I know, I know - just couldn't resist - Chieftain mezzo 'A' soon to be mine from Ebay.

(Looks like it's hardly been played, from the photos.)

Also, I returned my tunable Duo 'C' back to being a whistle.

Just snagged a Tony Dixon ABS one piece low D whistle for £23 on Ebay.

It's really quite easy, the high whistle just starts where the second octave is on my low whistle.

It might be just possible, my TD alto whistle head 'just about' fits over the head of my Gemeinhardt, but you'd need a short length of tube between the two tubes, so that the fipple was in the right area, with about half an inch showing.

Might it be worth £15 for a head to try(?), I don't know, but I don't need to, as I shall be having another go on it & my piccolo once my embouchure is more stable.

Them's pretty bold moves you got there Keith.  I am impressed that you can enjoyably switch between a low F and a high F... that broad range is is about as wide as my head can even wrap around. 

I wanted to try the opposite with my boehm flute-fit a whistle head to it so I can play it and have a fully chromatic whistle!

Bought myself a flute head & fitted it to my TD tunable aluminium 'A' whistle - my TD tunable aluminium 'C' whistle is also fitted with the flute head - so both my tunable whistles are temporarily now flutes.

My main whistles still remain my low 'F', low 'D', alto 'A', & alto 'G' - with my 'C's & my high 'F' as grab up whistles.

I've been playing my new plastic whistles a bit more, in fact, I have one behind my chair, where I usually sit, along with one of my chromatic harmonicas - just reach around & grab it.

Also volunteered to host a week, for my uke forum friends, mainly just to keep in touch with them, now that I've been distracted with these whistles, (& flutes).

So, what's everyone else been up to?

Well.......regardless of what my scales are saying, I'm back to wearing 38" jeans again......yippee!

That's depressing about your weight scale, Keith. 

Raspberry pi... i had to look it up.  Sounds like lots of fun to work on!  Maybe the modern version of 'working on model airplanes'?

I've been back to my ukes & harmonicas for a bit just lately, but today was all about my Raspberry Pi computers...........you've got to have a change, haven't you.

My sister was at the doctors the other day, & she was weighed by them, when she came back, she declared my scales under weighing by about 14lbs, that is bad news, as last time I weighed myself they said 14st 7lbs!

New, digital, scales on their way to me, lets hope they 'say' the 'right' weight!

Well it's 19 degrees F here this morning.. pretty darn cold.  I certainly won't be playing any whistles outside.  Maybe carve a whistle out of an icicle? 

After some lovely weather recently, it has now turned much colder, & the fingers aren't working as well in the cold!

The video I mention was made by Tony Hinnigan, (of Kerry Whistles), he compared the Glenluce 'D' with his Susato 'D', & he felt it compared well with it, considering it was half the price, but it couldn't be 'pushed' as much, (i.e. less volume).

These are brand new whistles, (found whilst looking around Ebay the other day), & I thought it worth taking a chance on them.

I think that they play rather well, with a sound quite similar to the Tony Dixon ABS one piece high 'D'.

(No, I don't own any Susato whistles myself - the only plastic whistle I had was the Dixon high 'D'.)

(P.S. My embouchure on my M&E 'F' flute is coming along nicely, I'm really liking it.)

Do you think they were made for these companies by Susato?
Are these new or used whistles that you got?

How do they play and sound?

And do you have the Susato in C black plastic to compare them to?

....arrived today, first impressions, they seem to play well, with a fairly easy second octave.

On closer inspection, they do seem to be the same whistle(!), exactly identical, (to me), except for the printed name on them, & the supplied cases, (of which the Recorder Workshop one is better).

So if you're looking for a plastic whistle in 'C', I'd suggest trying the Recorder Workshop one.

.......found a couple of plastic whistles in 'C' on Ebay the other day.

One is a Glenluce, (which got a pretty good recommendation from a suggested video on Chiff & Fipple), £14.95.

The other is by Recorder Workshop, £5.50.

(They both look like Susato whistles do.)

Had a good practice session today, almost got through my 5 regulars without any mishaps, on my low F, my F flute, & followed that with a burst on my low D too.

