"Duffy the Dancer" on Sweetheart Birch-laminate.

[LimuHead]

I uploaded "Duffy the Dancer" to my Nowhereradio account. I am playing the Sweetheart whistle, 4 string ukulele, and Tahitian 8 string ukulele.

The recording was made using a PS-4 palmtop studio.

To listen click on the link in my signature. That will take to you to my artist's page. Then click on 'discography', then 'One Man Band', then "Duffy the Dancer". (I'll be able to provide a direct URL link soon - after I upgrade my account on Nowhereradio - for now this is the only way to get there.)

Comments are welcome.

Enjoy!

Aldon

Edited signature link to reduce the number of clicks.

[Redwolf]

I like! I was hesitant when I saw the word "ukelele" but it works nicely. Good playing!

I'm going to be ordering one of those Sweetheart birch laminates in a day or two, so it was nice to hear a clip too.

BTW, I don't know if anyone else has gotten this, but I got a ping from McAfee about a port scan attack launched by Nowhereradio while I was listening to the clip. They may have a virus. Might want to make sure your virus protection software is fully up to date before listening.

Redwolf

[peeplj]

I like that!

I like the sound of that whistle, and you play it well.

Tell me more about his palmtop recording studio of yours?

--James

[LimuHead]

I like! I was hesitant when I saw the word "ukelele" but it works nicely. Good playing!

I'm going to be ordering one of those Sweetheart birch laminates in a day or two, so it was nice to hear a clip too.

BTW, I don't know if anyone else has gotten this, but I got a ping from McAfee about a port scan attack launched by Nowhereradio while I was listening to the clip. They may have a virus. Might want to make sure your virus protection software is fully up to date before listening.

Redwolf

Thanks! I really like this whistle. (I did send it back to get the Ds tuned a little sharper, though - it's a super whistle now.)

Thanks for the 'heads up' on the port scan thingy. (Hope no one else has trouble with the site.)

I like that!

I like the sound of that whistle, and you play it well.

Tell me more about his palmtop recording studio of yours?

Thanks James! Those were all un-edited first takes. I plan on posting a more professionally tweaked version a little later.

The PS-4 is made by Zoom. It's a palmtop 4 track studio that records to Smart media cards. I just got it on Monday so am still getting used to all of the functions. There's a discussion forum like this one that has lots of great info. (I don't know how to post the link, but if you google for "Zoom PS-4 forum" it should come up.)

I bought mine from Zzounds for just under $200 (no tax, free shipping!).

I recorded all 3 tracks using just the built-in mic.

This is a cool unit. I'm going to test it out recording band practice tonight.

Aldon

[E = Fb]

Hi Limu,

Interesting! Your D were flat and Ralph fixed it, you say?

Tom

[LimuHead]

Hi Limu,

Interesting! Your D were flat and Ralph fixed it, you say?

Tom

Yup. Walt was certain that the problem was me, not the whistle, and didn't want to do anything. But after some convincing Ralph went ahead and cut a bit off of the bottom of the whistle to bring the Ds into better tune with the rest of the instrument. (I'm sure Walt still thinks I was making the whole thing up just to cause trouble.)

It was a strange experience, but my whistle is all the better for it.

Are your Ds flat too?

Aldon

[elendil]

could you expand on the D situation a little. as everyone must know by now, i REALLY like this whistle. the low D is fine, but to be truly in tune i have to play the middle D as

oxxxxx, whereas i usually prefer xxxxxx.

which D's were a problem, and did you try both fingerings?

the xxxxxx isn't off by much--just by that niggling amount that sometimes irks me.

thanks.

[Zubivka]

i have to play the middle D as

oxxxxx, whereas i usually prefer xxxxxx.

which D's were a problem, and did you try both fingerings?

the xxxxxx isn't off by much--just by that niggling amount that sometimes irks me.

Often, the all-closed variant will sound sharper--on any whistle--because one tends to give it a tad more pressure to make sure it does overblow. Or reverse, one gives slightly less pressure on the "vented" fingering oxx oxx.

Now, if you take this in account and still get a dicrepancy, just consider the too-sharp variation as a "chromatic" tone (er... C## ? ).

More seriously, I sometimes use this variation as a "trill" key: it can make interesting ornaments if you flutter the left index...

[elendil]

problem is, the all closed is the one that i believe is flat--and i've tested it against the tuner. while the vented fingering appears to be in good tune, it has a certain hard-to-describe tone quality that i'm not crazy about. naturally, on fast tunes the discrepancy isn't big enough to notice, but on airs i do notice it.

[LimuHead]

On my instrument both Ds were flat compared to the rest of the notes. (The bell note was roughly 10 to 15 cents flat.) The unvented middle D was flatter than that. The vented middle D was 'tolerably' flat, but still flat.

It was possible to blow them into pitch (roughly), but the timbre suffered, and it took some gymnastic breathing to keep the intonation consistent while playing a tune that had Ds in it (most tunes have Ds in them).

It was flabbergasting to be told that there's nothing wrong with an instrument that I knew was off tune. The worst part was the suggestion that I didn't know how to do simple things like use the tuning slide. (Note: this came from Walt not Ralph.)

Ralph did a fine job on the adjustment, and like I said earlier it plays wonderfully now.

[peeplj]

I'm glad you wound up with a whistle you love.

One of the advantages of buying a higher-priced whistle from a maker is the interactions possible with the maker to get you the exact whistle you want.

For what it's worth, I like the D's on a whistle to be slightly flat...about 10 cents flat is right about where my ears want them to be. Also I prefer a slightly flat F-sharp.

Not everyone prefers that, though.

--James

[The Weekenders]

Cool stuff Limon!!!

I liked the whistle sound on the Orange Rogue, tho a bit overshadowed by reeds.

Loved Maiden tune. I think that in balance, the whistle lends itself better to Hawaiian style than the uke does to Irish (on the Duffy cut). And it would certainly cause consternation at the session...

Too bad you can't clone yerself. You will never sound as good with others playing the other parts. Great touch on the uke-type things.

Look for Limonhead's first World Music album coming to a store near you.

[E = Fb]

Yes, Limu. I love this whistle like my own mother, but unlike my mother it's flat in places. D especially.

Right now it's covered in tape. I flattened other notes to bring them all together. Again, it's such a great instrument that I hesitate to discuss this in public lest someone back off from buying one. I HIGHLY recommend it. Good volume, medium breath requirement, great tone (a sort of "round" sound), balanced octaves, responsive.

I'll contact Ralph about those flat spots though.

Tom.

[trisha]

Nice recordings! Mystery solved now that I have speakers that function once more...Duffy is no relation of Dever .

Trisha

[LimuHead]

Cool stuff Limon!!!

I liked the whistle sound on the Orange Rogue, tho a bit overshadowed by reeds.

Loved Maiden tune. I think that in balance, the whistle lends itself better to Hawaiian style than the uke does to Irish (on the Duffy cut). And it would certainly cause consternation at the session...

Too bad you can't clone yerself. You will never sound as good with others playing the other parts. Great touch on the uke-type things.

Look for Limonhead's first World Music album coming to a store near you.

Thanks! (Btw, I replied to your PM.)

I have plans to record an ITM tune using steeldrum as the lead instrument - now that oughta cause consternation at a session!

Thanks again for listening, and for the comments,

Aldon (aka Limon, Lemonhead, Limuhead)