Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
Tyler DelGregg wrote:I got one of those too. There was way too much back pressure, far too much compared to the sweet and sensitive Blackbird. The Mellow Dog also takes much less air. I'm not playing it much because it is not pleasant for me. Others may get better mileage. But I really enjoy Jerry's Blackbird D, C , and the Mellow Dog. Still, this confuses me.
If, you have been playing the "Blackbird" you are gonna be in for a surprise with the "Bluebird"The current 2016 version! Now, Jerry isn't gonna wanna read this but here is what I had to do......to lessen the Back-pressure on my "Bluebird" I ran a strip of very,very fine sandpaper through the window and under the BLADE at the natural angle that it runs through....JUST A FEW TIMES!!!!! back and forth! I almost had no low D-Bell note because of the back-pressure! This(sanding the blade) in combination with adding some putty did the trick, so to speak! I know Jerry won't be happy reading this! BUT, I have a really great whistle now still, with a lot of back-pressure but not near as bad as when i received it. When you are going for the 2nd octave with the "Bluebird" whistle you really have to lean into the notes! With the low notes it plays very easy at least, mine does! YMMV Great sounding whistle tho.... PS: Playing a D scale The "Bluebird" is in tune with itself! However, the big surprise of the day, for me, came when I decided to A/B all my Key of D whistles! I have a whistle that sounds in-between the "Bluebird" and the " Blackbird" Its a tweaked OAK Classic in nickel.....very birdlike and chirpy and in-tune with itself! Not bad for $12 from the Whistle Shop! I did the Tweak myself. PS, PS: The most weird part of all this is this....by adding PUTTY you are technally adding back-pressure! Right? Maybe a Tweaker can chime-in here and explain the science of this.....All I know is this....what I did ....worked!One last comment on the current 2016 version of the Freeman "Bluebird" Key of D whistle. The whistle sounds closer to a Tweaked Gen Blue-top than a " Blackbird" at least, mine does! Chirpy tho....
This is bewildering. That description of the Bluebird doesn't fit my Bluebird (acquired some years ago) at all. I certainly don't have to "lean into" the notes in the 2nd octave. In fact, because I don't play "public" very often, when I do I feel that I sometimes may risk overblowing it due to the circumstances and will go for the Impempe instead, it likes getting pushed a bit. But in general, if I play something with a lot of 2nd octave notes I'll use the Bluebird, it's pure and sensitive. No leaning into it at all. Well, I'm certainly no expert. But this is the first time I've seen a description of the Bluebird on this forum that I couldn't as well have said about my own.
Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
Tor wrote:This is bewildering. That description of the Bluebird doesn't fit my Bluebird (acquired some years ago) at all. I certainly don't have to "lean into" the notes in the 2nd octave. In fact, because I don't play "public" very often, when I do I feel that I sometimes may risk overblowing it due to the circumstances and will go for the Impempe instead, it likes getting pushed a bit. But in general, if I play something with a lot of 2nd octave notes I'll use the Bluebird, it's pure and sensitive. No leaning into it at all. Well, I'm certainly no expert. But this is the first time I've seen a description of the Bluebird on this forum that I couldn't as well have said about my own.
I don't know if you read page 10 and 11 but another user has had the same problem as me. You will see a statement from Jerry Freeman saying the "Bluebird" has changed with the way be builds them. I can only say what I'm dealing with as far as MY "Bluebird" is concerned. Read page 10 and 11 and read Jerry's response to my email. There is a 2016 new version of the " Bluebird" and it is built differently to a certain degree than yours(being acquired some years ago)Jerry uses different material in the cavity from what he once used.....I.E. Putty! Instruments change over a period of time as far as their manufacture!
Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
Jerry Freeman's email to me on the 2016 "Bluebird" build......
Yes, these whistles have more back pressure than the Blackbirds or Mellow Dogs. That is not something I can adjust without sacrificing the preferred voicing and playability. You say there’s no “putty trick.” I’ve used different materials at different times. If you purchased a tweaked Generation or Bluebird from me in the last several months, it will have a different treatment under the windway that does not fill the cavity, but creates an “curtain” at the front that is transparent to sound but which the airstream sees as a boundary. That helps maintain the brightness of the Generation sound, while at the same time, cleaning up some of the turbulence inside the mouthpiece that is responsible for much of the trouble with these whistles in untweaked form.
Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
mickey66 wrote:Jerry Freeman's email to me on the 2016 "Bluebird" build......
Yes, these whistles have more back pressure than the Blackbirds or Mellow Dogs. That is not something I can adjust without sacrificing the preferred voicing and playability. You say there’s no “putty trick.” I’ve used different materials at different times. If you purchased a tweaked Generation or Bluebird from me in the last several months, it will have a different treatment under the windway that does not fill the cavity, but creates an “curtain” at the front that is transparent to sound but which the airstream sees as a boundary. That helps maintain the brightness of the Generation sound, while at the same time, cleaning up some of the turbulence inside the mouthpiece that is responsible for much of the trouble with these whistles in untweaked form.
