Since there was a topic on tuning, I’d like to direct a question regarding tuning in a different direction. Do you guys tune the scale of your whistles to a equal temperment, or a just temperment? I ask this because most uilleann pipes (maybe all) are tuned to just temperment. With button boxes, and harps, I have no idea what they use, and (mud and *&#@$@ guards at the ready http://chiffboard.mati.ca/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif ) I have no idea what fiddle players use. If you use a equal temperment, the pipers will sound off on most notes (no cheap shots please, if you heard my pipe playing, your local piper would probably sound like Rowsome himself). But, to throw another wrench in to the equation, guitars (and mandolins I think) are equal temperment. I hope that we can keep this from turning into a &^&-slinging thread over which temperment is better.
The tuning on most cheapies seems closer to just than to equal. I’ve always wondered if this is intentional or if they just inherited the flat F-sharps and C-sharps of the flute?
I’d have to go with James on that, re. the cheapies. I prefer even (well) temperament for my instruments, but how it actually comes out depends a bit on the individual piece. I tend to do better getting WT on the steel ones than on the copper. Dunno why! (yet…)
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Dave, I think most answers will be: whistles are tuned ‘equal’.
You already know Pipes are tuned ‘just’ to blend with drones (or vice versa) I know of 2 chanters (by different makers) that were ordered intentionally ‘equal’ so they would be better suited for a concert setting.
Using an electric tuner a Guitar would be equal. There is some error in guitar tuning. The difference can be heard if you tune it using a D chord, then play an E chord and it will sound off slightly. I recall a guitar maker using specially curved frets to correct this. Obviously the idea didn’t catch on.
I was offering both temperaments on my whistles for some time, but didn’t get many orders for the “Just” so I shifted exclusively to Equal temperament. I feel the “Just” is the most beautifull as a solo insturment or accompanying voice or fiddle but doesn’t work well with fretted instruments or piano. Tony is playing one of my “Just” tuned instruments on Clips and Snips or I should say Tin Whistle Tunes now?
Ronaldo
I have a Reyburn Low-D with the just temperment. It is a singularly wonderful thing to listen to and absolutely fabulous for accompaniment of a fiddle on slow aires.
I nearly posted a message to the other tuning thread bringing this up, but deleted the whole thing as I have beaten this particular horse a few times.
I find most of the [cheap] whistles I have are nearer just intonation except fot the Sindt, from the day I received that one I didn’t like it’s equal tempered scale, especially the B and F jsut don’t sound right. The just intonation is just that much sweeter and so much more approriate to the music I play. At home I will never ever pick up the Sindt to play a tune on.
I suppose by now I have worked out for myself that the very reason why I don’t like high end whistles in general is the fact most of those are tuned to equal temperament [as well as the ‘pure’ sound everybody speaks of, I find that in most cases sounding like playing Irish music on a Boehm flute, out of place and out of character].
