on a whistle, I mean. What function does it have? Someone told me they're banned at most competitions, so I assume it gives some kind of advantage. I know on recorders, you use a thumb hole to get into the upper register, but you sure don't need that on a whistle.. Is it for additional ornament or what? Does anybody like 'em?
if it is for a roll like that, i don't like it. its easier to not have to raise your thumb, and a roll like that sounds too Scottish. its fine on highland pipes, but i don't like it in irish music.
I've got a Goldie-Overton D whistle-thingy with two thumb holes on the back. They're for playing F-natural and Bb. It makes it much easier to play tunes in F, C, Gmin/mx etc...
99% of the time i wouldn't use them, and not for ornaments as such, but I have been known to use them for implied-slides into rolls etc - esp. for Fsharp roles, as i would on the flute.
I think most thumb holes are put on the whistle to prduce a more in tune Cnat. A good player can play a Cnat in tune without an extra hole, which is probably why they are banned a comps.
I just checked the original gumph i got when ordering my whistle and Mr Goldie does indeed say that placing a hole for either C-nat or G-sharp isn't practicle, but the B-flat is just right.
I have an old Generation D whistle with a thumb hole. It produces a beautiful tuned C natural, and is easy to finger(thumb) quickly. Much truer note than from half holing, esp in a slower tune
It was drilled for me in Adelaide in the late 70's by I think someone form the Irish Whistle Class there. This modification was fairly popular then. It is a 3mm diameter hole approx 13.6-13.9 cm from the bottom end, about halfway I think
The main diasadvantage was if you had been playing for a while, some condensation would form, and it was not a large hole, so the moisture acted like a little cover and you got a very dodgy note indeed , ie B, and had to remember to play without the hole again to compensate.
Banned at competitions eh?
Right, in that case I'm getting one.
I'd have thought anything which makes your playing easier will give you more flexibility thus produce better music - but what would I know.
On a D whistle, the thumb hole is for getting an in-tune C-natural. I traded for a used Burke with one. I don't use it but I like the idea. While the normal ways of getting a C-natural do not sound completely in-tune to me, I'm willing to go with it.
On somewhat the same subject.......
After I switched from recorder to whistle, I noticed a year or so later that it was very difficult to play recorder now....... (I had stopped playing recorder completely).
I thought that very strange, since I had played recorder on & off for several years. The only explanation I can think of is that the new whistle-playing information must be filed in the same part of my brain that the recorder info was...... and it somehow cancelled out the old information.
I'm sure I could get my recorder chops back if I wanted to (it must be around here somewhere ...... in a box, maybe).
cuchulain, IMO the thumbhole is unnecessary for playing irish traditional music. Save your money and learn how to crossfinger or half hole the C natural, it's a big part of the style and a technique that will serve you well.
This is not surprising, given how tinstrument-specific the fleadhanna cheoil (sp?) are (separate categories for B/C box, Csharp/D box and single-row melodeon, for example). Once you add an extra hole ti a whistle, it becomes a different instrument. A whistle with a thumbhole would presumably be permissible in the miscellaneous category. If it were to become popular enough then, no doubt, a separate category would be created for it.
Yeahbut, David, Paddy Carty won the all-Ireland Flute on a Boehm system. There is a species of anally-retentive flute head who would claim that the Boehm is a "different instrument" from the simple system. Go figure.
Paddy Carty didn't play a Bohem Flute. he played a Radcliff system Flute. Similar but not the same. Mike Burke offers a C nat thumb hole option, but no other notes. Just because Colin doesn't usually do it doesn't mean it isn't done. Terry McGee also offers it on his Flutes an Piccolos.
If you add a thumb hole to a whistle you are halfway to a recorder and therefore we
have what you would have to think of as a hybrid instrument. Kind of pointless
the way I look at it to just be able to paly a couple notes easier. The whistle
is a wonderful instrument in it's simplicity and trying to make it more or
better than it is seems ridiculous. If you want to play a chromatic fipple
flute then by all means LEARN RECORDER but leave the poor whistle be.
thumb hole
thumb hole
on a whistle, I mean. What function does it have? Someone told me they're banned at most competitions, so I assume it gives some kind of advantage. I know on recorders, you use a thumb hole to get into the upper register, but you sure don't need that on a whistle.. Is it for additional ornament or what? Does anybody like 'em?
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by cuchulain54
Re: thumb hole
Never seen that but I bet it has something to do with rolling the top note on the scale.
And if so, it will be on every TW made in a couple of years.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by Schlongbow
Re: thumb hole
if it is for a roll like that, i don't like it. its easier to not have to raise your thumb, and a roll like that sounds too Scottish. its fine on highland pipes, but i don't like it in irish music.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: thumb hole
Don't tabor whistles have a hole on the back?
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by Celtic Lass
Re: thumb hole
I've got a Goldie-Overton D whistle-thingy with two thumb holes on the back. They're for playing F-natural and Bb. It makes it much easier to play tunes in F, C, Gmin/mx etc...
