I have to give a shout out to my friend and neighbor. Makes a fine whistle. They're so good that I insist on playing them, even though I'm a horrible whistle player.
Big Whistle Music: Maker Feature
For years we have known that there is a desire for a quiet whistle and have been keen to provide these (in various types) through our business. What a great idea therefore to have a whistle that can have what is in effect a volume control! Carey Parks from Park Whistles has done just that with his unique Tone Ring on the Parks Every Whistle.
Not that this is relevant (very little of what I say is), but I have noticed that often a whistle gets "quieter" in the upper registers if you pump it full all the way and really get some breath behind it. It's the half-hearted blow that shreaks.
What I have found to be the secret for producing a sweet tone on the whistle can be illustrated with a yardstick. If you take a yard stick and place it on a table so 2/3rds are hanging over the side and you're holding the other side down on the table with your hand -- you can flex it a long way. If only a 3rd is hanging over the edge and most is on the table -- you can't flex it near as much. The same is true with the column of air in a whistle. The pitch of the lower register is far more flexible than the upper register. If you blow hard for volume in the lower register you'll push the pitch up to it's limit, but when you get to the upper register the pitch isn't as flexible and you can't match where the lower pitch was. You end up blowing even harder trying to push the pitch up and the whistle sounds like it's screeching or screaming. I find that if you blow the lower register very lightly you’ll be able to match the pitch when you go to the upper register and not feel like you need to push it higher. Then the tone in the upper register will sound in tune and sweet.
I realize my post wasn't really related, but it seemed like a good place to post my whistle/yardstick allegory in case anyone wanted to try it with the whistle they already play.
SWFL Fiddler: That is certainly interesting, just what I want to know is how loud is the whistle "cranked up"? If it is at Susato level, that would be very handy to be able to quiet it down at home or at small sessions, and certainly worth considering.
Eliot: Shrieks are of course produced by half-hearted blowing, yet the clearest high notes can be annoying when they come out too loud, and Susatos for one are loud, even in the proper pressure-range of the high notes.
PB: It really depends on the whistle. My Feadog (for whatever reason) tends to go sharp in the second octave. For this whistle, I actually blow the first octave sharp (gives me the added benefit of a stronger lower octave on a quiet whistle) and tune it down so the second octave is more comfortably in tune, but this is completely beside the point.
Hi TMB, I'll go get Carey, he can tell you more. He's had reports of people being able to play them in airplanes without bothering anyone, when the mute is cranked all the way down.
To answer a few questions, it is pretty loud when it's full open. See what Phil at Big Whistle says about volume. He's a good fellow to make the call as he's played more whistles than anyone I would think -
It's not a quiet whistle, unless you want it to be. It gets breathy as it gets quiet. 30-day money back deal. "Try it - you'll like it." and "Munch all you want - we'll make more." both apply.
Concerning what Phantom was talking about, it's a good idea to tune something higher than the bell note for that reason. You can push the lower notes around more. I use the A in the lower register most often. But here's another point - the upper register will be flatter than the lower on a conical whistle. It's not my idea, nature made a law. So it's best to tune the lower reg about 10 cents sharp so the upper reg is only 10 cents flat. The 10 cents is a rule of thumb, and whistles and whistlers vary, so see what works for you and yours.
I have to get me some of those whistles. The Ghost would be great to play while driving so that the cops won't see what I am doing (they tend to frown upon practicing tunes in traffic). Of course if they don't see the whistle they might think I am putting my thumb to my nose and wiggling my fingers at them (in my parts, that is a bad gesture).
The only problem, I would imagine, is the wonderful view of drool flow.
Thanks for the insight, Phantom B. That was real interesting.
Feardearg: I was trying to decide if I should buy a Ghost along with an Every Walkabout or not. You helped me decide. I'm dying to test it out on the cops now!! . . . and a double finger wiggle - that's much worse than a single
Whistle with Volume Control
Whistle with Volume Control
I have to give a shout out to my friend and neighbor. Makes a fine whistle. They're so good that I insist on playing them, even though I'm a horrible whistle player.
