I went camping this past weekend and played some music with a couple friends. One plays guitar and the other plays recorder, both soprano and tenor. I noticed that my friend’s wooden recorders (one is made of pear wood) can be played much more quietly than my whistles (Dixon, Waltons). Why is that?
Also, as an aside, I noticed that outdoors my LBW is a tad louder than my Waltons brass. Indoors I never noticed much difference.
It may have to do with the acoustic properties of wood versus metal, I’m not sure. That would be my first guess though.
Hey Thornton,
It has little to do with whistle vs recorder but everything to do with how the instrument is made. For instance, Chieftains, Overtons, Susatos etc are quite loud: large bore, the fipple window is large as are the finger holes. Mack Hoover makes a very quiet whistle (quieter than a recorder I’ll wager) small bore, fipple window and finger holes.
You’ll find different characteristics for every whistle which is why there is no “perfect” or “best” whistle.
And which is also why WhOA runs rampant!
Vinny
[ This Message was edited by: Vinny on 2002-03-26 08:57 ]
My question really pertains to range of volume as opposed to general volume. My friend can play is recorder from very soft to loud to very loud. My whistle only goes from a little less loud to loud to a little more loud. I’m curious why the recorder has a greater range of volume. Is that it has a conical bore? Is that it has much thicker walls? Is is that the fipple is much larger?
Hey Thornton,
Sorry I mis-understood. I’m not sure what makes that difference although I’ve noticed differences among my whistles in range of volume (and not quiet low notes and screeching second octave either). It’s a good question. Perhaps some of our resident whistle-smiths could help.
Vinny
A recorder has a greater range of volume for two reasons. The first is that the windway of a pro recorder is tapering, narrow, and curved, providing a lot of resistance, which gives you more flexibility in how hard you blow before it noticably affects the pitch. The second is advanced recorder players use a wide variety of alternate fingerings, some louder, some softer. The combination gives the recorder the tonal and dymanic flexibility it needs for its early music.
Some whistles also have good resistance, in particular the Susato and the Sweet whistles come to mind, but I have yet to see any whistle match the resistance of a fine recorder.
That said, even though I own some very fine recorders, these days my whistles get played far more.
–James
http://www.flutesite.com