WTT... What makes a whistle buzz?

Whistle
1

What makes a Gen-type whistle buzz, and are there tweaks that can help get rid of it?

Thanks!
Jerry

2

I would love to know that as well. Mine does it in a bad way and I can’t find anything that would cause it. I’ve dulled the blade, filled in the area under the windway, checked to make sure there are no extra bits of plastic in the windway and made sure that the tube is free of anything on the inside and it still buzzes!!! Most annoying…

3

When does it buzz ?

  1. Bell tone ?
    or rather all along the register ?
  2. btw, which register ?
  3. Or does it buz when half-holing ? (go back to (2) )
    …
4

It’s more in the upper register. Anything above high E is really nasty…

5

I think the Buzzing Gen syndrome has two major causes. 1. air leaking from tone holes loosly covered by the player, and 2 junk in the fipple. In the molding business we call it flash. To take care of number 1 you have to play the whistle until you are use to its wants. To take care of number 2 I take a magnifying glass and start looking real hard at the inside of the fipple. Clean out all the flash and loose bits of plastic. I also look real hard at the blade. There should not be a translusant bit at the edge of the blade. If there is I very carefully sand it off with 600 grit paper. But before I do any tweaking on any whistle I make sure it isnt me that needs tweaking. There is some good info on the main page of this site on tweaking you might want to look at. I realy like Generations. They can sound so good. I think the only key I dont have is the G, and I`m tempted to get one just because of the abuse it gets. Though my hands are probably to big to play it. Anyway have fun messing around with the little cridders. But remember you can always tweak them right into the carbage can.

Tom

6

Zoob,

The buzzing I’m hearing is in the bottom three notes of the lower register.

Best wishes,
Jerry

7

The buzzing I’m hearing is in the bottom three notes of the lower register.

In that range Gen-type whistles tend to be allergic to more than just a whisper of air.

8

Yeah, that seems to be the story, Ridseard.

Of course, I want the fullest sounding note the whistle will give me, but the buzz comes in towards the louder end of volume (which isn’t very loud for those two or three notes) just below what will flip it into the upper register.

Best wishes,
Jerry

9

I’ve noticed that about my Gen too, but with a slight adjustment of breath it’s not hard to get around.

One strange thing I’ve noticed is that if I record the Gen the buzzing is barely audible at all, but while I’m playing it’s almost louder than the tone.

If I can ever get my computer away from the wife to do some recording I’ll record it and see if you can pick it out…

10

On 2003-02-12 14:27, Jerry Freeman wrote:
Yeah, that seems to be the story, Ridseard.

Of course, I want the fullest sounding note the whistle will give me, but the buzz comes in towards the louder end of volume (which isn’t very loud for those two or three notes) just below what will flip it into the upper register.

Best wishes,
Jerry

It happens to me from time to time,and with way more reputable tools than Gens–there being no Low gens. Now–and this just humbly for myself–it’s a warning that I’ve been pushing the air with my chest muscles, not the diaphragm…

11

On 2003-02-12 14:17, Ridseard wrote:

In that range Gen-type whistles tend to be allergic to more than just a whisper of air.

With the higher gens c and above i’ve started blowing down the side of the mouthpiece so not all the air enters the whistle to regulate the buzz, not that they always buzz, I find this better than trying to regulate how hard I blow.
richard.
ps i have large hands no prob on a low c. and i play a gen high g - but you will need ear plugs :smiley: