Good whistles with low volume?

The Ultimate On-Line Whistle Community. If you find one more ultimater, let us know.
FluteDude
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:24 am
antispam: No

Good whistles with low volume?

Post by FluteDude »

I've never owned a tin whistle, but I've had the opportunity to try them from time to time.
Now I do think it's time to get one.
What I'm looking for is a whistle that has low volume, without being airy.
Don't really know what I'm looking for with tonal quality. Bb key would be preferred, but D okay if there are no good Bb options matching my requirements.

Thx
User avatar
chrisp
Posts: 271
Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:31 am
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Norway

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by chrisp »

Hi,

The generation Bb is i think the best key they make, and well worth the cheap price

Chris
FluteDude
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:24 am
antispam: No

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by FluteDude »

I've heard a bit about their Bb, but does it belong in the low-volume group of whistles?
User avatar
toasterburn
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:52 pm
antispam: No
Location: AL

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by toasterburn »

sweetones are quiet-ish, if you want it really quiet try this maybe: http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_result ... rod_id=690
User avatar
Byll
Posts: 1189
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Long ago, I was told that I faked iTrad whistle work very well. I took that comment to heart. 20 years of private lessons - and many, many hours of rehearsal later - I certainly hope I have improved...
Location: South Eastern Pennsylvania
Contact:

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by Byll »

Mack Hoover, on this board, will hand-make a whistle for you, able to play at any volume you wish - at a completely fair price. Contact him, here:

hoover.mc@gmail.com

Best.
Byll
'Everything Matters...'
Lisa Diane Cope 1963-1979
User avatar
arnie
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2006 3:53 pm
antispam: No
Location: Oss, Netherlands

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by arnie »

Mack Hoover has quiet whistles. Also my Sindt is on the quiet side. Sweetones are quiet and the new Jerry Freeman Blackbird seems to be a quiet one.
FluteDude
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:24 am
antispam: No

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by FluteDude »

Cool, now I got some options to investigate.
Thx.
User avatar
Azalin
Posts: 2783
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by Azalin »

Yeah Bb Sindt would be my favorite, but there's other good options as stated above. I'm sure a Bb generation in brass, if well tuned, would be a good cheap alternative.
FluteDude
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:24 am
antispam: No

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by FluteDude »

I would love a Sindt, but it's too expensive for a whistle at the moment.

I'm leaning towards said Generation Bb. But what do you mean with "if well tuned"? Why wouldn't they be well-tuned if they're tuneable?
User avatar
Aanvil
Posts: 2589
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:12 pm
antispam: No
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by Aanvil »

FluteDude wrote:I would love a Sindt, but it's too expensive for a whistle at the moment.

I'm leaning towards said Generation Bb. But what do you mean with "if well tuned"? Why wouldn't they be well-tuned if they're tuneable?

Just get two.

They come in nickel and brass.

I wouldn't worry much about the tuning.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about them being in tune with themselves across the scale.

They'll be fine enough.

You can get the head to slide if glued and just make sure there isn't extra plastic in the windways.

You'll be good to go.
Aanvil

-------------------------------------------------

I am not an expert
User avatar
Azalin
Posts: 2783
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: Montreal, Canada
Contact:

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by Azalin »

Yeah I meant in tune with itself, but since you're just starting to play, as Anvil is saying, it's no problem. But the day you start playing with people, your tuning will be more important but until then, just have fun! :-)
User avatar
brewerpaul
Posts: 7300
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
Location: Clifton Park, NY
Contact:

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by brewerpaul »

Yeah, and once you start playing with others, you'll want a D since that's the most common key for sessions.
Got wood?
http://www.Busmanwhistles.com
Let me custom make one for you!
User avatar
riverman
Posts: 692
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:05 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Eel River, Indiana

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by riverman »

The Generation Bb is one of the very few whistles I can play without earplugs, and it won't harm me, all the way up to the highest second-octave note. I can also play it among people without worrying about irritating people with the shrillness of a high D whistle in the upper octaves.
"Whoever comes to me I will never drive away." --Jesus Christ.
User avatar
oregonden
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:07 pm
antispam: No
Location: Independence, OR.

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by oregonden »

Hello FluteDude,

I'm with Riverman and ALL the other great advice on this thread. I love my off-the-shelf Bb Generation brass whistle. From a geezer newbie...have fun in your explorations, acquisitions and playing!

Dennis
Make It Fun!
Dunphys Hornpipe
Fidget
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:56 am
antispam: No
Location: Manchester, England

Re: Good whistles with low volume?

Post by Fidget »

This newbie has collected a few Ds and a couple of Cs, plus the Gen Bb.

The Gen Bb is so cheap, everyone should have one. Sounds good too, but it's not the quietest in the bunch.
Of the Ds, my Feadogs, Gens & Waltons are all significantly louder than my Dixon trad D. The Clarke MEG & Sweetone are fairly quiet.
The Dixon is very good indeed, as frequently mentioned here.

I had some success using the poster putty trick on my Feadog. It made it very quiet. Also calmed it down considerably and lost most of its instability. I needed very careful breath control for this.
(I mean the mod where a third to a half of the window is covered making it narrow. Several tries were needed to get the right effect. It's surprising how very small changes in the shape and position of the putty made dramatic changes to the sound of the whistle).
Post Reply