Is it okay to touch my fipple?

[timothybagwell]

I doubt anyone has ever come up with that one before. But seriously, I just acquired my first whistle, a Clarke, and I'm wondering how much to worry about moisture changing the shape of my fipple and affecting the tuning or tone. It's a piece of wood, right? So should I oil it? Varnish it? Leave it alone?

FYI, about those tacky gold diamonds on the Clarke, well, yes, they are tacky. But if you're a new whistle player with mediocre eyesight, they do a great job of indicating where to put your fingers. Black holes on a black whistle can be hard to see.

[Feadoggie]

Is it okay to touch my fipple?

Yes, it's ok for you. But be mindful that it is illegal in several states to let someone else touch your fipple, especially in public.

The block on the Clarke is cedar, I believe. That wood was likely chosen because of its natural properties to guard against the effects of moisture. Some people do coat the block with oil or other solutions. You can search the archives for input on what people use. I leave them alone.

Clarke's do get tweaked quite a bit. Here's the basic tweak from the main C&F site.


As for the diamonds - here's what I said to a similar recent post.

I do NOT like the diamonds down the front.

Then you need one of Dale's Naked Black Splendor models.



But they are no longer available, AFAIK. So then there is the unpainted Victorian Whistle.

Otherwise, they wear off with sufficient playing or you can apply a paint remover.

Welcome.

Feadoggie

Hope that helps

[maki]

Is it okay to touch my fipple?

Yes, it's ok for you. But be mindful that it is illegal in several states to let someone else touch your fipple, especially in public.

[Katharine]

Is it okay to touch my fipple?

Yes, it's ok for you. But be mindful that it is illegal in several states to let someone else touch your fipple, especially in public.

Totally beat me to that one! (I'm not sure if I should be relieved or disappointed)

[Magickdancer]

I'm going to giggle about this one for a while...

[maki]

Sorry for the levity.
Welcome to the forum Timothybagwell.

[Innocent Bystander]

Not only is it "okay" to touch your fipple, people sometimes go so far as to have theirs pierced...

[walrii]

Moderators: should this thread be merged with the one about pink whistles? Just asking.

As to cedar blocks, in the Realm of The Fipple Flute That Must Not Be Named (recorders), we do not put anything on a cedar block. Oiling or varnishing will prevent the block from absorbing moisture, which is the cedar block's reason for being there. That said, I've grown to like plastic blocks in both whistles and recorders. With a plastic block, the moisture builds up faster than on a wood block but you can always clear the moisture by sucking or blowing it out. Coatings (duprunol, Jet-Dry, dishsoap) make the clearing easier but still necessary. A wood block will absorb the moisture, giving you a longer period of playing without clearing the windway but, when the block is saturated, the tone goes fuzzy and you're out of business until it dries out. Admittedly, that can be a long enough to play a concert with a good quality wood instrument.

[timothybagwell]

Maki, Thanks for the welcome and no need to apologize for the levity. I was actually trying to introduce a little myself with the subject head, but I think I overdid the subtlety. I could have asked if it was okay to oil my fipple, but that would not have helped much.

So I gather two things. First, I should call that little piece of wood a block. (Is that why a recorder in German is a Blockfloete?) Second, I shouldn't touch it with anything but my tongue (and definitely not get it pierced). I have an ebony flute and I'm a little paranoid about the wood cracking due to moisture, so I thought I should get some advice about my whistle block. Now if I could get some advice about my mental block, that would be good, but this is a forum, not group therapy. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Feadoggie, I think by the time my fingers know where to find the holes (there's no way to avoid this, is there? ) the diamonds will be worn off, so form and function will come together nicely.

Thanks all for the advice and the humor!

[MTGuru]

So I gather two things. First, I should call that little piece of wood a block. (Is that why a recorder in German is a Blockfloete?)

Yes, exactly right. In fact, strictly speaking, the word "fipple" is a synonym for "block", though in common usage it's been extended to refer to the entire sound-producing apparatus: block, windway, window and labium/blade.

but this is a forum, not group therapy. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

[Unseen122]

You can touch your fipple, you can touch your friends, but ya can't touch your friends fipple.

[R Small]

Reminds me of the George Carlin line: it's okay to prick your finger but you mustn't finger your...

[JTC111]

Not only is it "okay" to touch your fipple, people sometimes go so far as to have theirs pierced...

They call that a Prince Albert.

[retired]

Is this what happens to this forum in the summer ?

[jemtheflute]

Is this what happens to this forum in the summer ?

Nothing special about the summer.... Whose summer, any way? And even, "What 'summer'?"

As for fipples, I've even been know to tongue mine! But with fingers, it's best not to try to force them into (whoever's) apertures not intended for such insertion.