I’ve got an aluminum low d I made and finally got the windway and blade where I want them… almost, I think. I get a cracking on some notes. I’ve got a clip; maybe a whistle maker can give me a hint. I hate to keep messing with things when it’s almost there. Or maybe it is there, and I just don’t recognize it.
I’d also like to make a tuning slide for the whistle, or have one made. Is there anyone out there who would do this for me?
Feedback appreciated.
Humours of Ballyloughlin on my low d
I also included a graph from some software they’re discussing on the flute forum:
RTTA graph of above clip
Thanks,
Michael
Michael. The whistle is “breaking” into higher harmonic registers.
The “problem” your are experiencing is caused by a labium ramp that is at too sharp an angle or you have too much velocity from the airstream. Tabor Pipes use this feature to quickly change registers.
I suggest a simple test to create more backpressure and reduce windway velocity. If you reduce the inner diameter of the bore end hole, you will need less breath pressure to generate a tone.(Blue-Tack Putty?) Adding the “Wax-Tweak” to the cavity under the windway may also help.
Thanks for the suggestions Thomas-Hastay. I’ll give he putty/wax a try. The whistle is made of very thin aluminum and I sharpened the labium lip. There’s not much of a ramp. Maybe I need to dull the lip a bit.
Michael
Michael
A labium will oscillate at lower wind velocity (less breath) if the leading edge of the labium ramp is rounded like this…
http://www.organstops.org/f/FlautoDolce.gif
It creates an oscillation called A “Von Karman Vortex street”
http://www.stoneman.co.uk/f1/vonkarmanstreet%20500wide.gif
Contrary to popular belief, the leading edge of the labium is not intended to “split” the air stream. It is to create a “shaped” oscillation above and below the ramp.
I tried a “Wax-Tweak,” but didn’t think it helped. Maybe I didn’t put enough wax inside. What I did was make a small ring of beeswax and apply it to the inside of the bottom portion of the whistle. What did seem to help was filing off more of the ramp so that the window was enlarged more, but there still seems to be a bit of “breaking” into higher harmonic registers. I also noticed that my when putting the whistle through its notes on my tuner, I would get a different not on the tuner if I placed the bottom of the flute at the mic on the tuner as opposed to placing the fipple near the mic. I also noticed that in general, I seem to hear the tone of the whistle sounding more toward the bottom of the whistle.
Michael