Without sounding too ignorant, could someone explain what “backpressure” means. Thanks.
Backpressure - The Dictionary lists backpressure as “Residual pressure opposing the free flow of a gas or liquid, as in a pipe.” In whistlogical terms, backpressure is the level of resistance felt when blowing into a whistle. The amount of backpressure can vary greatly from whistle to whistle depending on their construction. Backpressure can greatly reduce the amount of air required to play a whistle, allowing for longer phrases before one needs to take a breath. Professionals and more experienced whistlers tend to prefer whistles with more backpressure as it can also allow for more control using just ones breath. However, begining players tend to enjoy whistles with less backpressure, as it can be easier to get a good sound right off the bat. But in the end it is a matter of personal preference as to how much backpressure is “good”. Often, as with many other things, it is a matter of finding the right balance that works for you.
IMO it means that you will perceive some pressure when you blow into the whistle. Many whistlers prefer this since they believe it is easier to regulate your breath when pushing against pressure than when a whistle is an easy blower. It will be often accompanied by the words “you can really lean into it”. Usually whistles with high back pressure are loud. YMMV.
It is a myth that whistles with higher back pressure/air flow resistance are louder.
That some whistles can be more “leaned into” is not due to higher back pressure/flow resistance, but other factors, for instance tone hole and window geometry.
A whistle with higher back pressure/flow resistance may be easier to play “at the edge”, before a note breaks into the ocatave, because it needs less wind for that tonal effect than a more free blowing whistle. But it is achievable with a more free blowing whistle just the same. Much depends on other factors as well.
I’ve been playing Irish music on whistle since the 1970s and I had never heard the term “backpressure” until I joined this forum a few years ago.
What I’m aware of as a player is how much air passes through the instrument, which affects the length of phrases which can be played on a single breath. I think of it as “efficency”.
I can play a much longer phrase on my MK Low D than I could on my Burke Low D. But I wasn’t really ever aware of a difference in pressure.
I can notice the difference if it’s blatant. For instance, comparing my MK low D to my New Kerry low D, it’s obvious that the MK has much greater backpressure. However, if I compare the MK to my Overton low Eb, I can’t really discern any noticeable difference.
When I think of backpressure, in my head I’m imagining blowing into one end of a tube that is narrowing at the other end to suit the amount of pressure I’m putting out to push air through the whistle. On a whistle like the New Kerry low D, my brain doesn’t imagine any narrowing at all since blowing that whistle requires no significant pressure (you just need the lung capacity of an elephant). On the MK or the Overton, it feels like I’m pushing air through a tube that becomes much smaller on the other end. I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone other than me, but that’s how my brain works it out.
1 - Put down the whistle
2 - Take a deep breath
3 - Open your mouth and breathe out slowly through your mouth
Repeat 2 & 3, except almost completely close your mouth (purse your lips if you like)
During the second exhale your lips are providing more backpressure
Note backpressure does not have any bearing on the volume of air you breath out - just on how hard you have to blow. I could go on but it seems that a common misconception is that more backpressure goes with less air volume - it does not need to.
Thanks for all your replies, especially highwood. I understand now.
I suppose the reason why I’m not really struck by the differences in backpressure between different whistles is because I come from the Highland pipes. The difference in backpressure between various chanter reeds is many times greater than the difference between various whistles. If I put chanter reed pressure on a scale from 1-10, all the whistles I’ve ever tried would be a 1. In other words the difference in whistle backpressure is negligible.
If I put chanter reed pressure on a scale from 1-10, all the whistles I’ve ever tried would be a 1. In other words the difference in whistle backpressure is negligible.
I play oboe - and the same would apply. Lots of backpressure, and also very little air volume - so one blows very hard and you use very little air, you can almost play a phrase as long as you can hold your breath - though doing that tends to negate any sense of relaxation!
Still there are differences in how whistles feel to play with variations in backpressure - what is better - I don’t think there is one answer to that question.
Bill
This is one of the cleverest OP that I have seen in a while.
It enabled you to ensure I wouldn’t substantially participate in your topic
because, well - you know, I couldn’t have possibly explained backpressure without sounding really ignorant.
I have come to think of back pressure in two ways, as it applies to whistles. First, there can be a mechanical back pressure, owing to a whistle’s design. This can mean a whistle head with a narrow windway and /or window or shading the window in the bore itself, or it could also be achieved with a fipple plug that is angled in way to create some additional turbulence in the bore. With this type of back pressure, there is a perceived resistance from the moment you pick the whistle up. Second, there can be more of a “developed” back pressure that seems to build as the whistle is played and warms up, which seems to be linked to the amount of ambient moisture that develops in the whistle head and bore. With these, I notice that the air requirement seems to drop slightly once the whistle warms up. The only whistles I have ever played that seem to exhibit both of these, are Colin Goldie’s. It is one of the reasons I have come to appreciate them so much in the past couple of years.
If you create a blockage somewhere then pressure has to build up.
It wouldn’t make an instrument louder since a blockage usually reduces air flow.
Some whistles are simply made better, those who achieve good back pressure will also have a good geometry in the fipple window area, so backpressure and tonal quality are just a coincidence.
I think back pressure gives more control to the player, better control would have a effect on the quality of the tone.
Actually, Colin and I exchanged emails concerning backpressure a couple of years ago, and in the course of that exchange he wrote, “When I make a batch I have a few amongst it that I think would suit that players wishes. We then have a phone call, I play the whistles over the phone and the person chooses. This works really well and in 12 years had very few whistles coming back for exchange. If I sell to a shop I normally provide a selection so that if a player comes into the shop they have a choice. I know from experience there are people that like hard blowing whistles and others that like soft blowing whistles…”
As far as his whistles are concerned, the amount of backpressure a particular whistle has is not a coincidence, it is absolutely intentional.