Big Whistle Music: Maker Feature
For years we have known that there is a desire for a quiet whistle and have been keen to provide these (in various types) through our business. What a great idea therefore to have a whistle that can have what is in effect a volume control! Carey Parks from Park Whistles has done just that with his unique Tone Ring on the Parks Every Whistle.
http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/maker.asp
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Not that this is relevant (very little of what I say is), but I have noticed that often a whistle gets "quieter" in the upper registers if you pump it full all the way and really get some breath behind it. It's the half-hearted blow that shreaks.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by Eliot
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
What I have found to be the secret for producing a sweet tone on the whistle can be illustrated with a yardstick. If you take a yard stick and place it on a table so 2/3rds are hanging over the side and you're holding the other side down on the table with your hand -- you can flex it a long way. If only a 3rd is hanging over the edge and most is on the table -- you can't flex it near as much. The same is true with the column of air in a whistle. The pitch of the lower register is far more flexible than the upper register. If you blow hard for volume in the lower register you'll push the pitch up to it's limit, but when you get to the upper register the pitch isn't as flexible and you can't match where the lower pitch was. You end up blowing even harder trying to push the pitch up and the whistle sounds like it's screeching or screaming. I find that if you blow the lower register very lightly you’ll be able to match the pitch when you go to the upper register and not feel like you need to push it higher. Then the tone in the upper register will sound in tune and sweet.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
I realize my post wasn't really related, but it seemed like a good place to post my whistle/yardstick allegory in case anyone wanted to try it with the whistle they already play.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
SWFL Fiddler: That is certainly interesting, just what I want to know is how loud is the whistle "cranked up"? If it is at Susato level, that would be very handy to be able to quiet it down at home or at small sessions, and certainly worth considering.
Eliot: Shrieks are of course produced by half-hearted blowing, yet the clearest high notes can be annoying when they come out too loud, and Susatos for one are loud, even in the proper pressure-range of the high notes.
PB: It really depends on the whistle. My Feadog (for whatever reason) tends to go sharp in the second octave. For this whistle, I actually blow the first octave sharp (gives me the added benefit of a stronger lower octave on a quiet whistle) and tune it down so the second octave is more comfortably in tune, but this is completely beside the point.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by TMB
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Hi TMB, I'll go get Carey, he can tell you more. He's had reports of people being able to play them in airplanes without bothering anyone, when the mute is cranked all the way down.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
And the pitch doesn't change at all when you change the volume? If so that's pretty impressive.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by Whiddler
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Then again it doesn't have to not change if it's tunable.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by Whiddler
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Hi all,
To answer a few questions, it is pretty loud when it's full open. See what Phil at Big Whistle says about volume. He's a good fellow to make the call as he's played more whistles than anyone I would think -
http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/
As for tone it does drop a little, but the tuning slide is generous enough to let you tune it up again. For more details see the full write up at:
http://www.parkswhistles.com/Whistles/Every/Default.aspx
It's not a quiet whistle, unless you want it to be. It gets breathy as it gets quiet. 30-day money back deal. "Try it - you'll like it." and "Munch all you want - we'll make more." both apply.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by cjp
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Oh, great, thanks a lot Phantom. I just bent my favorite whistle by hanging two-thirds of it off a table and pushing down.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by cuchulain54
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Concerning what Phantom was talking about, it's a good idea to tune something higher than the bell note for that reason. You can push the lower notes around more. I use the A in the lower register most often. But here's another point - the upper register will be flatter than the lower on a conical whistle. It's not my idea, nature made a law. So it's best to tune the lower reg about 10 cents sharp so the upper reg is only 10 cents flat. The 10 cents is a rule of thumb, and whistles and whistlers vary, so see what works for you and yours.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by cjp
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
cuchulain54 - Ya got me laughing!
I have to get me some of those whistles. The Ghost would be great to play while driving so that the cops won't see what I am doing (they tend to frown upon practicing tunes in traffic). Of course if they don't see the whistle they might think I am putting my thumb to my nose and wiggling my fingers at them (in my parts, that is a bad gesture).
The only problem, I would imagine, is the wonderful view of drool flow.
Thanks for the insight, Phantom B. That was real interesting.
# Posted on May 22nd 2008 by feardearg
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
Feardearg: I was trying to decide if I should buy a Ghost along with an Every Walkabout or not. You helped me decide. I'm dying to test it out on the cops now!! . . . and a double finger wiggle - that's much worse than a single
# Posted on June 1st 2008 by justwhistle
Re: Whistle with Volume Control
No, guys, really.
Do you REALLY do practice and play while driving a car?
REALLY?
# Posted on June 4th 2008 by Anal