I have tried for years to get a straight answer from players and soundmen alike as to the proper placement of my whistle in relation to a microphone for the best sound. The players responses tend toward the fipple and the soundmen seem to favor the end (like a trumpet, I guess). Where exactly does the sound “come” from?
The fipple. I have seen many a player with the mic at the bottom and I can’t hear the instrument.
Try this easy experiment. Play a note, and cover the “bottom” of the whistle. The note gets a bit strangled but is still there. Now play a note and cover the fipple. 'Nuff said. 
When I read the subject I thought it said “Whistle Milking”, which is probably the quickest I’ve gone off topic yet!
So, now we know how to mike a whistle, any ideas on how to milk a whistle?
I thought the same thing when I first looked at the heading!!!
Imagine my surprise…
too weird…I also first saw Whistle Milking, but went back, reread the title and lo, its Miking. hmmmmmm.
I don’t know how to milk a whistle, but you guys are giving a good demonstration of how to milk a thread.
Just make sure you have your Fipple Guard II installed before you start milking to prevent splash-back in your face.
NOTE TO MANUFACTURER: Feel free to use this “duel purpose” idea for the Fipple Guard in your product promotions.
Keith
Depends on the situation. For stage work, I mike from above, mike pointing down toward the fipple.
For studio work, I use a good dynamic mike from above, pointing at the fipple, plus a large diagphragm mike off axis and mix to get the sound I want.
YMMV but this works well for me!
Richard
IMHO, I’d mic a live whistle with a Shure SM-57 or a good condenser mic, near the fipple end. I would not use a SM-58 here.
In the studio, you have a different environment. Pressure zone mics (PZM’s) can be wonderful. I plan on using 2 mics for recording my whistle. One SM-57 about 12" away from the fipple end and one SM-57 or PZM about 4 feet away; mix to taste.
Because low notes have lower volume than high notes, some folks like to use a limiter/compressor to even everything out.
Basically, it will come down to what sounds best to you. (Just my $0.02)
Good luck,
Gary
SINKING INTO THE SEA OF DEEP PONDERING> I wonder how a whistle would sound with stereo chorus/flanger/phaser/leslie? Hmmmm…
I wonder how a whistle would sound in the Sea of Deep Pondering.
“I wonder how a whistle would sound in the Sea of Deep Pondering.”
Kinda like new age music played backwards…
[quote]
On 2002-05-07 10:03, Barney-O wrote:
NOTE TO MANUFACTURER: Feel free to use this “duel purpose” idea for the Fipple Guard in your product promotions.
ya mean we can milk them AND duel with them…dueling whistles?
Well, if you’re gonna be duelling, I will admit that the FippleGuard will deflect a riposte better than my FippleShield. I’m obviously falling behind in the R&D race here. Time to get the development team another case of Mountain Dew…
and here I thought it was a new mystery…
I was sure it was milking too, and had never heard of our mysterious fluid described as milk before…
OK, here it is, FippleShield III, with optional milking attachment. Protects from sun, duels, and draws FippleMilk while playing.
My rushed( during work hours), and lousey typing and spelling prowess has apparently misled some of you, for which I shall be forever sorry!
What I ment to say was “to use the DUAL purpose”, as both a windshield and a splash guard when whistle milking.
Must admit though that FippleShield III looks like a fomidable protective device when engaged in dueling whistles ( is there a song to be written here?), while still affording the dueler or duelee the opportunity to benefit from the strength enhancing and nurturing properties of whistlemilk.
DazedinLA, I commend you for your contributions to the enjoyment and safety of whistlery.
Keith(I believe I’m loosing my mind)
I have never milked a whistle. However, I have blown up rubber gloves into cow udders. Great way to get lung exercise!
But seriously, I think one of those headset microphones with the business end set close to the fipple hole sounds good if the air isn’t blowing directly on it. That’s how they did it in “Spirit of the Dance”. And Gary, adding flange and hall reverb to the whistle track on a slow air sounds GREAT!
Take care,
BB
NOW I know why my lips are chapped. No fipplesheild! Thanks for helping this newbie with my (cross posted) problem!
BrassBlower,
Good thing I discovered the whistle before my CD was complete! I have two tunes in “D” that I want to replace guitar solos with whistle solos.
I’ll let you know what microphone technique that I end up using, when I get back in the studio. I like your headset mic idea because the mic would follow the whistle movements.
What would the world be like if the Beatles or Jimi Hendrix played whistles instead of guitars? Why do I think of silly questions like that?
Narf.
Gary
Hey, Gary, before you drop the guitar solos, try doubling or harmonizing them with the whistle, just to see how it sounds. You may get a pleasant surprise. On their piece “Woven Cord”, Iona plays an electric guitar in unison with uilleann pipes, and it sounds GREAT!
Here’s a thought: The Chieftains with Eric Johnson as special guest!
Take care,
BB