with whistles, isn’t it? :stuck_out_tongue:

Cheers
Claus

12

Most low end tin whistles sound shrill in the second octave. Most decent wooden ones don’t.

The conclusion here seems to be then,

  • make it from wood
    make it reasonably quiet

Can anyone suggest a reason why the 3rd hole is a thumb hole. It would seem to me that if you are playing a whistle one-handed, your thumb is essential to keep the thing in your mouth! Which two fingers do you play the other holes with, pinkie and 3rd or 3rd and middle or middle and index? If it is the latter, Do you grip the end of the whistle between your pinkie and 3rd then?

You might have guessed I don’t play the Tabor pipes!

13

Yup.

See: http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/pipetabr.htm

14

If you tape the top three holes of a metal whistle to produce a faux-tabor pipe, you can still play it pretty easily. Use your pinky to stabilize the whistle against your thumb, leaving the index, middle, and ring fingers to play the notes. That way, you can simply take the tape off and you have a normal whistle again.

15

The Traditional “Tabor Pipe” is played with the “pinky” placed under the instrument for support. the “thumbhole” and “Index finger” toneholes are opened by sliding the them upwards and maintaining contact with the instrument.

The inner bore/length ratio is 1/40 to 1/42 because the pedal/lowest register is not used. The frequency phase shift of only a 5th in the 3rd register is used to best effect this way.

The Voicing has a very long and shallow labium ramp sometimes faced with polished metal to allow very fast register changes and provides the best “tone-bending/slurring”.

Here is Pete Kosel’s site with a calculator. Blank the top holes and use a 1/40 ratio and don’t forget to drop your desired key 1 octave.
http://www.cwo.com/~ph_kosel/flutomat.html