Use of whistles in American Civil War

[madguy]

@Chuck_Clark

@alex

@FJohnSharp

Colonial Williamsburg sells a handrolled tinwhistle with a wooden plug that seems like it would be authentic for old timey stuff. It sounds like a poor version of a Clark.

Oh gods, they sell the same one at Old Sturbridge Village, I bet. Looks nice, sounds horrid, IMHO. I use mine for random decoration. Just affix to wall and voila! weird art.

Heck, they sell the things at the gift shops of just about every historically-connected park and battlefield in the Country, usually for about five bucks. They’re Coopermans, mostly. While they’re admittedly pretty horrible as musical instruments, I’m all for them. I’ve no proof, but I believe that many whistlers actually got their start from one of these things, either an impulse buy on their own or as an unused toy they bought for their kids.

You also see cheap wooden fifes in adjacent bins at most of these places, also made by Cooperman if I’m not mistaken, but I’m not as enthusiastic about them. A whistle is easy to pick up and make pleasant noises with, but a fife is a PITA for someone who dosesn’t already play flute or piccolo and many, me included, never do get a worthwhile sound out of the danged things.

Worthy point, indeed, Chuck. I, however, was stupid enough to buy one of those horrid things off ebay several years ago..

My first foray into whistling was with an old Feadog my wife bought me on a lark as an anniversary present. I never could figure the damned thing out untill I stumbled upon C&F!

~Larry

[alex]

@Chuck_Clark

Heck, they sell the things at the gift shops of just about every historically-connected park and battlefield in the Country, usually for about five bucks. They’re Coopermans, mostly. While they’re admittedly pretty horrible as musical instruments, I’m all for them. I’ve no proof, but I believe that many whistlers actually got their start from one of these things, either an impulse buy on their own or as an unused toy they bought for their kids.

True. One of them was my first whistle. Didn’t take long for me to upgrade to a Clarke, and it was WHoA from then on out! I had it before I knew what the condition was called.

You also see cheap wooden fifes in adjacent bins at most of these places, also made by Cooperman if I’m not mistaken, but I’m not as enthusiastic about them. A whistle is easy to pick up and make pleasant noises with, but a fife is a PITA for someone who dosesn’t already play flute or piccolo and many, me included, never do get a worthwhile sound out of the danged things.

A fife is a PITA even for those who know flute. I have never got a note out in the right octave on the damn thing, and everytime I try I get finger cramps from fingering. The only good things I’ve gotten out of my interest in fife music are some excellent CD’s and some cool sheet music.