99% of the time i wouldn't use them, and not for ornaments as such, but I have been known to use them for implied-slides into rolls etc - esp. for Fsharp roles, as i would on the flute.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by SirNose
Re: thumb hole
I think most thumb holes are put on the whistle to prduce a more in tune Cnat. A good player can play a Cnat in tune without an extra hole, which is probably why they are banned a comps.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by Unseen122
Re: thumb hole
I don't think it'd be for C-nat, the hole position would be to uncomfortable and as you say, it's an easy note to play.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by SirNose
Re: thumb hole
I just checked the original gumph i got when ordering my whistle and Mr Goldie does indeed say that placing a hole for either C-nat or G-sharp isn't practicle, but the B-flat is just right.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by SirNose
Re: thumb hole
i imagine the hole for tabour whistles is for a note that isn't possible to play with one hand other wise. im not sure though
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: thumb hole
it is for the c natural. no question about it. it produces a more in tune and more focused sound.
they are banned because of silliness, because a good player is a good player, no matter how they finger their c's.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by daiv
Re: thumb hole
fair enough daiv, but i've played a fair few of the holes-in-the-back-whistles (as well as my one) and none of them have been for c natural
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by SirNose
Re: thumb hole
I have an old Generation D whistle with a thumb hole. It produces a beautiful tuned C natural, and is easy to finger(thumb) quickly. Much truer note than from half holing, esp in a slower tune
It was drilled for me in Adelaide in the late 70's by I think someone form the Irish Whistle Class there. This modification was fairly popular then. It is a 3mm diameter hole approx 13.6-13.9 cm from the bottom end, about halfway I think
The main diasadvantage was if you had been playing for a while, some condensation would form, and it was not a large hole, so the moisture acted like a little cover and you got a very dodgy note indeed , ie B, and had to remember to play without the hole again to compensate.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by mrs.b
Re: thumb hole
Banned at competitions eh?
Right, in that case I'm getting one.
I'd have thought anything which makes your playing easier will give you more flexibility thus produce better music - but what would I know.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: thumb hole
On a D whistle, the thumb hole is for getting an in-tune C-natural. I traded for a used Burke with one. I don't use it but I like the idea. While the normal ways of getting a C-natural do not sound completely in-tune to me, I'm willing to go with it.
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by stephenseifert
Re: thumb hole
On somewhat the same subject.......
After I switched from recorder to whistle, I noticed a year or so later that it was very difficult to play recorder now....... (I had stopped playing recorder completely).
I thought that very strange, since I had played recorder on & off for several years. The only explanation I can think of is that the new whistle-playing information must be filed in the same part of my brain that the recorder info was...... and it somehow cancelled out the old information.
I'm sure I could get my recorder chops back if I wanted to (it must be around here somewhere ...... in a box, maybe).
# Posted on February 26th 2007 by morning star
Re: thumb hole
cuchulain, IMO the thumbhole is unnecessary for playing irish traditional music. Save your money and learn how to crossfinger or half hole the C natural, it's a big part of the style and a technique that will serve you well.
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by Hanley
Re: thumb hole
"they're banned at most competitions"
This is not surprising, given how tinstrument-specific the fleadhanna cheoil (sp?) are (separate categories for B/C box, Csharp/D box and single-row melodeon, for example). Once you add an extra hole ti a whistle, it becomes a different instrument. A whistle with a thumbhole would presumably be permissible in the miscellaneous category. If it were to become popular enough then, no doubt, a separate category would be created for it.
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by granama
Re: thumb hole
"tinstrument-specific"??
No pun intended.
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by granama
Re: thumb hole
Yeahbut, David, Paddy Carty won the all-Ireland Flute on a Boehm system. There is a species of anally-retentive flute head who would claim that the Boehm is a "different instrument" from the simple system. Go figure.
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: thumb hole
In case any of you haven't seen the late Paddy in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X64ofeGJN_g
sorry for the hijack, worth it though don't you think?
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: thumb hole
Paddy Carty didn't play a Bohem Flute. he played a Radcliff system Flute. Similar but not the same. Mike Burke offers a C nat thumb hole option, but no other notes. Just because Colin doesn't usually do it doesn't mean it isn't done. Terry McGee also offers it on his Flutes an Piccolos.
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by Unseen122
Re: thumb hole
Yes I knew that. Whatever....
# Posted on February 27th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: thumb hole
Um, are you saying Mr Mcgee offers a *hole* for c-natural on his flutes?!? what a truely bizarre concept...
(but don't get me started on McGee's)
# Posted on February 28th 2007 by SirNose
Re: thumb hole
If you add a thumb hole to a whistle you are halfway to a recorder and therefore we
have what you would have to think of as a hybrid instrument. Kind of pointless
the way I look at it to just be able to paly a couple notes easier. The whistle
is a wonderful instrument in it's simplicity and trying to make it more or
better than it is seems ridiculous. If you want to play a chromatic fipple
flute then by all means LEARN RECORDER but leave the poor whistle be.
Mr. Mike
# Posted on March 1st 2007 by Mr. Mike the Tavern Keeper