You all know how something simple can sometimes be a bit of a conundrum at times. Well this is one of mine.
I have tried to come up with a good way of locating the thumbhole center on the opposite side of the whistle barrell. Using a cloth measuring tape seems to be the best so far. I measure around the circumference, from say the 2nd hole from the top, to the opposite side (180 degrees) first in a clockwise direction then counterclocwise to arrive at a common measurement in both directions. I then slightly move this point up or down the length of the barrell as needed.
I have a centre line for the whistle holes on the top of the whistle (drawn on masking tape). This line reaches the ends of the whistle body. It is easier to find a point on the opposite side from this line at the end of the tube (I do it by eye). I then mark this point and its equivalent at the other end of the tube, and draw a line between them.
The quick method is to take two sharp pencils drop one in the top hole then eyeball down the inside of the tube and point the second pencil under the tube so its point meets up with the top pencil and mark the spot. A second method I use is I lay the tube in a simple building jig that is nothing more than two wood sticks half the height of the tubing just apart enough to cradle the tube then I scribe the top and bottom center lines from the edges of the wood cradle.. Bob.
I know the thumbhole is a controversial addition, but I believe there is a small but loyal following. Although not “traditional” neither is the flatbacked bouzouki.
To quote the popular whistle maker Michael Burke:
“Description: The thumbhole option is a way of providing a perfect C natural on your D whistle so that you can play in the key of G or other scales that need a flattened 7th. It also allows you to get an octave C natural on the D whistle as well, to extend the scale and also to add options for ornamentation. The extra tonehole is located on the back of the tube between the top two toneholes and the note is played by playing a “B” and lifting the thumb. If you keep your thumb in place, the whistle will play exactly as a regular 6 holed whistle. The option is available on any model in any key. This is a great option that allows you a very accurate second scale on your whistle.”
The thumbhole is also standard from Hans Bracker.
A different, but similar “heretical” addition is the D+ or D7, a soprano D with bottom C. Whistles with this addition of the C5 below D5 are made by Colin Goldie, Paul Busman, Daniel Bingamon, Merlin Whistles, and was made by Paul Hayward.
Ahhh… Now that you mention it, I did read that on the MB site a while back… I might have even made one like this for a customer once… I guess my memory isn’t so functional at 2am… But C&F is great for my insomnia… Thanks for refreshing me.
The one or two I’ve provided for customers were done by eyeball, and came out fine. Drill it undersize, then open it up bit by bit until you get that Cnat you so desire.
Or, you could just half hole it
I make whistles with or without thumb hole, I ask what the player wants. I don’t charge extra for it. - I just dropped the word “standard” from the description of it on my site, as this is really a matter of personal preference and customisation requirements. In the end there is little “standard” in a customised whistle.
Measuring around the tube from the hole centre line using half the diameter times Pi works for me. I have not made up special jigs for this, as I work with tubes of so many different sizes.
Since the whistle is not my primary instrument I find it interesting that there is a traditional bias against thumb holes and a 7th hole. When you build a whistle like that you get a recorder with whistle chiff. I build mostly mountain dulcimers and as the instrument is having a revival. The newest generation of players come to it without the traditional bias we old timers have about things like 1/2 frets and chromatic scales. Which is the string equivalent of adding holes in a whistle… Bob.
Adding a thumbhole to a whistle does not make it a recorder as the whistle thumbhole has a completely different function than the recorder thumbhole. Michael Burke does a good job explaining the advantages of the thumbhole. Anyway, this is an interesting thread for me as I’ve made a hash of a few whistles by adding a thumbhole and not getting it positioned right. These days I only buy whistles that already have the thumbhole.
Yes, I do not see that a seven hole whistle makes it into a recorder with chiff.
The origin of chiff as in “breathieness” are not related to the number of holes, and to make a whistle voice more recorder like especially changes to the window dimensions are needed, again nothing to do with the numbers of finger holes. Also the C nat thumb hole is a different thing than the recorder octave thumb hole.
Never made a whistle with a thumbhole *
If I wanted to put it exactly opposite the first hole I would just drill on down through the top hole (make sure nothing - like your vice - is beneath the whistle where the drill will appear) and as brewerpaul says ‘start small …’
I said if because I don’t know if that is where to put the hole for best results, though if you mostly care about just the first octave it will not matter too much.
Another way would be to circle the whistle with a strip of paper and mark the diameter on it, unwind it and fold in half, wind it back on to the whistle to measure halfway around the whistle - very simple, not sure the words quite convey the method well, pictures would work but that seems too much work.
I have seriously considered a seventh hole for low C or C# as it would probably simplify the tuning and voicing of the D’s - would not have to be even used.
personally I half-hole Cnat most of the time and use oxx ooo when it is easier because of fingering issues when playing my own instruments - and 1/2 hole all the time if I’m playing a D Generation (which I admit is now seldom to never) because of tuning issues.
All your responses have been great, some ingenious. Thank you, I will be trying some of these out.
Usually the thumbhole is normally placed halfway between the top two toneholes. The higher up toward the mouthpiece the smaller the hole diameter. At the halfway point the thumbhole hole diameter is ROUGHLY the diameter of the top hole. After that the diameter decreases. So I believe the halfway point is a happy medium between a comfortable position and an efficient hole diameter.
I assume by “diameter” you actually meant circumference.
EDIT: I can see rereading the posts that all the techniques have merit depending on one’s situation. Here are all the techniques to date:
1 - I have a centre line for the whistle holes on the top of the whistle (drawn on masking tape). This line reaches the ends of the whistle body. It is easier to find a point on the opposite side from this line at the end of the tube (I do it by eye). I then mark this point and its equivalent at the other end of the tube, and draw a line between them.
2 - The quick method is to take two sharp pencils drop one in the top hole then eyeball down the inside of the tube and point the second pencil under the tube so its point meets up with the top pencil and mark the spot.
3 - I lay the tube in a simple building jig that is nothing more than two wood sticks half the height of the tubing just apart enough to cradle the tube then I scribe the top and bottom center lines from the edges of the wood cradle.
4 - Measuring around the tube from the hole centre line using half the diameter times Pi works for me.
5 - Another way would be to circle the whistle with a strip of paper and mark the circumference on it, unwind it and fold in half, wind it back on to the whistle to measure halfway around the whistle - very simple.
