What whistle is this?: I think I found it!

HDSarah · Post by **HDSarah** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:15 pm

What whistle is described below?

In tune
Strong bell note and first octave
Second octave not too loud; no shrillness
No sudden jump in air requirement for upper end of 2nd octave
Relatively low air requirement
Audible in a small session but not too loud to play in the living room
Tone is closer to the “pure” end of the spectrum
OXX OOO fingering for C natural
Requires little or no warming
Easy to produce a nice sound

david robertson · Post by **david robertson** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:24 pm

Dunno,
But I know a Laskar lass
In Alaska
I'll ask her

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:28 pm

Water Weasel? Metal Syn new models? I'm sure many others too.

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:29 pm

a burke brass session or composite.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:30 pm

Gee, you're easy to please.

Well if you were less fussy about the C nat, you could do nicely with a Sindt. Some people claim to own Burkes that are weak at the very bottom but a good one won't be and will probably do the job for you. A Busman would probably come close too, although some people find they take a bit of adjusting to; I didn't have a problem and love mine.

I've never played one, but from what I gather from those who have, you might just be describing a Rose.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:45 pm

I would say a Burke AlPro session fits those requirements just fine.

--James

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 1:14 pm

I don't know, but if you find out please tell me. I want one too!

I don't think it exists.

In tune
Strong bell note and first octave
Second octave not too loud; no shrillness
No sudden jump in air requirement for upper end of 2nd octave
Relatively low air requirement
Audible in a small session but not too loud to play in the living room
Tone is closer to the “pure” end of the spectrum
OXX OOO fingering for C natural
Requires little or no warming
Easy to produce a nice sound

I've about decided that it's a physical impossibility to get the above things to all work at once on a whistle. Maybe we need to add an octave key on the back.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 1:23 pm

Bretton wrote:Maybe we need to add an octave key on the back.

Provocator! Terrorist! Crypto-baroquist!
Your grandma gurgles in garklein Yamahas wearing leather Tyrolian shortpants!

McHaffie · Post by **McHaffie** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 1:53 pm

It's not entirely impossible....................

In tune - not a big deal

Strong bell note and first octave - bell notes can be a pain, but doable.

Second octave not too loud; no shrillness - easier done than said

No sudden jump in air requirement for upper end of 2nd octave - I think that this is attainable by many whistlesmiths, although there will always be a 'noticeable' (as in if you look for it) change just because of the nature of the beast. It's just how a whistle works, but there are ways to make it so it is hardly noticeable compared to some.

Relatively low air requirement - ok

Audible in a small session but not too loud to play in the living room - way ok

Tone is closer to the “pure” end of the spectrum - ok

OXX OOO fingering for C natural - ok

Requires little or no warming - no problem (but no matter what you do, if you leave your whistle in your car on an ice cold day, take it indoors and immediately start playing... you're gonna have to expect to clear it a couple of times 'till it gets up to room temp. Metal, Wood, Plastic or otherwise)

Easy to produce a nice sound - that is an entirely subjective declaration on the players abilities and the whistle itself. Easy to produce notes as long as you have the holes covered in an ordered fashion... ok.

Ok then, I just had to step in on that one!

I'm not gonna go any further on it with suggestions or otherwise. I can think of a few different makers I might suggest, but just in case I'm not going to go there. But just for the record... oh it's possible.

Take care,
John

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 2:00 pm

John McHaffie doesn't want me making favourable comments about his whistles here, so... PLOINK!

original post deleted by John's request

chas · Post by **chas** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 2:16 pm

I think the closest is the Busman, unless you want to play in E, in which case the Thin Weasel would be perfect

Burke is just about there -- I wouldn't say they have low air requirements, just moderate.

Water Weasel is also just about there -- they can be a little hard on the ears indoors at the upper end of the range

McHaffie · Post by **McHaffie** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 2:32 pm

glauber, check your PM. PM or email me on that subject. this board isn't for business discussions and I don't want to cause any misgivings with Dale or anyone else here in that or any regard. Sorry, honestly no offense meant, so please don't take this out of context, but it really isn't appropriate.

Never hesitate to strike up a design discussion though... even if it's praising or pelting mine!

Even referrals amongst friends are ok I think

I more often than not try to support my fellow whistlesmith than myself out of professional courtesy on the board, not to mention just the diversity promotes helping one another out I think.. or should in my opinion. I find Stacey, Bill, Jerry, and a couple of others to be especially fun people on the board ... as far as whistlesmiths go.

Take care,
John

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 3:49 pm

I'm one of Mike Burke's biggest fans but that cross fingering is not a well-tempered Cnat on his whistles and I own seven of em. its sharp. The only way to get one is to half hole. I use that cross fingering on mixo tunes tho and fast stuff, which brings up the whole question of: do you really need a tempered Cnat from cross fingering... But if you are playing an air you need the half-hole or one of those thumbholes I guess.

In these situations, I repeat Breathnach's assertion that a C natural in Irish music is "halfway between a B nat and a D (Folk Music and Dance Music of Ireland)." Hey, he said it, not me.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 3:57 pm

I agree on the narrow bore (o x x | o o o) is too sharp for most circumstances, however (o x x | x o x) works very well, as does half-holing.

However, on both my AlPro session, and on one belonging to Sam McReynolds, (o x x | o o o) is well in tune for c-natural at normal blowing pressure. I have checked this with a digital tuner.

Both of our whistles were made recently, mine in 2002, Sam's in 2003. Perhaps that's the difference.

--James

McHaffie · Post by **McHaffie** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 4:04 pm

The Weekenders wrote:I'm one of Mike Burke's biggest fans but that cross fingering is not a well-tempered Cnat on his whistles and I own seven of em. its sharp. The only way to get one is to half hole.

Can't you get a Cnat with OXXXOO on most of his whistles?? I don't know, I've only goten the chance to play one Brass High D and C that's it and it was quite a while back. Years even I believe. I played Southwind I believe, and remember I had to use 3 instead of 2 holes covered to get a natural out of it and make it sound right... but I could be wrong and thinking of something else. Epilepsy does give you swiss cheese for brains at times.

Either way, this does fall outside the originally specified OXXOOO of the customers wishes.

Take care,
John