This is probably the most unfair comparison I’ve ever recorded, very intentionally comparing apples to oranges.
In this I play the reel “Touch Me if You Dare” on the following three whistles:
–Oak D (price roughly $10)
–Generation brass D (price roughly $6)
–Burke Al-Pro D (price roughly $100, worth every penny)
There are two reasons I did this comparison. The first is that we rarely get a chance to hear common inexpensive instruments played head-to-head against very high end whistles. The second is I hope to show that while there is a great difference between inexpensive and high-end whistles, there is a place for both. They are not the same thing, true, but they both work quite well.
There is also an unintentional third lesson: if you listen carefully to the start of the second part (on the Gen) you’ll hear why you shouldn’t burp when playing whistle if you can help it. I honestly didn’t realize when I was playing it that this would have any audible effect, but it drops pitch a bit.
Another interesting approach might be a blind test (perhaps in a few months after this one is forgotten) where the listeners are told there are three different whistles and to rate each clip without any idea of the whistles involved or the price differences. Double blind is ideal, but probably not possible because of the tactile differences to the musician.
I have all three whistles, and you’re right, the Generation does not compare to the Oak or the Burke. If I am to play a fast song, the Oak is the way to go, because it has all the extra chiff. But for beauty of tone, as on slow songs, the Burke is the winner. That’s why I carry my Oak D in my Burke whistle case, along with my other Burke D’s, C, Bb, G, F, Eb, and Susato low D. I have O’Riordans, but I find they take a little too much air - especially the low D.
Maybe a better comparison would be between Burke and Sweetone? My Burke and Sweetone sound almost identical, except that the Burke has stronger and purer tone, and the Sweetone has a little more hiss. Maybe even better, Burke against Jerrytone?
I honestly didn’t realize when I was playing it that this would have any audible effect, but it drops pitch a bit.
Or, is a burp inherently an accidental?
Fairy Queen hornpipe, maybe? Sweetone x Jerrytone x Burke Brass Pro?