I've been playing whistle for around 15 years and last year got a Burke session D whistle to upgrade. It has beautiful tone but... whenever I try to put a little more speed into the tunes, find that I'm not covering the holes very well - small hands.
I'm thinking a Burke narrow bore might serve better for the faster tunes, but wanted to get some expert advice (since the Burkes are on the pricey side) before shelling out another $200.
Are there whistle players out there who had this problem? And how they resolved it? Does someone have a Burke narrow bore? Do you like it?
I have been happy for years with a tinplated Clarke whistle, so am not one to advocate fancy-pants whistles. Save yourself a few bucks, and remember, no matter what the whistle, it is the player that puts the music into it!
Thanks Al. I played Clarkes for years and found them quite responsive. The holes are smaller and I have no problem keeping up in sessions, but in the larger sessions, my Clarke is just too quiet. My Burke has great volume and I was hoping to talk with someone who could tell me what their narrow bore was like.
how old is your Burke? Im sure if u got onto him with the problem theyd be happy to resolve it. Maybe a part exchange? Al brown you may not advocate expensice whistles fair enuf but its hard not to advocate perfect tuning.
I take it you are talking about a high D whistle? How can your hands be too small for a high d whistle?
I have a Burke high D and can't say I've ever had a problem. I can understand someone having difficulties with a low D whistle in terms of the finger spacing, although adjusting your hand position should fix this, but a high d? If you are using the pads of your fingers they should be able to cover the holes.
"no matter what the whistle, it is the player that puts the music into it!" - sorry, have to disagree with Al there to a degree. Youtube is littered with good and well known whistle players sounding painful because they hold on to this notion of generations etc. Sometimes you can play them in tune but the first bit of adversity, like not being able to hear it and they are rubbish. Clarke whistles are rubbish.
I have the Burke "session" high D and it's a fine whistle. Great tuning, good traditional sound. The only drawback to it (and this is true of Burkes in general) is that more air flows through it than most high D's I've played. So, you have to take breaths more often.
My main session instrument is a Burke Low D and the air requirement took a bit of getting used to. I now play a bit like the old-school flute players who have lots of breath spots in their phrasing.
But anyhow I too find it hard to believe that somebody can't cover the holes of a high D whistle. I guess I've not seen anyone with fingers that narrow, though such people might well exist.
About volume of the Burke high D, my Burke "sesson bore" is about in the middle. I have a Susato big-bore high D that's twice as loud, the very loudest whistle I've ever played. I have a lovely-sounding 30-year-old Feadog that is extremely quiet. The Burke is in the middle somewhere. I do have a Generation D that's exceptionally well-voiced for a Generation and it's nearly as loud as the Burke "session" high D.
Oh by the way I've tried a Burke narrow-bore high D and it's a lovely-sounding whistle. The difference between the session-bore and narrow-bore isn't huge. I prefer the playability and voicing of the narrow-bore but I wanted a bit more volume for a loudish session.
It sounds to me just like a case of inaccuracy. Try gradually increasing speed and listening for the first hint of mis-fingering. Maybe when you are playing at session speed your fingers are going automatically to their 'home' position. Although after a year you should have compensated, you will know that it doesn't take much to miss a hole.
Thanks for all the good advice - guess I wasn't clear enough when talking about my problems with speed. I have many other whistles and have no problem with the speed with these, but I'm having a problem when I try to play fast on the D Burke. I love the Burke for its tone and volume and love how it can bend the notes - I just have to change whistles for the fast tunes. Maybe I just need to work with it more. Or maybe I'm looking for an excuse to buy a narrow-bore, since I think it sounds sweeter
BTW Trucks - I got it last October, so that makes it 10 months old. I'm starting to think I'll just start saving up for another one, since it is really a nice instrument.
Just to point out that I am not a complete stick in the mud, I must say that Burke whistles (and Sindt whistles also) are very fine whistles, and I sometimes think of buying one of them myself.
I have a friend with very thin and delicate fingers, who has trouble covering holes on some instruments, so I can see how it would be a problem, Fiddlephilia.
As far as tuning, I don't have any problems keeping my Clarke in tune, I think that over the years, I have learned how to keep it in pitch with my embrochure. But when everyone else is tuning, I do make a show of twisting and adjusting it, which sometimes draws a laugh....
Whistle advice please
Whistle advice please
I've been playing whistle for around 15 years and last year got a Burke session D whistle to upgrade. It has beautiful tone but... whenever I try to put a little more speed into the tunes, find that I'm not covering the holes very well - small hands.
I'm thinking a Burke narrow bore might serve better for the faster tunes, but wanted to get some expert advice (since the Burkes are on the pricey side) before shelling out another $200.
Are there whistle players out there who had this problem? And how they resolved it? Does someone have a Burke narrow bore? Do you like it?
# Posted on August 4th 2009 by Fiddlephilia
Re: Whistle advice please
It's probably a dexterity issue. If you are barely able to cover the holes in slow tunes, you must have VERY small hands.