Surprised you think it weaker sounding than tenor recorder, my Yamaha was really a soft player, to my ear, but I find my Howard low D has what I call a 'fuller sound'/ 'stronger tone'.

I quite liked the tone of yours when I listened to it being played online, but decided on the Howard 'B' stock as it was cheaper, & not knowing how I'd get on with a low D finger stretch, (I sometimes still don't quite cover the holes, & get that odd sound, when you don't).

That ones got a nice tone to it too, & has that sort of haunting/breathy sound that goes well with aires & the like - at least, I think so.

Try this: 

Low D improv

I'd be up for a listen - but I can't make those links work for me - that's why I try to ensure the actual URL gets posted, when I put a link on here.

Tone wise, I think it's pretty good, it has quite a strong sound, if I get it right, (but I can't really play it yet, I need to find my embouchure on it).

Depending on the music, & how I feel, I'll add staccato, &/or slurs, just to make it mine, (sometimes even vibrato) - I think we need to interpret some tunes our own way.

It's got a lovely tone in F, Keith!  Very pleasant to listen to.  :)

Here's a challenge for you-  at certain measures to go from one note to another without tongueing. Like from note 1 to 2, OR from note 3 to 4 in a measure.
I catch myself with both tongueing and bowing I tend to always do a new tongue or a new bowstroke with every note. It always sounds better when I slur some note transitions on the same breath or the same bowstroke.  Mind you, I'm a rank amateur but I've found that it sounds good when I vary it  -once I am able to.   :D

Pictures.....top to bottom.....

Damian Thompson delrin beginner flute (low D)

Howard low D whistle

M&E polymer F flute

Shearwater low F whistle

F-Flutes&whistles.JPG  •  152KB

F in case.JPG  •  153KB

F & case.JPG  •  149KB

OK, here's a first attempt with it.

https://soundcloud.com/user-604445267/zoom0003/s-Su14o

(Still got to work out where to set the embouchure hole in relation to the finger holes.)

My new simple system keyless flute in 'F' arrived today - I think I may just be a fan of the key of 'F' - my low 'F' whistle has become my new favourite, & I tootle on the high 'F' for fun.....

A nearby town has made it to the news, roads all locked up because of jack knifed lorries on the motorway.

We have about 4~5" presently, certainly somewhat cold, but nothing compared to you lot over there in the States.

Stay safe & warm.

We had about 9 inches. (such an appropriate subject for the 'drifting thread' lolol)

It's not as bad here in NY as in Chicago, but it's been pretty darn cold too- this morning at 10am it's minus 1 degree F.  Brrr

Well, we had some snow overnight, & we are now sitting watching a couple young families with their sledges & throwing snowballs, at least they are enjoying it.

No, it's not easy finding your embouchure on a flute, but it will come - & then it's just a matter of perfecting it.

All I can offer is that you place it's front edge on the bottom of your lip & go from there, by rolling it in or out, until you find where it works for you, everybody is different, & it will take a bit of time, good luck.

I'm totally there with you Keith!  

Well, here I am buying a couple more whistles, & I expect you're all thinking that I'm being extravagant, but honestly, I went through life without the means to buy & try stuff, & am now only just able to, so I guess that I'm just making the most of what time I have left - I'm not getting any younger you know.

Lovely mellow tone on that whistle, Larry.

I hope both of you love your new low whistles!

I'm having a good time & beginning to get the hang of this 'pipers grip' now, & am able to relax it a bit, which seems to produce less mistakes getting the second octave notes on my low D - so hopefully this will get better with the practicing.

Ah! The waiting..........hope you don't have to wait long.

(I was quite surprised when mine turned up unannounced, but pleased.)

Re small hands - it might be worth you taking a look at the 'Tutorial (Low D)' that I posted a link to, she has small hands.

Exciting, you guys!

Wish I had bigger hands... At least for now, I can't play anything lower than a G at most.  

My 'Howard' just came, it's got a lovely tone - I hope yours is as good.

Wow, sounds great!  But it's huge!