I've wondered this for years. Trying to play fast dance music in the keys of A Major, B Dorian and F# Minor on a D - whistle may be character-building, but on an E - whistle it would be a lot easier. (I concede though that the D - whistle is better able to handle Highland Bagpipe tunes otherwise in A but in which G Natural is a prominent note.)
I wrote to Generation asking why they didn't make whistles in E Major, and suggested there would probably be a good market for them. I got no reply (may have sent to the wrong address). I still imagine people would buy them - there are enough A - Major or related tunes out there, and enough people who want to play them; not to mention the steady trickle of tunes written in E Major, which I think is also (could be wrong here..) quite a common song key.
Anyone else had similar thoughts / have insights into the world of whistle manufacture and marketing?
(By the way, I mean cheap ones, Generations and the like, not expensive craft ones.)
That's interesting. I've got a Generation E whistle. I bought it a long time ago, mind, so maybe they don't make them any more. Mine's quite nice, actually.
Wash your D in really hot water, then tumble dry. It might shrink a few sizes.
Seriously, I carry an inexpensive Susato high E for all those reasons, mostly tunes in A and the occasional tune that's properly in E (like Calliope House). It's a fun little whistle, and priced the same as the Susato D.
But I'm about the only one around here. Only one other player I know (of a dozen or so) carries an E. And mine seems to spark little interest from other players. So who knows? Maybe just the force of tradition. E tunes are pretty rare in the local ITM repertoire, and playing comfortably in A and related keys on a D whistle (including G-sharps) is considered de rigeur anyway. I can also handle E on a D whistle with a bit of awkwardness.
I have one friend who carries a B whistle for playing with flat uilleann sets. Which in theory also gives him E (G fingering) and in a pinch A (C fingering) and related keys. But I think he uses it rarely for those purposes, except when playing with low pipers.
Get an Eb generation whistle, take the plastic piece off, use a plumbers pipe cutter to take off 10mm from the top of the tin pipe then replace the plastic bit and you will have an E whistle also works with the Bb whistle to make a B whistle.
I've thought a lot about your question. The keys you mentioned, A major, B dorian and F# minor aren't that complicated on a D whistle.
If you've been used to playing standard settings and tunings ( eg, G, D, Am, Em, Bm) and not explored these other keys you might find them somewhat alien, to the ear AND to the fingers.
Having instruments in non-standard keys is not that uncommon in the world of music.
The advice on how to make an E whistle is good, though it might lose a little of the intrinsic tuning.
I mentioned in a post a few years back I believe about a whistle player I met and with whom I played in Edinburgh, Jimmy Greenham. Hope I've got his name right. He played a beautiful tune written in E and until then only heard by me on the fiddle or concertina. It was called "The Hawk", a compostion I think which is one of James Hill's.
I'll say now that a D whistle did the job perfectly.
I also contributed way back about Paddy and Brendan Keenan and how they floated through so many keys when they were playing whistles.
I remember Paddy playing "The Moving Cloud" through 4 keys and Brendan stunning everyone with "O'Carolan's Concerto" in 3 keys.
There was a fiddle playing member from this site who was there that night like I was. He was in a group from Scotland, it was either New Year's Day or 2nd January 1980 at The Phoenix Folk Club, Ballyfermot, Dublin.
I've never fogotten how versatile they played the whistles!
Daughter was just playing a song on the guitar in A, SO asked what key whistle to use to accompany, solution - put a capo on the guitar on 1st fret, and use Bflat whistle ! F would do as well, of course.
Or get on and make some whistles in odd keys....
I have a lovely E whistle in brass by Michael Burke. It's really handy for tunes in A, E, B and F# and their relative minors. I just got my flute back after getting keys on it so I'm hoping I can do all those keys with ease on the flute.
For tunes in A it's not hard on a D whistle IF you can get a good G sharp by covering all the holes with your right hand when you're playing an A. (except the middle finger for the upper octave)
But if that doesn't work with your whistle... then yes it's hard and you'll need one in E.
This is what happens with my Generations. I was used to playing G sharp that way on my Susato but now I've bought some Generations and it doesn't work... so I have to half-cover and it's hard for me... and I don't like it... :(
I have a Patrick Olwell bamboo flute in E and a Susato low E. I find them very useful for tunes that fiddlers like to play in A major, but which I prefer to play in G major, like Foxhunter's Reel.
Jimmy Greenan, Brian. [ All well with you ? ]
The reason they didn't used to make them is because they're totally useless in a session in concert pitch.
Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I've wondered this for years. Trying to play fast dance music in the keys of A Major, B Dorian and F# Minor on a D - whistle may be character-building, but on an E - whistle it would be a lot easier. (I concede though that the D - whistle is better able to handle Highland Bagpipe tunes otherwise in A but in which G Natural is a prominent note.)
I wrote to Generation asking why they didn't make whistles in E Major, and suggested there would probably be a good market for them. I got no reply (may have sent to the wrong address). I still imagine people would buy them - there are enough A - Major or related tunes out there, and enough people who want to play them; not to mention the steady trickle of tunes written in E Major, which I think is also (could be wrong here..) quite a common song key.
