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!   

Larry is that an aluminum whistle?

As I have reported in another thread, thanks to a post on another forum, (you know the one), I have put my money down for a Howard Low D - so the New Year will be time to knuckle down & learn to play my low whistles, & my Low D flute, & that sounds like it will be a Happy New Year, for me at least, can't vouch for my neighbours.

I want a low whistle, and I'm looking at a Dixon low D on Amazon

What whistle are you looking at getting, Larry?

Well, my new aluminium in 'A' came OK, but I didn't get around to playing it 'properly' until today.

I'm definately going to have to learn how it wants to be played in the second octave.

It's got a nice tone, so will be worth the effort.

I just noticed that my regular music instrument supplier had a Tony Dixon tunable aluminium whistle in 'A' - so my Xmas present will be on its way to me shortly............

Good one Keith.  

Wow! I was first to post a tune for the December Challenge on one of my harmonica forums - wasn't it lucky that I had been practicing Jingle Bells just recently.

I'm thinking it may be an old one, maybe of original manufacture, as it is a bit beaten up looking, & may have been repaired down the seam at some time. But it's got a decent mellow tone to it, so not a disappointment at all.

The other two are as other people say about them, soft easy players, (somewhat like my Tony Dixon ABS), & likely to become one of my favourites for practicing at home on, (won't annoy the neighbours).

I've never seen a whistle where the fipple slides into the barrel of the whistle before (not that I've seen a lot of whistles)

That's the Sweetone in C.

Which one is the silver one?

Maybe this shows them off better.

Clarkes1.JPG  •  57KB

Maybe this one shows it better.

Clarkes3.JPG  •  55KB

OK then I'll try adding photos here.......seemed to work.... one of all 3, the other of the flush fipple whistle, with the rough seam & head removed. (Black is not the easiest of colours to photograph, unfortunately, but the fipple head has 3 ridges to hold it in the tube.)

P1000612.JPG  •  163KB

P1000610.JPG  •  132KB

Keith, if the photo file isn't too giant, you should be able to embed or attach it to your post in this discussion, too.

See one of the top discussions, on adding images to a post here:

https://pennywhistleclub.com/forums/forum/site-questions-how-do-i

Ran into problems trying to upload photos - wrong sizes - then only 6 allowed in one day - so I'll try & remember tomorrow.

Hi Keith

Could you post a photo of the Clarke? I'm intrigued

It wasn't too great a deal, price & postage roughly the equivalent of a brand new one, depending on where you buy, but I was intrigued as to what the 'other' one was, & as I had yet to buy any Clarkes, I thought it worth the price..........three for the price of one.

That's fun, Keith!  Did you get a good deal on them?

That one tastes much better now.

These two Clarkes, Sweetone & Meg, sound pretty good.

So, yes, basically as described.

The two Cs look to be brand new, whilst the 'other' is labelled as a Clarkes, is made in the same style, albeit a bit rough down the seam on the back, but has an inline fipple head, rather than the over the tube type of fitting, & could be a 'tunable' D whistle.

Actually, I just took another look at it, & it fits inside the tube; this one has a bit of a strange taste, even though I sanitized/cleaned it my usual way; so I will need to go back & be more thorough, I need to clean the tube & fipple head separately.

Yep, I won - now have to wait on the post to see if they are as described - Clarkes, 1x Sweetone in C, 1x Meg in C, & 1x 'other'.

Good luck Keith

....I was just looking online at so called Black Friday Deals, as one does, & then drifted off to Ebay where I noticed some whistles coming to the end of their time without a single bid.........

...I'll let you know.

  Well done Larry.

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen