Free Low-D (The Competition)

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:36 pm

I've been done a good turn by a generous person who is no stranger among us. Now I gotta work on my own karma!

Recently, I got the urge to try my first low D whistle. I collected a few of my less-played items and went looking for a trade. Well, I got a good response, and received a lovely Alba low D whistle in trade. It's a great instrument, and both sides were happy.

I was about to live happily ever after with my Alba, but wait! The "Unseen Benefactor" messaged me to ask if I'd like some stuff he/she wasn't using for free! (Well, just the cost of shipping). We're talking about a half-dozen items here, two of which are just outstanding whistles: a PVC Hoover high D that is to die for, and a Howard low D that just blew my socks off. Wow, these whistles are great! Who in the world is that nice? It's just not done! I said, "Uh, sure!".

So....not needing two low D whistles, I made my own very subjective choice, and have decided to keep the Howard. The Alba will be passed along to a new home.

To Win the Alba Low D (including shipping if you're in the USA, otherwise help me out):
1- Don't private-message me
2- Promise to do a good turn of some sort here at C&F
3- Explain to me why this whistle really belongs in your kit. Don't worry too much about telling the truth, or anything. This is kind of like the old "Queen for a Day" TV show. (Yeah, I'm that old). Anyway, write an interesting post in this thread by midnight EST this Sunday, (Sept 2, I think).
4- Don't ask any questions about the rules.

Since naturally only one person can be the most deserving, and it's my contest, I'll announce the winner and send the whistle completely free of charge on Monday morning!

Have fun!

A-Musing · Post by **A-Musing** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:49 pm

I'm wretched and worn. I have a BUNCH of Low Ds...all calling calling CALLING for my attention. It's endless, I tell ya...
DON'T send the Alba to me. I DON'T need another mouth to feed....PLEASE!

How's that, for Queen For A Day pathos? did I win?

padraig · Post by **padraig** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:12 pm

I have a strong feeling that the Alba actually wants to come home to bonny Scotland - indeed it's like many of us who have that desire to get closer to our place of birth as we get older.

As I live in Scotland and have adopted a few of it's brothers and sisters I feel that I could provide the right sort of supportive environment for the whistle as it settles down to the next chapter in it's life with it's family!

Let it go free...

Patrick

P.S. I am sure that I could assist it in it's travels

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:13 pm

Sorry, A-musing. That was kinda like, "Oh, please. Don't throw me in the briar patch!" Way too obvious.

A-Musing · Post by **A-Musing** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:49 pm

Gee. Ya break yer heart, and ya get Uncle Remus thrown in yer face.

How 'bout, er, sending her home to bonny Oregon? (Violin music, please...)

medit8b1 · Post by **medit8b1** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:48 pm

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I just can't stay silent any longer, I have to get it off my chest! You see, I've never actually owned or played a low whistle before. I mean, I've seen them in pictures and all, and they just look so beautiful. And then when I heard one for the first time, it was like, like..coming home. But alas, I am so poor I had to sell my low whistles, I mean my other instruments for food to feed my children. But I missed my low whistles, I mean I longed for a low whistle so much, that I became obsessed and created a website/shrine (http://pipersgrip.50webs.com) devoted to them. My dreams of owning another, I mean owning a low whistle for the first time were so real, I started writing reviews of all the whistles I've played, uh, in my dreams. And I just need to say that I'm so sorry that I misled the whistling community, and didn't disclose just how many low whistles I... ah, I mean that I didn't disclose that I'd never actually played or even touched a low whistle before. But I want to make it up to all of you. If you send me the Alba, not only will I write a real review on it for the benefit of low whistlers every where, I will then, after treating it better than I've treated my Chieftain, or Overton, Howard or Burke, MK or Dixon that I..uh never owned or played, I would then return the Alba back to the wild by offering it again for free to the C&F community. Or if I found that I became to attached to it, I would offer one of the other of my numerous Low whistles for free...uh, if I had another low whistle that is. I am ashamed

I'm sorry, I can't go on, I'm (sniff) all choked up... I think I need to go play some Low whistle and calm down.

bdh · Post by **bdh** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:00 pm

No one ever thinks about the Antipodes. I just wanted to raise awareness about the existence of Australia and New Zealand. That is all.

scheky · Post by **scheky** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:43 am

Now look at what you went and started here Crooked...good on ya though!

And no, I have no desire for the Low D. My Copeland hasn't even really seen much playing since I started taking up the flute.

Still, it's a fine thing you're doing.

macathasaigh · Post by **macathasaigh** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:05 am

I dwell in the distant lands of England amidst the smog of London town and in such a place music is my refuge, when the screech of sirens becomes all too much even a simple melody can cast a spell which keeps me going and take me to that inner place where the world is simply an audience for which I must play and everything else becomes a meaningless blur.