I have never tried the Burke regular or narrow bore, so I will leave that to somebody else.
# Posted on August 4th 2009 by -Abraxas
Re: Whistle advice please
I have been happy for years with a tinplated Clarke whistle, so am not one to advocate fancy-pants whistles. Save yourself a few bucks, and remember, no matter what the whistle, it is the player that puts the music into it!
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Whistle advice please
Thanks Al. I played Clarkes for years and found them quite responsive. The holes are smaller and I have no problem keeping up in sessions, but in the larger sessions, my Clarke is just too quiet. My Burke has great volume and I was hoping to talk with someone who could tell me what their narrow bore was like.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by Fiddlephilia
Re: Whistle advice please
how old is your Burke? Im sure if u got onto him with the problem theyd be happy to resolve it. Maybe a part exchange? Al brown you may not advocate expensice whistles fair enuf but its hard not to advocate perfect tuning.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Whistle advice please
I take it you are talking about a high D whistle? How can your hands be too small for a high d whistle?
I have a Burke high D and can't say I've ever had a problem. I can understand someone having difficulties with a low D whistle in terms of the finger spacing, although adjusting your hand position should fix this, but a high d? If you are using the pads of your fingers they should be able to cover the holes.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Whistle advice please
"no matter what the whistle, it is the player that puts the music into it!" - sorry, have to disagree with Al there to a degree. Youtube is littered with good and well known whistle players sounding painful because they hold on to this notion of generations etc. Sometimes you can play them in tune but the first bit of adversity, like not being able to hear it and they are rubbish. Clarke whistles are rubbish.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by bogman
Re: Whistle advice please
I have the Burke "session" high D and it's a fine whistle. Great tuning, good traditional sound. The only drawback to it (and this is true of Burkes in general) is that more air flows through it than most high D's I've played. So, you have to take breaths more often.
My main session instrument is a Burke Low D and the air requirement took a bit of getting used to. I now play a bit like the old-school flute players who have lots of breath spots in their phrasing.
But anyhow I too find it hard to believe that somebody can't cover the holes of a high D whistle. I guess I've not seen anyone with fingers that narrow, though such people might well exist.
About volume of the Burke high D, my Burke "sesson bore" is about in the middle. I have a Susato big-bore high D that's twice as loud, the very loudest whistle I've ever played. I have a lovely-sounding 30-year-old Feadog that is extremely quiet. The Burke is in the middle somewhere. I do have a Generation D that's exceptionally well-voiced for a Generation and it's nearly as loud as the Burke "session" high D.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by Richard D Cook
Re: Whistle advice please
Oh by the way I've tried a Burke narrow-bore high D and it's a lovely-sounding whistle. The difference between the session-bore and narrow-bore isn't huge. I prefer the playability and voicing of the narrow-bore but I wanted a bit more volume for a loudish session.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by Richard D Cook
Re: Whistle advice please
It sounds to me just like a case of inaccuracy. Try gradually increasing speed and listening for the first hint of mis-fingering. Maybe when you are playing at session speed your fingers are going automatically to their 'home' position. Although after a year you should have compensated, you will know that it doesn't take much to miss a hole.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by gam
Re: Whistle advice please
Thanks for all the good advice - guess I wasn't clear enough when talking about my problems with speed. I have many other whistles and have no problem with the speed with these, but I'm having a problem when I try to play fast on the D Burke. I love the Burke for its tone and volume and love how it can bend the notes - I just have to change whistles for the fast tunes. Maybe I just need to work with it more. Or maybe I'm looking for an excuse to buy a narrow-bore, since I think it sounds sweeter
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by Fiddlephilia
Re: Whistle advice please
BTW Trucks - I got it last October, so that makes it 10 months old. I'm starting to think I'll just start saving up for another one, since it is really a nice instrument.
# Posted on August 5th 2009 by Fiddlephilia
Re: Whistle advice please
Just to point out that I am not a complete stick in the mud, I must say that Burke whistles (and Sindt whistles also) are very fine whistles, and I sometimes think of buying one of them myself.
I have a friend with very thin and delicate fingers, who has trouble covering holes on some instruments, so I can see how it would be a problem, Fiddlephilia.
As far as tuning, I don't have any problems keeping my Clarke in tune, I think that over the years, I have learned how to keep it in pitch with my embrochure. But when everyone else is tuning, I do make a show of twisting and adjusting it, which sometimes draws a laugh....
# Posted on August 6th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Whistle advice please
"When everyone else is tuning, I do make a show of twisting and adjusting it, which sometimes draws a laugh..."
When you show up at a session that's too sharp or too flat the joke will be on you.
# Posted on August 7th 2009 by Richard D Cook
Re: Whistle advice please
shot down..haha
# Posted on August 7th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Whistle advice please
Hey, leave Al alone - he's just got a good sense of humor
# Posted on August 7th 2009 by Fiddlephilia