I am trying to make a good aluminum alloy whistle.
I have gotten pretty good bottom register, and the tuning is good in both registers. It switches registers the way that I want it to. The volume is pretty well balanced, but the intonation is not as well balanced between registers as it is with the better whistles. The upper register is just a little more airy than the lower. It lacks “body”.
Anyone got any ideas on where I should tweak to fix it?
Thanks,
-Charles T-
Check the dimensions of the rectangular window between the fipple and the blade. It sounds like you have made this distance too large. If it is only a very ( 1/64 inch or less)little amount off, that alone can do what you describe. Unfortunately, this is not very easy to fix once you make it too large. Plan on making a fair number of substandard whistles before you get one exactly the way you like it. In general, always cut holes, windways, windows, etc a bit small, then enlarge them bit by bit.
Thats just the info I was looking for!
Thanks!
That’s what I was going to say! Dang it! Also you may want to make sure that the blade is straight across sometimes if it is cute at a slight angle it can cause problems like that.
Cy