I hope that makes sense.
Best wishes,
Jerry
This NEW material that Jerry is using is what I believe is causing excess back-pressure....just a guess on my part tho....
cleaning up some of the turbulence inside the mouthpiece that is responsible for much of the trouble with these whistles in untweaked form.
While any means of reducing unwanted turbulence is good I am always a bit wary of statements that imply there is any amount of trouble that necessitates alterations.
Alterations change a whistle's performance, sometimes for the better and sometimes they move a whistle's behaviour towards more player specific requirements. I feel there is also a school of thought that alters whistles to 'foolproof' (as I have called it in the past) them and while I can see what it is trying to do, there are several reasons why I don't think that's a good way to go about it.
Some statements about the necessity of it all though, they, more times than not, fail to convince me.
Tell us something.: Whistles are fun, whistles are charming, whistles sound nice, whistles are affordable, whistles make us smile, whistles make dogs bark, and whistles upset some neighbors.
Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
What I would do if I were you is just buy a Bluebird and see what you get! If, the whistle has too much back-pressure for you....contact Jerry Freeman. Not everyone out there is going to start mess-n around with a whistle that they just paid $44 w/shipping! the "old" style Bluebird ? This is an interesting thought! And, opens up a whole new area of Jerry's whistle making. Would be worth a try contacting him but my guess would be this.....he probably would say this is the way I build them now. I really would not want to second guess what he might say or do for you. The whistle is a GREAT whistle period! You would have the choice of either Tweaking a brand(after you buy it, It's yours to do with what you want!) new build or sending it back! Tweaking a Tweak is really not the correct Terminology to use! The "Bluebird" is a new whistle. I was too lazy to send it back to him and I like to mess around with my whistles! I got lucky, I think! Warning! I feel, i should tell you all this.....by Tweaking any whistle you risk trashing said whistle! I trashed my Feadog Pro and a Clare whistle learning how to do what I did on my "Bluebird" ! So, good luck with your Tweaking adventure! The only reason I Tweaked mine is this.....The low notes got to where they would not play particularly the low D note....the Bell note! The whistle also clogged very easy, too easy for me! So, I had at it! Remember this! A lot of people out there LIKE a whistle with back-pressure! Also, my "Bluebird" whistle still has some back-pressure but I like it now and it plays very well!
Tell us something.: Whistles are fun, whistles are charming, whistles sound nice, whistles are affordable, whistles make us smile, whistles make dogs bark, and whistles upset some neighbors.
Sorry to say, I too, have trashed a decent Clarkie oringinal D by fiddling too much.... ruined the plug. By the way, I have my two D Clarkes and one C Clarke just where it suits me... very sweet and forgiving when I have had one too many Jacks during a nor'easter.
Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
Tyler DelGregg wrote:Sorry to say, I too, have trashed a decent Clarkie oringinal D by fiddling too much.... ruined the plug. By the way, I have my two D Clarkes and one C Clarke just where it suits me... very sweet and forgiving when I have had one too many Jacks during a nor'easter.
Tyler DelGregg wrote:Ok, so if I still want the "old" style Bluebird, could I still get one? Or, do I have to tweak a tweak?
I have a Bluebird that's a few years old, and it plays extremely similarly to my Killarney. If he's really changed the Bluebirds this much I say cough up the extra cash for a Killarney.
Having said that, I have a Mellow Dog that's also a few years old that I prefer to the Killarney.
Tell us something.: I am a Professional Musician in Phx, Az. Lived in Calif(Hollywood) for about 10 years(1970's) working in the studios and on the road with stars of the day. Started to follow my roots which took me back to the old country and the Irish Tin Whistle. I wound up here on C&F forum!
Tyler DelGregg wrote:Ok, so if I still want the "old" style Bluebird, could I still get one? Or, do I have to tweak a tweak?
I have a Bluebird that's a few years old, and it plays extremely similarly to my Killarney. If he's really changed the Bluebirds this much I say cough up the extra cash for a Killarney.
Having said that, I have a Mellow Dog that's also a few years old that I prefer to the Killarney.
I don't know what a Killarney plays like sad to say......However, my Mellow Dog and Blackbird are both three years old and sound and play GREAT!
Tell us something.: Whistles are fun, whistles are charming, whistles sound nice, whistles are affordable, whistles make us smile, whistles make dogs bark, and whistles upset some neighbors.
I have the all brass Killarney. It is a pleasure to play, but I too, prefer the sound and playing characteristics of the Mellow Dog. I must say though, the Killareney is a very well made whistle at a very competitive price.
