Upcoming essay on C-natural

Whistle
1

I’m writing a piece for the next newsletter on playing C-natural–alternate fingerings, the sensitivity to the pitch of this note to wind pressure, etc. If anyone wants to contribute ideas, here’s the place.

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The Chiff & Fipple
C-Natural
Matrix of Possibilities
(Not Including Half-Holing)

2

I have had two whistles recently that played Cnat as

0XXXX0

Both were basically prototypes, but still played this fingering. Quite nice for Cnat-D-Cnat sequences, but really makes you think about it when you are used to 0XX000.

3

You left out three very important ones:

OXX XOX – best Cnat on several inexpensive whistles.

OXX XXO – best on Harper alto whistles, Weltmeister (I’ll admit I own one) and some Shaws, Hoovers and Sindts

OXO XXX – best on many flutes

4

OXXXOX is critical on nearly every laughing whistle I’ve ever played. My criteria for a great nonlaughing whistle includes being able to use both OXXXOX and OXXOOO for cnat. My best hybrid whistles do this well.

5

Yes, but how do you play a C natural on a Mac?

6

And your point is, Chris? You trying to start something here? :imp:

7

For tunes where C natural is critical (eg: O’Carolan’s stuff or where it occurs in the upper octave) I have a special C natural whistle that I pull out. I’ve taped it so that C Nat is spot on. C sharp is very flat as a result of this tweak, but I don’t use this whistle for those tunes.
The way to do this is to apply tape to the high side (towards the mouthpiece) of the first hole (C# on a D whistle). I’ve taped about 1/3rd of the hole but it varies from whislte to whistle. Adjust the tape so that you get a good C natural using OXX-OOO without having to decrease your breathe volume.
I especially use this whistle for Carolan’s Quarrel With The Landlady, where there’s a C nat in upper (3rd) octave. It’s just right using OXX-XX0.
Someone told me that Mary Bergin does this for tunes in A. She has whistle(s) tweaked to give a good G#. Maybe the hole is opened up, I don’t know the details.

TM

8

You pull up something like Transcribe or TunerE and hit the C. It works on all macs, not just the ones with special “sound cards.”

9

Thanks


The Chiff & Fipple
C-Natural
Matrix of Possible Fingerings

Director’s Edition

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10

Not hard at all. But depending on your body weight, may or may not do much good for the Mac.

11

Emm,
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: ,

Sl :laughing: an,

D.

12

Dale, I can’t believe you left out ALL the B# fingerings!

13

Seriously, we have all of these different fingerings for intonation during the slower songs, but how many can be used to make rolls? And what are the fingerings for these rolls.

I’ll start with mine:

OXX|OXX, OXX|XXX, OXX|OXX, XXX|OXX, OXX|OXX,

JP

14

Ha ha ha ha! If someone wandered into this forum and didn’t know what we were talking about these post would look pretty stupid.

15

Stupid, no. In love or like, yes.

X = kiss

O= hug

Now, you just stay away from me VB!!! :astonished:

16

Are you talking about the avatars? (My wife doesn’t think mine is very “manly”)

17

My C nat roll:

OXXOOX (the c nat)
OXXXXX (the “cut”)
OXXOOX (the c nat)
XXXOOX (the “pat”)
OXXOOX (the c nat)

18

OXXXOX
Is the fingering I use on the whistles I make and it’s good for cheap generation type whistles.
The C#/Cnat hole is the most difficult to get right, as it has to be in exactly the right place and to be the right size to allow the chosen cross-fingering to produce an in tune Cnat.

There are some nice ornamentation patterns available with this fingering.
Here is a GHPy one I use.
OXXXOX
OXXXXX
OXXOXX
OXXXXX
OXXXOX
Or you could just tap the E hole finger twice.
OXXXOX
OXXXXX
OXXXOX
OXXXXX
OXXXOX
“Double taps” instead of roles is a technique used by a local Irish flute player in his 70’s and his playing is wonderful.

TTFN
John S

19

the only way i play cnat is:
OXXOOO
(or I half hole in case i slide to cnat)
I have only one whistle (dixon lowF narrow-bore) where cnat don’t work that way, then I must play:
OXXXXO (which is the same way I play all cnats in the upper octave).
yep.

20

Au contrare… (spelling may be questionable… but don’t! :slight_smile: )… IMHO, it takes some kahones to buck ‘the norm’ and post pink roses… hurray on ye!