A goodly chunk of discussion regarding whistle making has noted that it’s a good idea to chamfer the end of the fipple plug. Generally, this makes for a purer tone, but I noticed something else - when I chamfered the end on the lathe by cutting a 45-degree angle, it didn’t really seem to have all that much effect.
A little research has led me to understand why, and I present it here for those who like making whistles and may have run into this mystery, too. The chamfer is supposed to be there to provide some deflection of the airstream to the underside and edge of the blade. If the chamfer is flat and has squared corners, precious little to no Coanda effect takes place, and the air is not deflected much if at all. (The Coanda effect, named after its discoverer, Henri-Marie Coanda, is what makes an airfoil work to provide lift).
Bottom line is, round your chamfer for best (or any) results. This is anothe great area for experimentation - how wide, how much curvature – play with it!
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music
Make one plug with a large chamfer. Then put it back with non hardening clay. Now there is a one fipple that can be shaped and reshaped with immediate results to hear. Shape it with a wet tool so it does not stick to
the tool-stright paper clip, Xacto knife, or pencil. On a low d sounds of the sax, obo and clarinate,or haunting whistle can be made. It is a quick way to study lower chamfer.
That was Glenn Schultz’s advice to me, and it has worked well. I start out with only a very tiny bit of rounding when I voice a whistle- just enough to break the square edge. On a lathe, I simply chuck the fipple, spin the chuck and touch a flat file to the edge of the fipple in a little rolling motion. After filing the blade to the proper size and angle, I put the fipple in place and play the whistle (first notes are always exciting!). Generally, the upper register is fairly good, but the low notes are weak and tend to want to break into the upper. Out comes the fipple, back into the lathe for a little more curvature. I repeat this back and forth until I get the balance I like between the two registers. Luckily, Delrin rod comes in just the right diameter for my fipple plugs so if I go too far, it’s really simple to make a new plug and start over.
Are you speaking of the lower lip of the windway exit? Rounding/Chamfer and nicking are used to enhance oscillations. Here is a diagram of a voicing (excuse the double sided nature). that shows, plainly, the rounding/nicking of the lower lip of the windway exit.
Hi, Thomas! Yep, top edge of the fipple plug, which comprises the floor of the windway. I’m sure “nicking” would definitely provide more turbulence, but probably in the form of chiff, IMHO, about like having a rough floor on the windway is a good way to get an airy-sounding whistle. Been there, done that. Got beat up!
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music
Yep, top edge of the fipple plug, which comprises the floor of the windway. I’m sure “nicking” would definitely provide more turbulence, but probably in the form of chiff, IMHO, about like having a rough floor on the windway is a good way to get an airy-sounding whistle. Been there, done that. Got beat up! 