Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 185 views

    History of The Whistle

    Uploaded by

    John Ray Enaje
    The whistle is an ancient instrument, apparently originating in ancient China around 5000 years ago, and making its way to Europe in about the 11th century. In Ireland there is evidence of whistle players in early literature and on the medieval High Crosses. Bird-bone whistles were played in the 12th century in Viking Dublin.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    History of The Whistle

    Uploaded by

    John Ray Enaje
    185 views5 pages
    The whistle is an ancient instrument, apparently originating in ancient China around 5000 years ago, and making its way to Europe in about the 11th century. In Ireland there is evidence of whistle players in early literature and on the medieval High Crosses. Bird-bone whistles were played in the 12th century in Viking Dublin.

    Original Title

    History of the Whistle

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The whistle is an ancient instrument, apparently originating in ancient China around 5000 years ago, and making its way to Europe in about the 11th century. In Ireland there is evidence of whistle players in early literature and on the medieval High Crosses. Bird-bone whistles were played in the 12th century in Viking Dublin.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    185 views5 pages

    History of The Whistle

    Uploaded by

    John Ray Enaje
    The whistle is an ancient instrument, apparently originating in ancient China around 5000 years ago, and making its way to Europe in about the 11th century. In Ireland there is evidence of whistle players in early literature and on the medieval High Crosses. Bird-bone whistles were played in the 12th century in Viking Dublin.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    History of the Whistle

       The whistle is an ancient instrument, apparently originating in ancient China around


    5000 years ago, and making its way to Europe in about the 11th century. In Ireland
    there is evidence of whistle players in early literature and on the medieval High
    Crosses. Bird-bone whistles were played in the 12th century in Viking Dublin.

       Whistle belongs to a group of woodwind instruments called "fipple flutes" (fipple is


    the term still used today to describe the block in the mouth piece that constricts the air
    to produce sound). Originally called "vertical flutes", they were made of bone or clay.
    In the 17th century, the term "Flageolet" was used to describe a fipple flute with four
    finger holes on the front, and two thumb holes on the back.

       Whistles were (and still are) called by many different names, including Fipple Flute,
    Vertical Flute, Flageolet, Tin Whistle, Penny Whistle, Tin Flute, Feadóg Stáin (Irish
    name) and others.

       Early in the 19th century, English-made whistles started to appear with the six
    finger hole arrangement that we see today (also some with the traditional thumb hole
    and keys). In 1843, Robert Clarke of England made the first "Tinwhistle", borrowing
    the design from a wooden whistle that he owned. The Clarke Tinwhistle Co. still
    produces whistles today (see more about the Robert Clarke Story on the Original
    Clarke Tinwhistle Page in our Online Catalog).

       In the 1950's the plastic mouthpiece was introduced, and a cylindrical (straight tube)
    was used to replace the traditional conical (tapered) bore of whistles like the Clarke.

       The Low D Whistle was introduced about 25 years ago by Bernard Overton of
    Overton Whistles. It has grown by leaps and bounds in popularity since this time, and
    continues to be a highly sought after instrument.

       No one seems to be quite sure how the term "Penny Whistle" originated. It is
    generally thought that Robert Clarke originally sold his tinwhistles for a penny, or the
    term was used because people used to throw pennies to whistle players in the streets
    as they played.
    Clearing the Windway
     

    After you've played your whistle for a little while, you may
    notice the tone has changed. It may be harder to hit some of the
    high notes, or the volume may have lowered. This is because
    condensation has built-up in the windway. The difference that a
    clear windway can make is just amazing!
    You'll find that condensation and foreign matter is much more
    of a problem in whistles with narrower windways, and for these
    you may have to clear the windway much more often. Below are
    a few remedies you can try.
     

     If you need to clear the windway while you're playing, you have a few choices:
    o Place your finger over the windway opening (so the whistle won't make any
    sound), and sharply blow through the mouthpiece.
    o Keeping your fingers in playing position, wrap the little finger of your right hand
    around to cover the end hole of the whistle. Blow into the windway opening
    (you'll be holding the whistle kind of like a flute now), so that the air comes out
    the end of the mouthpiece.
    o If you're in the middle of a tune and you don't have time to do either of the above,
    you can suck in through the whistle to get rid of the condensation. Obviously, you
    don't want to do this if you've just used the "dish soap method" below...

     
     Occasionally, you should use a piece of stiff paper (a business card works perfectly) to
    clean the windway. Cut a strip of the paper off, then fold it over once (to stiffen it up
    more). Run in and out of the mouthpiece to dislodge any foreign matter. Blow through
    the mouthpiece (with the windway hole covered) after this to make sure that you get all
    foreign matter out of the windway.
     

     The next fix comes from subscribers to Dale Wisely's  The Chiff and Fipple Newsletter,
    and works quite well - especially on whistles with narrow windways. Rub a small amount
    of mild dish soap in the windway, using a small piece of paper folded over to reach inside
    the windway. Don't over do it, or you'll be tasting dish soap for a while. This remedy
    usually makes a big difference on how long you can play before your windway becomes
    clogged.
    PLEASE NOTE: we don't really recommend using dish soap on mouthpieces that
    have wooden fipple plugs (like the Original Clarke or the Shaw).

    Walton's Irish Whistle


    Brass
    Key of D or C
     

    This is a Walton's Whistle - made in Dublin, Ireland. It is available in the key of D or C (D is the
    most popular key for traditional Irish music). It's made of brushed brass and has a plastic fipple
    (mouthpiece). The plastic mouthpiece has become accepted and even preferred by most
    traditional players, due to the consistency of sound that they produce.

       There is a difference between this whistle and the Walton's Mellow D and the Walton's Brass
    Irish D, although the difference is slight. The Mellow D has a slightly wider bore (the inside
    diameter of the whistle). This gives the "Irish D Whistle" a brighter tone that's well suited for
    jigs, reels, etc.

     
    This whistle is played very easily in the entire two octave range, and has a pleasant, bright tone.
    Note that the mouthpiece on this whistle is not glued on, so it is tunable, to match pitch
    with other instruments or recordings.

    (Label will occasionally vary from the image shown above)


    (Sometimes the mouthpiece of this whistle will be a color other than green)

    Don't forget to order a Whistle Pouch for your whistle!


    Walton's "Mellow D"
    Key of D, Brass
     
    This is a Walton's Whistle - made in Dublin, Ireland. It is tuned to the key of "D" - this is the
    most popular key for traditional Irish music. It's made of brushed brass and has a plastic fipple
    (mouthpiece). The plastic mouthpiece has become accepted and even preferred by most
    traditional players, due to the consistency of sound that they produce.

       There is a difference between this whistle and the Walton's Irish Whistle, although the
    difference is slight. The Mellow D has a slightly wider bore (the inside diameter of the whistle).
    This gives the Mellow D a tone that's well suited for airs.

    It is played very easily in the entire two octave range, and has a pleasant, bright tone.

    You might also like