Last week I bought a low D (3 parts) and a High C copeland brass whistles on “Elderly Instruments” website…
This 2 whistles have a wonderful tone and are very easy to play… but they are not “in tune” so I’m a little bit disappointed
For example, the High E of the LW is a High E#, the C# is higher and the low D is lower (a lot) so when I play with my friends, i’m not “in tune” ! (My instrument tuner confirmed this)
Is it commun with those whistles?
I have got a High D copeland and a low D Ian Lambe whistle for 3 years and I have never had troubles with!
I’m not very exigent generally with the tuning: I only want to be able to play with my friends
many times it’s just a matter of breath control, when you’re used to one whistle and then start playing another it takes a while to blow everything in tune.
I had very similar issues with my Copeland C, ended up having it revoiced and eventually replaced. Check that you’re pulled out about 1/4" and aren’t overblowing the instrument.
My Copeland C had to be played into proper intonation, unlike my Burke C, which doesn’t require so much attention to play in tune.
If the tuning’s really as far off as you say, I wouldn’t hesitate to contact Jim Rementer. I am sure he and Michael will be more than happy to help you.
Definitely pull the head out a tad. I think Copelands, like many other handmade whistles, are purposely designed to play a bit sharp so you can play with a sharp non-tunable instrument like a piano. I make mine that way. Should be fine pulled out a little.
It would be a good idea to contact Jim Rementer if you can’t resolve the tuning issue; he is generally quite helpful and responsive. I don’t mean to come across as a Copeland expert, but I have played and own many of them and they are my favorite whistles. The 3-piece Low D is a new design so I can’t speak specifically to that. At some point in the past (several years), the C was not the strong point in the Copeland line (although during that period Lorin and Jessie did obtain a C Copeland that they called “the greatest whistle in the world”); however, Copeland has attained more recently a solid consistency in quality and control in my experience.
All of my Copelands play in tune with the slide out about 3/16 to a 1/4". Michael generally ships them like that as well. As said by others, you may have to adjust your breath flow somewhat; I find that I do that naturally with various whistle makes until we are happy with each other. Some take a bit more effort than others; some are worth it, some aren’t.
Bottom line: try to adjust the slide and your blow (for a couple days, perhaps); if that doesn’t do it for you, contact Jim.
Both of my Copelands have slight tuning issues. One has a C# that’s noticeably flat, but can be blown into tune. The other has a low-D that flips very easily, so it can’t be blown fully into tune. Both are pretty subtle and not noticeable except on notes that are held.
It’s odd that these whistles are painstakingly made conical for perfect tuning but do seem to have issues in that area. Between Burkes and Weasels I have 20 whistles, every single one of which is in tune over 2+ octaves.
BTW, I concur with everybody else; if you do have complaints, definitely contact Jim Rementer. I got both of my Copelands used and he said they’d revoice them for free if I wanted.
Yeah, my Copeland soprano D (several years old) is not quite as in tune with itself as my Burke whistles. It’s not bad, though, just a tad out here and there.
On the other hand, the Copeland has such a commanding “voice” (or timbre) that I like it far better than my Burke D for most things in spite of the less-than-perfect tuning. (Not that I’m complaining about the Burke, I wouldn’t own so many Burke whistles if I didn’t like them!)
The Copeland also has the advantage in that it is heavy enough to use as a lethal weapon when required. (Call me crazy, but I just like solid things – I’m still using a three-year old Mitsibushi cell phone because it’s built like a tank, instead of like toilet paper like the new phones from Motorola and Nokia.)
You know, it’s interesting: I own a Copeland Bb and for quite some time I had problems with the internal tuning, particularly on a couple of notes at the high end of the bottom octave. Over time, I stopped noticing. Now it is in tune for these notes. I realize now that with practice I learned to adjust the wind on those notes to play in tune.
Just exactly how does one reach the Copeland workshop by e-mail? The website doesn’t list an e-mail address (and the contact button only works if you have Outlook Express).
Jim Rementer will probably get you the quickest reply (in my experience).
Just start a new email message and type in one of the addresses above (in the To: box).
I recall that the Copeland whistles are designed to have the headjoint pull out just a little bit. It allows you to have tuning adjustment in both directions.
I’ve had a Copeland high d about three months now, and it took at least two of those months for me to get used to it.
I thought at first there was a problem with the whistle. Then I got together with another whistler who plays her Copeland beautifully – and in tune. We traded whistles (temporarily), and neither of us could tell the slightest difference between them. So I had to admit the problem was with me, not with the whistle.
After working with it a while now I’ve noticed that I can blow the Copeland sharp or flat by a considerably wider range than my other whistles (Abells and Burkes). This could be an advantage but it make the whistle a bit less forgiving. It forces the player to listen and adjust.
Could this explain why some have folks said their Copeland seemed out of tune at first, but later they didn’t notice a problem? I bet they just made subtle adjustments without realizing it.
(My instrument tuner confirmed this)