The low d whistle is not just a tool to me, it is not just a whistle, it is pride and passion incarnate, and it is the means by which I can speak when words are not enough or will not come. For i am both passionate and proud of my heritage, rooted in the mountains and streams of Munster and the reels of my homeland play in my veins.

Many people find this hard to understand, yet when they hear the haunting sound of the low d whistle take flight I think, that in that moment, they truly feel, that which was never felt before. I hope like me it takes them to that place previously unknown to them, where creativity flows, verbal communication becomes trivial, fairies and elves possible and stresses and strains invisible.

What I play is an extension of my passion and although we cannot fly on swirls of wind, like birds, our life breath can take us somewhere altogether different, somewhere where we are untouchable. For whatever dance you are dancing, the low d whistle seems to play to its tune.

Flogging Jason · Post by **Flogging Jason** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 7:53 am

Here is my list of reasons:

1) I need a Scottish made whistle to go with my Rampant Lion tattoo.

2) I often wear black when I'm busking and the Alba would be more noticeable against my clothing than my Howard.

3) I think my fiddle-turned-whistle case is full but I'd like to see if I can squeeze one more in there.

4) A heavier Low D would come in handy should some hooligan try to steal my busking money.(I could use my GFM Low G in the other hand and throw down like an Irish Jackie Chan!)

5) I could name my Howard "ebony" and the Alba "ivory".

6) My girlfriend would be supremely irritated if I got another whistle.

7) ALBA.....GU BRACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise to Pay it Forward

wvwhistler · Post by **wvwhistler** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:16 am

When I first got the calling to whistle I was so poor I had to cut holes in a McDonalds straw to have my first whistle. The tone was not very good but the breath requirement was almost non existant. If I wanted to play I would have to walk 20 miles in the snow uphill both ways so that no one would be disturbed by the shrill sounds I created with my homemade instrument. Now that I'm older I can appreciate high quality music and I saw that there was an ALBA up for adoption I thought "Wow, I've always liked their music, being from Sweden and all. Wouldn't it be neat to have my own disco/pop band at home." If the Alba was to come here to West Virginia it would be amonst its forefathers that settled in the area when our country was young and some of the people here could see and here a bit of Scotland since they probably will never get there on their own. Also if she comes here I will put up for grabs my vintage McD's whistle along with the instructions on its manufacture so that others may create them too.
P.S.
Also if I had the Alba my dog might like me again and come back home after he ran away from the McD's noise I was creating.

NicoMoreno · Post by **NicoMoreno** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:33 am

You should send it to my friend, thesilverspear (on these boards). She had a low whistle, and she used it a lot, but it got left in Miltown, either by accident, or possibly due to thievery.

At any rate, I don't like low whistles, so I wouldn't want it, but as I said, she used hers a lot. She loves playing tunes on the low whistle, and loves the sound. She's a student, however, so she has no money whatsoever to spend on a new one, so now she's using a cheap high D. However, she has sensitive ears and can't abide the high shrillness of such an instrument.

She would play this whistle a lot, and would love it and hold it and call it George (if you wanted her to, I think it's a great name).

koktach · Post by **koktach** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:38 am

Wow, how can a beginner demand to take this whistle, while he knows that someone else can play it a lot better that you. Well, to put it plainly I really really want one. Actually I do have not one, not two but at this moment three whistles low Ds, made by Me Inc. They're in slick white PVC and have a fimo plug, and they actually play, and I do play them regulary and would play them in front of other people (busking session planned). But still one is too breathy, one takes too much air and one is a bit off tune. It would be nice to have a professional made instrument. In the future I do plan to buy one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not poor or anything but somehow I just can't save enough money (even though the strings on my bass are over one year old, those who play bass know what I mean) and to get one for free would be simply incredible. I would take good care of it if I get it as I do with all my other instruments.

The only thing that I can remember to return to chiff and fipple would be to record my playing and share the music. That's all I got. Ow, I'm also amateur web page designer if Dale decieds for a make over.

Anej from Slovenia

P.S.: BONUS: Today is my birthday.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:54 am

Sob, you guys are killing me.

Determining the most worthy foster-parent is clearly going to require the wisdom of Solomon. Come to think of it, he might have suggested the hacksaw method for solving this problem. No, ..... I couldn't do that. It'll go to just one of you, if I can dry my eyes long enough to wrap it up!

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:15 am

padraig wrote:I have a strong feeling that the Alba actually wants to come home to bonny Scotland.

Damn, that was going to be my answer.

As it is I'm not ready for a low D, can hardly play my high D