Hole spacing on low D whistle vs. keyless D flute

headwizer · Post by **headwizer** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 9:28 am

Every now and then I read a post that says a low D whistle is essentially a transverse D flute but with an end-mounted mouthpiece. Is the hole spacing between the low D whistle and the D flute comparable then? Or is one easier to finger than the other?

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:34 am

Each instrument is different. Even 2 whistles or 2 flutes will be different.

I find whistles harder to finger than flutes, when they have roughly the same hole layout, due to hand position. In other words, i can manage larger finger spreads on flute than on whistle.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:46 pm

Ditto to Glauber.

Doc

Berti66 · Post by **Berti66** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 2:07 pm

ditto to glauber and doc......actually find the flute easier than low whistle but indeed it depends on the maker.

berti

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 2:52 pm

Ditto all of the above. In fact, in repeated experiments with a Dixon Duo (interchangeable heads, same body) I found it harder to manage the spread in whistle mode -- so I decided it's the vertical-hold thing that makes it tough.

dan mcalister · Post by **dan mcalister** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:35 pm

I've had the same experience. I have relatively small hands. I own Hamilton, Seery and McGee Metzler flutes. My hands get a little stiff after playing for an hour. I can usually rest for about five minutes and return to playing for another hour or so (when I have time). I've owned a Chieftain, Alba and Overton low Ds (serially) and could only play for 15 minutes or so without some discomfort. Of the three, the Alba was the kindest on my hands.

With flute I can usually keep the stiffness at bay if I give a thought now and again to making sure that I'm not keeping the hands stiff or holding too tight. I'll sometimes vary the right hand position a bit, to change the motion a little. This is possible with the flute because of the way it's supported. It might be different with larger hands, but there was no way for me to do this with a Low D.

Jon C. · Post by **Jon C.** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 9:20 pm

I wonder if the low whistle spacing would be better if the whistle had a conical bore, versus the straight bore?
Does anyone have a conical low whistle?
I thought it would be fun to make a fipple end for say a R&R style flute...
Jon

Berti66 · Post by **Berti66** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 9:51 pm

hm it might make a difference but also it depends on the diameter of the conical whistle.
some members on this forum own copelands which are conical, you could ask them.....some of these members also play flute so they could tell you if this is true........

I myself think the conical shape does not bring in much, since I also do have a cylindrical tipple flute and have no problems with the spread itself and have average woman's hands.

the holesize on the flute does matter a lot more than most people might think for ease of playing, by the way.

berti

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:30 pm

I had the same experience on the Dixon Duo as Cathy. Playing a bamboo Olwell has reinforced that. I have given up on low whistles. Anything below G will have to be a flute for me though I wouldn't turn down a Copeland.

Cheers,
Aaron

headwizer · Post by **headwizer** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:25 am

Replies here (and in the Whistle forum) have been really informative so thanks everyone!

I see that the Susato makes low whistles with an angled head:

I wonder why more whistle makers don't do this. Maybe they could even make a low whistle that's held just like a transverse flute.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:22 am

I have a side blown Hastrick whistle / flageolet in D. The spacings are the same as a flute, and it has a tapered bore.

Whatever I try to play seems difficult.

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 2:54 pm

Too bad Hastrick stopped around the mid-1800s! (According to Langwill's....I don't have that knowledge independently, you know)
Sounds like we could have used his instruments today.

Then again....
take a look at this monstrosity:
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?co ... ammem_3h1s::

You need several hands!

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:06 pm

We still can use his single side blown whistles, or similar modern versions, if anybody wishes to make them.
No doubt Headwizer can understand.

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:55 pm

I'm not exactly sure what a side-blown whistle looks like.
Are there any photos somewhere to link to?

Best mental picture I can make (and I'm sure it's not accurate) is a piccolo or a fife with a fipple mouth piece attached to blow through by way of clamp or clip (of which the post-Civil War fifers of considerable age were supposedly fond of on their old fifes....because of their lack of teeth!...and the mouth pieces were made of lead...yum).

Pratten · Post by **Pratten** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:58 pm

Yes. I would like to see one as well! Where can I go to view one?
Thank you