Chiff and Fipple Forums

Yes, I thought of Hoover but the problem is on something else and it's that the way I play wind instruments. I was heavily trained to put a downward pressure when playing winds and this sort of causes my stomach to go down, making a piece poke out of the hole on the sheet holding the guts.

I had an inguinal hernia... rare for women who aren't obese, or do heavy lifting. My repair was fairly easy, two inch incision with no complications, though the doctor did say that there was a fair chance that I would herniate on the other side. Oh joy. And you say you had four!

Maybe just a real easy breather sort of whistle? something that you breathe into rather than blow?

Hope your recovery is quick and easy, Tak!

Thanks Tyg....

Even though one does not actually breathe into them, I can't imagine UP's would be good for someone with a hernia. Lots of abdominal effort involved in working the bags and bellows.

I'd get a harp.

Tak_the_whistler wrote: I remember playing saxophones (!) a month after the ope and it was, I believe, a bad mistake).

Hence; NO MORE INSTRUMENTS!!!!!!

Could this be God's wrath against a prejudiced, proud, pretentious whistler?

1. Please follow the doctor's orders to the letter. No matter how annoying!

2. No more whistles, okay. No more instruments, no.

3. No.

I'm sorry for your bad luck but I know you'll be on to better things after you get this all taken care of. Good luck!

Wormdiet wrote:Even though one does not actually breathe into them, I can't imagine UP's would be good for someone with a hernia. Lots of abdominal effort involved in working the bags and bellows.

Not really so. There are muscles involved, but they're not strained all that much assuming you take the time to learn to proper grip and posture etc. Even with a medium hardness reed, you shouldn't be breaking any sweats playing uilleann pipes. The major advantage you'd have with piping is that the fingering and most of the ornamentation is almost identical to that of the whistle.

Tak sorry to hear of your problem my friend. You and I are on the other ends of the field when it comes to playing the whistle, you see my doctor told me to learn to play a wind instrument. I have emphysema and its supposed to help my breathing (and has somewhat). So I decided to go with a Harmonica and Tin Whistle for two reasons. One its all I could afford. Plus I just love the sound of both instruments. The harmonica and whistle are two of the most expressive instruments I can think of.

Now I have a suggestion for you my friend. The Anglo Concertina is tuned just like a diatonic harmonica and very easy to play. Check it out. It will make you a happy player..............

Whitmores75087 wrote:Think "Hoover". It's the only whistle that requires so little breath that you have suck instead of blow, hence the name.

Tak, it sounded as if you love music. I add my encouragment to try new instruments. Music is too good for the soul and peace of mind to give up.

All the best

Thank you all for the warm thoughts,

I've decided *not* to go for the pipes either....I do remember, when I played a Patrick Murray practice set I was heavily sweating for real....maybe I was playing with "Beginner's Hellish Strength"...

I love music and although I must give up winds, I'll find other ways -- pianos, guitars, mandolins....and.....concertina....and....

Tak-- sorry to hear about your problems. Sometimes when they do hernia repairs, they put in a reinforcing mesh of Dacron or some other sort of synthetic material. Ask your Doctor about this.
Also, if it's your Doctor who's telling you not to play whistles, take one in and show it to him/her. Backpressure is a very relative thing. An oboe, for example, has huge amounts of pressure. Even the whistle with the most backpressure in the world has MUCH less than an oboe or other reed instrument. Really, not much more pressure is needed than to exhale normally. If the doctor can experience this for himself, he may not prohibit your playing a whistle. You may have been trained to play wind instruments with added abdominal pressure, but you can also train yourself NOT to play that way! Good luck with your rehab.

Ya know, thinking of it...FLUTE. It has no backpressure at all. The fingering is the same, so you already know tunes. Doug Tipple makes an inexpensive PvC one that's reported to be a great beginner's flute (I only know from reports, I'm playing an M&E original design Delrin flute). Heck, Doug has plans somewhere for making your own if you can't afford to buy one from him (won't be quite as good, but it will get you started).

No Backpressure, Same fingerings, learn the embrochure and you are golden.

Tak,
I feel your pain! I just had an inguinal hernia repaired in May. The Doc used the reinforcing mesh method and I am quite happy with it! One of the reasons I started looking in to the Uilleann pipes is because I thought my Highland Pipes playing days were over. Besides, I had wanted some pipes I could play indoors and with other trad instruments, and the Uilleann pipes are perfect. However, I am back playing the GHB's again with no problems at all, and they are the king of backpressure instruments! Of course, now I am so enthralled with the Uillean pipes, I am totally stoked about learning them!
I understand your disappointment at having to give up the whistle, but I really think the backpressure encountered with a whistle should not give you any problems. If I can play the GHB's 6 months after this operation, than you should be able to play the whistle I should think. Don't give up yet! Hang on to your instruments because I really think you WILL be playing them again!

God Bless!

That's a horrible thing to hear for anyone. Music's a great thing, and I'm glad I've found it. However, as everyone has said, wind instruments aren't everything. I know they're rather pricey, but if you can swing it, and are interested, maybe the fiddle? You can play just about anything you want on it! Hope everything works out and who knows, maybe this will pass and you can go back to whistles!

Eric