I’m looking for a whistle that takes some air. I am a Highland piper primarily, uilleann piper closely thereafter. I just cannot get used to whistles that take so little air you can play them in a breeze. I have an “improved” Feadog (sp?) but it takes so little air I just can’t play the damn thing…
Good recommendations for a whistle that sounds good and will really take a good blowin’? Would a larger whistle in a key other than D be better for air volume? I won’t be playing out with it, just practicing and learning new tunes.
Thin weasels by Glen Schultz are very nice, but expensive. Any whistle takes less air than GHB or flute, but these definitely make you work a tad to get a nice second octave. I happen to have one in Cocobolo, which incidently is for sale It’s a lovely whistle, but my Michael Burke is also wonderful, and more portable in this climate, not being wood.
I don’t consider the air demand excessive, but it does need more than the typical Generation/Waltons/Feadog/Sweetone, and it can take a lot more air than it requires if you want to push it a bit.
The sound is slightly breathy - like a Clarke with a lot more volume. This is not a good whistle for late night play in an apartment.
You can push a Syn a bit, too, but the Brassy Polly can take more pushing.
the brassy pollys don’t take an excessive amount of air, but they do take quite a bit of pressure. If you like a whistle you can really lean into, you might like the polly. they’re also cheap enough that it’s not a tragedy if you don’t absolutely love it.
Ditto, except I think they sound very good. What annoys me the most about them is not the amount of air they take but the total lack of back pressure. Other than the sound, there’s no feedback from the whistle that you are doing anything other than exhaling through a completely open pipe. Weird.
I used to think the same - now, I quite like my Clarke original for late night play (along with my Oak) but at first it drove me batty.
But as T-Sam said, a Brassy Polly has much the same sound (though louder) but needs rather more pressure (not air. pressure). For me, the real aha! moment came when I found that if I kept my cheeks tight against my teeth and tried to blow across rather than though the fipple (that’s what if feels like, at least) it became much more controllable.
Okay, get out the slings and arrows … what about a Susato? Mine’s darned-near impossible to break notes on. Just don’t play it in a session unless you’re really, really good.
Clarkes can vary quite a bit from whistle to whistle…on the most “open” there is no resistance or back pressure at all. I once heard it described as “blowing down a rain barrel” and I think that’s a good description.
On the Cronnolly, both his original and his modified fipple design take a lot of air, the original being the louder and requiring more air.
The Cronnolly is a lot different than the Susato, though. This whistle has serious volume–you might consider hearing protection if playing it inside–although it is not shrill and the sound is actually fairly pure with no extra air. It also requires a well-supported air column, and it won’t play well for you till you can give it one. It has some backpressure and good resistance.
Bottom line on the Cronnolly: if you get one, plan to spend some time learning breathing and support before you sound good on this whistle. Playing $10 inexpensive whistles simply does not prepare you to play this beast.
Jack,
I’d second the Overton Low-D. The have a significant amount of back pressure and let you really lean into a tune, in both octaves. I’ve only seen a couple of piper’s in my area with whistle, and 2 out of three were Overton’s.
You might want to cross post your question on the <a href=http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewforum.php?f=6>C&F’s Uillean Pipe Forum .
Shaws. Both the High D and Low D. They need much more air than a Clarke’s Original (especially the Low D, which I think would serve a piper very well and has a great flute-like tone). I’m surprised no-one else has mentioned them.
I’m surprised someone’s mentioned the Alba’s as having high air requirements though…I have the Q1 and the Low D, and to me both have very low air requirements.
I’m happy to defer to more experienced players! I struggled with the Shaw Low D for weeks before I got my Alba.
I guess after hyperventilating in the second octave on the Shaw so often, the Alba seemed to me as though it would play itself in a gentle August breeze!
The Shaw fingers so easily though…and sounds great. I’m sorely tempted to send it to Jerry for a tweaking…
It’s a lovely whistle, but my Michael Burke is also wonderful, and more portable in this climate, not being wood.
I’m happy to defer to more experienced players! I struggled with the Shaw Low D for weeks before I got my Alba.