Anyone else had similar thoughts / have insights into the world of whistle manufacture and marketing?
(By the way, I mean cheap ones, Generations and the like, not expensive craft ones.)
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by nicholas
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Just play a D in a room filled with helium.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by mcdevincabe
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
That's interesting. I've got a Generation E whistle. I bought it a long time ago, mind, so maybe they don't make them any more. Mine's quite nice, actually.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by benhall.1
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
so have I - I wasn't aware they were no longer produced, in fact I would be surprised if that were in fact the case.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Eb actually - but you could get the same tunes out on a Bb whistle
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I made one out of a D whistle. It's not very difficult if you really want to bother...
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Gzeg
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Wash your D in really hot water, then tumble dry. It might shrink a few sizes.
Seriously, I carry an inexpensive Susato high E for all those reasons, mostly tunes in A and the occasional tune that's properly in E (like Calliope House). It's a fun little whistle, and priced the same as the Susato D.
But I'm about the only one around here. Only one other player I know (of a dozen or so) carries an E. And mine seems to spark little interest from other players. So who knows? Maybe just the force of tradition. E tunes are pretty rare in the local ITM repertoire, and playing comfortably in A and related keys on a D whistle (including G-sharps) is considered de rigeur anyway. I can also handle E on a D whistle with a bit of awkwardness.
I have one friend who carries a B whistle for playing with flat uilleann sets. Which in theory also gives him E (G fingering) and in a pinch A (C fingering) and related keys. But I think he uses it rarely for those purposes, except when playing with low pipers.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by MTGuru
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Get an Eb generation whistle, take the plastic piece off, use a plumbers pipe cutter to take off 10mm from the top of the tin pipe then replace the plastic bit and you will have an E whistle also works with the Bb whistle to make a B whistle.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Ripthecalico
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Susato makes them:
http://www.susato.com/
Paul
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by paul95
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I've thought a lot about your question. The keys you mentioned, A major, B dorian and F# minor aren't that complicated on a D whistle.
If you've been used to playing standard settings and tunings ( eg, G, D, Am, Em, Bm) and not explored these other keys you might find them somewhat alien, to the ear AND to the fingers.
Having instruments in non-standard keys is not that uncommon in the world of music.
The advice on how to make an E whistle is good, though it might lose a little of the intrinsic tuning.
I mentioned in a post a few years back I believe about a whistle player I met and with whom I played in Edinburgh, Jimmy Greenham. Hope I've got his name right. He played a beautiful tune written in E and until then only heard by me on the fiddle or concertina. It was called "The Hawk", a compostion I think which is one of James Hill's.
I'll say now that a D whistle did the job perfectly.
I also contributed way back about Paddy and Brendan Keenan and how they floated through so many keys when they were playing whistles.
I remember Paddy playing "The Moving Cloud" through 4 keys and Brendan stunning everyone with "O'Carolan's Concerto" in 3 keys.
There was a fiddle playing member from this site who was there that night like I was. He was in a group from Scotland, it was either New Year's Day or 2nd January 1980 at The Phoenix Folk Club, Ballyfermot, Dublin.
I've never fogotten how versatile they played the whistles!
Brian x
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by briantheflute
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Daughter was just playing a song on the guitar in A, SO asked what key whistle to use to accompany, solution - put a capo on the guitar on 1st fret, and use Bflat whistle ! F would do as well, of course.
Or get on and make some whistles in odd keys....
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I own a Chieftain in E. It's a low E...
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by bknjholl
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
mm I HAVE just done the cutting tube experiment on an Eb (Generation), worked a treat but I had to remove 16mm of pipe, tuned nicely with my KORG.
Lovely tip that
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by Dave_
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I have a lovely E whistle in brass by Michael Burke. It's really handy for tunes in A, E, B and F# and their relative minors. I just got my flute back after getting keys on it so I'm hoping I can do all those keys with ease on the flute.
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by borderpiper
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
For tunes in A it's not hard on a D whistle IF you can get a good G sharp by covering all the holes with your right hand when you're playing an A. (except the middle finger for the upper octave)
But if that doesn't work with your whistle... then yes it's hard and you'll need one in E.
This is what happens with my Generations. I was used to playing G sharp that way on my Susato but now I've bought some Generations and it doesn't work... so I have to half-cover and it's hard for me... and I don't like it... :(
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by Pere
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Michael Burke makes a(high) E whistle...it's really lovely and is in fact my favorite whistle.
# Posted on January 8th 2007 by suzytee
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Shaw also do E whistles pretty inexpensively
# Posted on April 5th 2007 by humblebum
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I have a Patrick Olwell bamboo flute in E and a Susato low E. I find them very useful for tunes that fiddlers like to play in A major, but which I prefer to play in G major, like Foxhunter's Reel.
# Posted on June 13th 2007 by Richard D Cook
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
Jimmy Greenan, Brian. [ All well with you ? ]
The reason they didn't used to make them is because they're totally useless in a session in concert pitch.
# Posted on June 13th 2007 by Kenny
Re: Why don't they make tin whistles in E Major?
I agree with you. Whistles should be made in E major. E major is a useful and common key and easy to play on the guitar.
# Posted on September 8th 2007 by gerard1973