I’ll be in DC all next week at a geek conference at GMU. Are there any music shops in the area where I can try some Low D (or other) whistles and recorders?
If I take my soprano D with me, should I put it in carry on and have the x-ray person call it a bomb, or put it in my packed bag and MAYBE have it x-ray’d, then see my luggage blown up on the tarmac (for safety’s sake)
Flying in from Ottowa.
thanks..
The only one I know of is House of Musical Traditions in nearby Takoma Park (it’s on both the Metro subway and Mark train lines).
Large selection of books and instruments. http://www.hmtrad.com/
Multi-instrumentalist Wendy Morrison is on staff (accordion and whistles, to name two).
M
Don’t know about music shops in that area, but I can tell you about bringing your whistle on the plane. Don’t worry about it. The security folks don’t have a problem with them. Go ahead and put it in your carry-on. Worst-case scenario, you’ll have to play a tune. 
Steven
Stick the whistle near the top of the stuff in your carry-on so they can see it right away.
House of Musical Traditions, as Marguerite said, is definitely worth a visit. It’s on Carroll Avenue in down Takoma Park, about 100 yards from the DC line. About a 1/2 mile walk from the Takoma metro stopI think their hours are 11-7 M-S, 11-5 on Sunday. Good selection of whistles, boxes, percussion, guitars and books. Fair selection of lap dulcimers and hammered dulcimers, sometimes harps, too. They have an excellent selection of local music, but only locals now. They also have the occasional gem on consignment. We’ve got a harp, cello, and bass recorder that we just happened upon.
Oh, yeah, they do have recorders, too; I don’t know whether it’s a good selection or not.
Hi Folks,
I’m just starting my DC conference, but I managed to make it to HMT last night just 20 minutes before closing. They are having a B-B-B-BIG sale (i.e. penny whistles are 15% off)
I picked up a couple of sweetones. There was only one D in the box and I was told they are being discontinued for the cheaper ‘meg’ model.
I also bought a Susato low D. And an Israeli made wood soprano recorder for $23. Hey, how can you go wrong, will give me something to practice ‘revoicing’.
Unfortunately the famous ‘wendy’ was not there, and I was rather rushed to try all the whistles, including the somewhat more expensive ones. (there’s that dubious spit issue.. )
Although I brought my korg tuner, I didn’t have a chance to try it until I got back to my hotel. That’s when I discovered that not only the sweetones but the susato was also 40 cents flat! bummer..
After finding the recorder was also flat I realized that some child had been playing with my tuner and “re-adjusted it” for me. (Certainly I hadn’t messed with it!).
After putting the tuner calibration back to 440, I can say that everything is at least in the proper range. I couldn’t toot too much w/o bothering the other hotel guests.. And since I really can’t play anything other than a poor “danny boy”, I stopped goofing off before I was classified as a terrorist.
–
I have been playing with an OAK D soprano for a few months, and I think right off that the sweetone conical sounds a bit better.
When I figure out how to hold the low-D, I think I’ll like it quite a bit. I’m fond of my tenor recorder, and the low-D seems to be in the same range.
i live in dc. how long will you be here? pm me and i will give you my particulars.
meir