We go through this exercise every now and again here, and so I thought I’d start it this time.
I’d like to compile a list of instruments (make and key) that famous players are known to play, and maintain it on my website. I realize this list will be somewhat apocryphal except in the unlikely case that said famous player posts or emails me directly. However, I think such a list would still be of interest to those folks who are shopping for whistles in the throes of whoa, or for dispelling myths like “Mary Bergin only plays Generations”.
Liam Flynn played a few songs on a Burke during the Planxty concert I saw but all dance music he played on a generation on that occasion and every other occasion I have seen him play the whistle.
Sean Potts had very outspoken ideas about high end whistles last time I talked to him. He played Generations modified by Peter Hunter but bought a Humphey since.
Maybe it’s usefull to make a distinction between playing in concert or band or playing for fun.
Those were the whistles that he played when I saw him in concert with Tommy O’Sullivan in October 2004.
He mentioned in passing that the Grinter was cracked-sounded o.k. to me though on ‘The Factory Girls’.
Dale:The Ressikan Flute. There’s an entire website devoted to that. What about other “famous” people who play your instruments?
Michael Copeland: Well let’s see, there’s Tim Britton, Paddy Keenan, now Paddy had come by the shop and picked up a Low D whistle. I don’t know if he’s back to playing an Overton.
Saw Breda Smyth on tv earlier today, playing a generation, Rosin nic Donncha plays susatos, Gavin Whelan and Geraldine Cotter play SIndts or generation, Brid Donoghue Generations or OB imp, Mick O Brien plays generation and in concert the Burke B, Mick Crehan generations, Sean Ryan susatos, peter Phelan, something wooden Rose possibly, Marion McCarthy Susato or generation, Tommy Keane: generation etc etc.
Does it really matter I wonder?
That’s what I’ve been thinking.
For me it’s always been about what they are playing musically not really what they play it on.
A whistle,High end or Low end,is only as good as the person playing it.
It’s not what you’ve got, it’s how you use it. Good players sound good on any whistle. Bad players sound bad whether they have a $5 whistle or a $500 whistle. Spending a lot of money does not make a good player. Practiice does.
I’m pretty sure I didn’t make any connection between what a player plays, and how good they play.
But there’s certainly a connection between what a player plays, and the tonal qualities. That is, unless you’re willing to go back on your statements that you can’t make good music with a Sweetone, Peter. :roll:
If someone hears Mary Bergin, and wants that same tonal quality (again, not the same thing as playing quality), then it would perhaps behoove them to look into the same brand of instrument, don’t you think?
I believe there is some slight correlation between the price of a whistle and the sound it produces in a novice. When you buy an expensive whistle, you either feel like playing more because the whistle is nice, or you feel obligated to practice more because you’ve spent so much money.
I’ve been in slumps befor and not played so much, only to bounce back into heavy practicing by a new whistle.
If I was a newbie just considering purchasing my first or second whistle, I might have an interest in what whistle a “famous” person plays only because I would assume they’d know a good whistle when they played one, but that’s the only reason I can think of that I’d have a real interest in what somebody plays. I think the more comfortable you become with your music, the less important it becomes to play the same type of whistle that some well-known musician plays. For me it’s become more important to get into the music and not so much into the whistle itself.
