First of all, I must thank everyone who responded to my last topic concerning the whistles I was considering to cure my latest attack of WhOA. I think, though, that I have narrowed it down to the Burke. This is mainly for it’s purity of tone and the fact that I have yet to read any comment concerning a Burke, or Mr. Burke himself, that seemed even slightly negative.
But now I have a question. I would like to get a whistle in D, and I have always prefered metal over plastic or wood. This leaves me with 4 main choices:
Al Pro NB
Al Pro Session
Brass Pro NB
Brass Pro Session
Quite frankly, I’ve had some difficulty in determining the differences in tone and timbre among these whistles, nor do I know how their playability compares with each other. I’ve listened to all the clips on clips and snips, but some of the recordings do not lend themselves to easy comparison.
I would appreciate any descriptions, etc. of these whistles (or being directed to an older thread if this has already been discussed) that anyone might have, especially if you’ve played more than one of them.
Thanks again,
Micah
P.S. - I’ll give you all a little advice in return: If you haven’t played a Hoover, you’re letting one of the finer things in life pass you by.
Jeez Big Spender, sell your last semester’s textbooks back to the bookstore and buy one of each, or at least an aluminum and a brass D. That’s my advice,… and in return, can i have the name of the specific Hoover whistle you were recommending so enthusiastically.
For playability and tone, the Brass Pro Session would be my first choice, although I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. (I own all of them except the Al Pro Session.)
i agree with ridseard. personally, i prefer the new Brass with black tipped headpiece, this is also mike’s bestseller, she has a dark round low end, but it’s a matter of personal taste.
i wouldn’t worry about sound if you want to pick a boresize.
i believe it’s all down to whatever feels most comfortable in your hands.
if you have very small hands, you’d like the narrow bore, it’s the same boresize as a generation.
the pro session boresize matches with 1/2 inch or a generation C
Are the air requirements the same between the NBs and the Pro Sessions?
My Hoover that I love so much is a Wide Bore D, made out of Brass. i had to as Mack for it specifically as it is not one of his regular designs. But if you ask him, I’m sure he’ll make one for you too. Mack is great about working with you and helping you get exactly what you want.
OK, since you asked. There have been some isolated negative comments made on the board about Michael Burke which seemed, on examination, to be the result of misunderstanding. Most of us are entirely complimenatary because our dealings with him have been very good. Several other makers inspire similar loyalty. I won’t even mention the criticisms since they have no bearing on your decision whether or not to purchase.
There is one criticism that has been levelled against Burkes which you should be told about since several people have made it. Some people report receiving whistles with weak bell notes. No particular keys seem to be especially vulnerable. This problem seems to be quite rare—I haven’t experienced it—and if you were unlucky enough to have a problem, Michael Burke would fix it or refund your money.
I can’t think of anything else. I’m a fan of Burke whistles, as I am of several other makes. I should add that nobody earns a reputation around here for making consistently good whistles if there is a serious problem with their products.
So am I to understand that there’s not really any noticable difference in the tones of the aluminum and brass models? Are the different materials just for looks then?
I have to say that I am very torn here, and if I could afford to do it I would probably buy one of each…
Would you say that any one of them is more versatile than the rest or that all of them are equally so? Just to help you out a little, I normally play with a group of 4 or 5 musicians (all unamplified except the singer). We don’t play trad music much; we mostly have this indy acoustic rock thing going on. So I, as the whistler, am more like the sax player of the Dave Matthews Band (a few solos, some back-up, mostly improvisational playing) than I am a player in a traditional irish-music based group (I almost never play in sessions, sadly).
Which of these four do you think would be best for this type of setting?
Thanks loads,
Micah
P.S. - thanks for those links and the advice you’ve already given me. I just thought I’d add a little more information so you would know more of what I’m going for.
the brass pro session is mike’s bestseller out of over 50 different burke’s,
and it’s a brand new improved model. she has a dark warm round low end and a sweet tone.
but i’d never buy a whistle if i wasn’t sure of the sound. i don’t think it matters what type of music you play, you have to like the sound of your whistle.
i’d listen over and over to the samples in a relaxed way. like when you’re reading a book or taking a shower. feel what the different samples make you feel like. brass and aluminium whistles are very different and give different feelings.
First, is there an issue about amplification with your band? If there is there shouldn’t be. Even accoustic bands need a good PA and (for large gigs) so might as well learn to get a good balance all the time. My suggestion is that you get the whistle that sounds best regardless of volume and just bring it up in the mix if it’s a bit soft. If it can’t be heard you perhaps need a new microphone not a new whistle.
Second, different whistles tend to sound much more different to the person playing than they do to an audience. This is especially true of whistles blended with other instruments. A small difference in tonal characteristics probably won’t even be noticeabe to your audience. You’ll play better on a whistle that sounds the way you like it to sound of course. But I’m suggesting you shouldn’t sacrifice responsiveness for a tiny improvement in tone that won’t be noticable in public.
I doubt that there would be any really significant difference between the different Burkes you list. This doesn’t make it harder to make a right choice. It makes it harder to make a wrong choice.
Micah, I’ve played both a session D and a narrow bore D. This sentence of yours leads me to suggest a session bore. The NB is a bit quieter, and it may not be heard through the din as nicely as the session bore. I’ve not heard anyone describe the session bore as too loud, but it’s possible you may find yourself with a NB that, in settings like you’ve described, is too quiet.
Well, there really isn’t an issue of amplification. The only thing amplified is the singer. We don’t play large gigs really, though I do see what you’re getting at about the mix and all.
here’s what michael burke thinks of them/ The differences in terms of performance
are that wider bore models will have more fundamental sounding tones and more low end volume and will be generally a bit slower in transient response, due to the increased mass of air in the wider bore compared to a narrower one. Pipes that are narrower for their length are more complex harmonically, I think and thre wider bores sound more pure and fundamental, though voicing plays a very important role in this, also. In general, narrow bore whistles are sweeter, faster and
more complex and wider bores are louder, rounder and more mellow sounding. I am not an expert on Pipe organs, but I think their ranks of pipes that play the same notes, but have different tonal colors. For example, flute pipes and string pipes. The flute pipes are intermediate bores and the string pipes are narrow bores. The string pipes sound more complex to me than the flute pipes, and I think there is a really fat rank that I can’t remember the name of that sound really fundamental in tone. Whistles and organ pipes have a lot in common, so I think the reasons for using all these different ranks can be applied to whistles. Sure enough, some people want the sound of a narrow bore and some want the wider bore models.
quote lixnaw: since you like the hoover wide bore, i think your hands will like the al pro session best.
I have both the al pro and the brass pro, and love them both.
The al pro is very, very clear ( like icicles ) and will probably carry quite well over the sound of the other instruments without sounding shrill.
The brass pro I don’t think is any less loud, just a bit mellower, if you get my meaning.
Both are worth every penny spent on them, and more.
If you purchase both, then choose the one you like best, you should have absolutely no problem selling the other one on this board ~ (If you can part with it, that is )
I wish I could afford them both! I think that I will get the AL NB though. The tone of the whistle seems more like what I’m going for (though i must admit the differences seem slight). I play a lot in the upper reggister, even into the 3rd octave, and this particular model seems noted for its abilities in that area. The band I play in has also discussed the possibility of getting another mic for me, eliminating some of the volume considerations.
Thanks a lot ladies and gents, you’ve all been extremely helpful, and if there’s ever anything I can help you with, pleas do not hesitate to let me know!
Micah
P.S. - Watch out! WhOA is right around the corner…
