From time to time, I hear someone claim a whistle has “spot on tuning”. Well, I’m here to ask is there really such a thing? Granted, a whistle can be poorly made and noticeably out of tune—which you can hear with your ears, assuming you’re not tone deaf.
The reason for this post is I want to hear what the rest of you think. I am using a Boss TU-2 tuner hooked up to a Sony Cardioid Dynamic Mic. I can play a variety of whistles including a new Burke, Water Weasel, Chieftains, Kerry, Dixon, Silkstone, Syn, Hoover and Generation and depending on how I blow I can make any of them a little sharp, flat or right on. The key here is that I have to blow consistently and smoothly. WHO PLAYS LIKE THAT??? So my question is, does it really matter as long as the whistle SOUNDS right?
One of the things that make whistles and flutes so wonderful, IMHO, is that they can be expressive, which includes the ability to flatten or sharpen a note while you play. The most beautiful playing I have heard is from someone adjusting the speed and volume of air, in combination with other “stylings” to effect a mood, attitude, or emotion, which is what is so wonderful about music. It seems to me that it’s more about the whistler than the whistle. So I’m curious what you think?
You’re completely right, intonation is something you do as you play, to suit the tune and the mood. A whistle is not a keyboard where you push a button and get the one tone, always the same, the player has something to add there. But then again, you’ll have to learn to play well and that takes effort.
Another great one is the problems a lot of people have with the ‘spot on’ tuning of the C natural. :roll:
I’m curious how “tuning” was accomplished centuries ago, when we didn’t have digital tuners? The idea of measure pitch and so forth is very interesting, in regards to times of old when there were no machines like we know now.
To me, “in tune” means “able to be blown into tune”…all whistling requires some breath control, as all the whistles I’ve ever tried can be pushed sharp or flat.
Some whistles like to hang right at a certain point, and it takes a bit more push than you’d think to move them..but many of them can be pushed without too much effort.
In my reviews, I try to mention what breath characteristics a whistle has to keep it in tune, and which notes need more or less push. However, for me, an ideal whistle is “well in tune” if the notes are in tune with the breath pressure I expect. Ie: if A=440 takes a certain amount of breath, I expect B a smidge more, G to take a smidge less, F# a smidge less than G and so on. If there’s a note that sticks out as deviating too much from it’s brethren, I make note of that.
Some whistles can’t be blown into tune no matter what you do. Some whistles, while they can be blown in tune, have a note or two that are way off on the breath requirements scale, making them practically impossible to play in tune without a whole lot of dedictaton learning the bizarro breathing of that particular whistle.
As for who plays consistently, I’m sure I don’t qualify. But I have noticed a big difference in my breath control and ear sophistication since I’ve started playing. When I was brand spanking new, I could be out of tune and not notice it. Now, I’ve got a fairly good ear, I think. I think I’m just started developing some decent breath control, which means playing the whistle consistently where you want it. Probably a lot of this has to do with embarrassing myself badly one night by being a little drunk and playing so flat one night in Houston that no one could play with me. These days, in addition to getting into the tune, I try to actively listen to the instruments around me, and make sure that each note I’m blowing is in tune with the instruments around me.
As an example, at the Friday sessions I go to, there’s another whistler who also plays drums…he keeps his whistle on the table when he’s not playing it, and so often times he’ll pick up the whistle cold. While he’s not usually so flat as to sound jarring with the rest of the group, the two whistles can sound really bad when they’re just a few cents out of sync, especially in the 2nd octave! I’ve gotten good at using my breath to bring us together, and increasing the pitch with my breath as he warms up. (Not picking on you Tom…just using you as an example!)
4 or 5 years ago, I may have said “I’m out of tune” or “he’s out of tune” and spent a lot of time fiddling with the tuning slide. If you’re within 5-10 cents, usually you can get there with your breath instead on a good whistle.
The tuning fork was invented by John Shore in 1711 and it had a pitch of A423.5. He was the sergeant trumpeter to the Court and also lutenist in the Chapel Royal.
Do you even know what a cent is, and can you hear a cent difference? When you say tuning is “ususally called ‘spot on,’” where does this “usually” come from? Are you refering to the chiffboard or some other source? Who are the “usually” people? And about that “more or less or less relative”: relative to what? And what is relative, the tuning or the “usual” references to tuning? How more, and how less?
You’ve had over 5,000 posts to get the hang of it, and I think it wouldn’t hurt to ask yourself before you hit “submit” whether your post a) makes any sense at all, b) contributes something, or c) is funny.
Dang, Bloomie; so you got beat for $270; calm down or I’ll beat you with semi colons. Next time you’re feeling so generous, my daughter’s college fund could always use a little extra, and we’d all feel so much better for it.
The C natural has been discussed a good few times before, the player adds the proper intonation to make the note stand out or do you think Willie Clancy always played OXXOOO or OXOOOO to get the beautiful effects he got out of the note? Ofcourse not he had a range of different approaches to the note. It’s the players job to get it right. people complaining they can’t play a Sindt because of the tuning of the note being off in my mind approach things from the wrong angle.
On a D whistle, you have to either cross-finger or half-hole to get a C natural, as there’s no normal hole for it. The usual way I play Cnat (when I do, which is rare these days) is covering holes 2 & 3. Some whistles require just hole 2, some 2,3 & 4, and anyway thay all may take a little breath adjustment to get spot on. My 2-piece Clare is like that, even with adjustment the C was never quite right, but I accepted it as the whistle was so handy in other ways.
So many people can play everything in tune~ish, except that dang Cnat which takes that bit more control.
Tuning is always relative to who you’re playing with… who cares what the electronic tuner says! In my band I’m always trying to stay in tune with fiddles who have their own idiosyncrasies. The upper octave G and A tend to be a little sharp, and even though we’re usually accompanied by guitar it’s better to match the fiddles’ (or other melody instrument) pitch than the guitar’s.
I remember spending hours in the school band with the director going around the room having us each play a note with him staring at the Strob-o-conn, giving us the thumbs-up or thumbs-down. I suppose that can be constructive early on to help young players understand the tendencies of different notes on the horn. But later you start to learn the differences between relative pitch and tempered scales and such, and it’s no longer set in stone. A lot of the joy and soul of making music is in the uncharted waters where the tuner needle isn’t pointing straight up.
I think the closer instruments are to spot on tuneing the better. And yes it may vary when all are playing but they pass spot on enough so as to not be noticed.
Even today different orchestras tune at slightly different frequencies (viz.) concert pitch is different for different orchestras.
Of course once the orchestra has chosen a particular frequency to call concert pitch a mathematical formula would then dictate all of the other tones surrounding that concert pitch so that, for example, when you play a major scale it sounds like a major scale.
Put the digital tuner down and open up your ears people!
Good points, but even then it’s relative! If the brass is playing a major chord, the pitch of the third varies depending on a number of things, such as whether a keyboard (fixed pitch) is also playing, or the chord is being played in 1st inversion (third doubled in the bass).
Next time you’re feeling so generous, my daughter’s college fund could always use a little extra, and we’d all feel so much better for it.