Several whistle-makers include an Eb whistle in their range. I'm feel sure it's to enable ease of playing in other keys but, (Please excuse my ignorance) why Eb?
I think the main idea is that Eb just sounds a little "brighter" than regular D. I don't know the exact history, but I think playing in Eb started back in the '70s. Matt Molloy, for instance, recorded his first solo album almost entirely with an Eb flute. Frankie Gavin often tunes his fiddle a half-step up. There are others too, but you get the idea.
I think the main use of having an Eb whistle in (comparatively) recent times has been to play the usual repertoire of tunes at a session where everyone has been playing a semitone up from the usual, maybe led in particular by a D/D# box player playing mainly up and down his inner row of buttons (D# = Eb). The group De Danaan/De Dannan recorded a lot in this key and its related keys, and the sound is that bit brighter, so I gather Eb sessions got quite trendy though I have never encountered one.
Likewise, someone used to playing in A and related keys on a D whistle will be able to accompany Highland or other bagpipes pitched in Bb without changing his fingering, if he has an Eb whistle to hand.
He will also be able to accompany a singer and/or guitarist who decides to pitch in Eb.
Finally, the odd tune has been composed specifically in Eb, and is normally played in it. One such is the slow strathspey The Dean Brig Of Edinburgh, recently submitted to the Tunes list. It's a marvellous tune, and its composer (identity, I gather, in doubt) must have known what he was doing when he picked its key.
The moral is, get the full set of Generation whistles, or others if you prefer / can afford them - you just never know when any of them might come in handy, even if most of the time they are doing nothing.
Thanks smw and thanks Nicholas It's making more sense now.
I already have an Eb Syn whistle - I bought 2 fipples and 6 tail-end Syns from Erle Bartlett a little while ago (A, Bb, C, D, Eb & E) - I must admit I threw the Eb in just because I noticed it was a standard amongst some whistle makers.
(forgive me my Syns [sic])
Very pleased with the set too. I also picked up a couple of his Black Diamonds - they're just great.
(kicking myself for ignoring the whistle for so many years!)
Lots of recordings are pumped up, sped up, for whatever reason, in the old days it was in part to fit more on a disk, especially the old 78s, but there were other reasons too, the fluctuating speed of the old crank operated players, and there are also less honourable reasons. They are often just that, approximately a half step sharp, and Eb is perfect for it... As well, some older instruments are also flat in this way. Not all instruments have been retuned to modern pitch. A: 440 became the standard. Things used to be a lot more variable. Nowadays it seems the standard is growing sharper... Some people actually prefer that, for example for the playing of airs using an Eb or F whistle...
So some whistle-makers simply answered a call from whistlers who wished to play along with their favourite recordings which were slightly speeded up. Well - that certainly sounds logical. And then it I guess it became more of an established standard as more and more people used the key.
Thanks ceolachan
Whistles in Eb
Whistles in Eb
Several whistle-makers include an Eb whistle in their range. I'm feel sure it's to enable ease of playing in other keys but, (Please excuse my ignorance) why Eb?
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by jamascc
Re: Whistles in Eb
I think the main idea is that Eb just sounds a little "brighter" than regular D. I don't know the exact history, but I think playing in Eb started back in the '70s. Matt Molloy, for instance, recorded his first solo album almost entirely with an Eb flute. Frankie Gavin often tunes his fiddle a half-step up. There are others too, but you get the idea.
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by smw
Re: Whistles in Eb
I think the main use of having an Eb whistle in (comparatively) recent times has been to play the usual repertoire of tunes at a session where everyone has been playing a semitone up from the usual, maybe led in particular by a D/D# box player playing mainly up and down his inner row of buttons (D# = Eb). The group De Danaan/De Dannan recorded a lot in this key and its related keys, and the sound is that bit brighter, so I gather Eb sessions got quite trendy though I have never encountered one.
Likewise, someone used to playing in A and related keys on a D whistle will be able to accompany Highland or other bagpipes pitched in Bb without changing his fingering, if he has an Eb whistle to hand.
He will also be able to accompany a singer and/or guitarist who decides to pitch in Eb.
Finally, the odd tune has been composed specifically in Eb, and is normally played in it. One such is the slow strathspey The Dean Brig Of Edinburgh, recently submitted to the Tunes list. It's a marvellous tune, and its composer (identity, I gather, in doubt) must have known what he was doing when he picked its key.
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by nicholas
Re: Whistles in Eb
The moral is, get the full set of Generation whistles, or others if you prefer / can afford them - you just never know when any of them might come in handy, even if most of the time they are doing nothing.
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by nicholas
Re: Whistles in Eb
Thanks smw and thanks Nicholas
It's making more sense now. 
I already have an Eb Syn whistle - I bought 2 fipples and 6 tail-end Syns from Erle Bartlett a little while ago (A, Bb, C, D, Eb & E) - I must admit I threw the Eb in just because I noticed it was a standard amongst some whistle makers.
(forgive me my Syns [sic])
Very pleased with the set too. I also picked up a couple of his Black Diamonds - they're just great.
(kicking myself for ignoring the whistle for so many years!)
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by jamascc
Re: Whistles in Eb
the main use for an Eflat whistle is to start up and play a couple of tunes while the fiddlers get tuned up, and then put it away and get out a D.
Drives them mad for some reason.
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by showaddydadito
Re: Whistles in Eb
Lots of recordings are pumped up, sped up, for whatever reason, in the old days it was in part to fit more on a disk, especially the old 78s, but there were other reasons too, the fluctuating speed of the old crank operated players, and there are also less honourable reasons. They are often just that, approximately a half step sharp, and Eb is perfect for it... As well, some older instruments are also flat in this way. Not all instruments have been retuned to modern pitch. A: 440 became the standard. Things used to be a lot more variable. Nowadays it seems the standard is growing sharper... Some people actually prefer that, for example for the playing of airs using an Eb or F whistle...
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Whistles in Eb
If asked what whistles next, starting with the D, and taking price into consideration, I'd say Eb and C next...then work your way up from there...
# Posted on March 20th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Whistles in Eb
So some whistle-makers simply answered a call from whistlers who wished to play along with their favourite recordings which were slightly speeded up. Well - that certainly sounds logical. And then it I guess it became more of an established standard as more and more people used the key.
Thanks ceolachan
# Posted on March 21st 2008 by jamascc
Re: Whistles in Eb
showaddydadito - bet you're popular with the fiddlers lol
# Posted on March 21st 2008 by jamascc