Irish folk musical instruments - Wind of Water - folk-rock band, live music of pagan Rus' and medieval Europe. Whistle - the basis of Irish folk music Flute whistle
Rarely what Irish music does without a whistle. Funny jigs, fast polkas, slow soulful airs - everywhere you can hear the voices of these authentic instruments. Whistle is longitudinal flute with a whistle and six holes. It is usually made of metal, but you can often find options made of wood or plastic.
They are very cheap, and learning the basics of playing is much easier than on a recorder. Perhaps this is what brought the instrument such popularity among folk musicians around the world. Or maybe the reason was a bright, slightly hoarse sound that evokes thoughts of the green hills of Ireland and the drunken medieval fairs.
Whistle history
Different versions of wind instruments can be found in any country in the world. The territory of modern Great Britain was no exception. Mentions of the first whistles date back to the 11th-12th centuries. Pipes are easy to make from improvised materials, so they were especially valued among the common people.
By the 19th century, a certain standard had formed - a longitudinal shape and 6 holes for the game. At the same time, Robert Clark lived - an Englishman who made the greatest contribution to the development of this instrument. Good flutes were carved from wood or bone - a rather laborious process. Robert came up with the idea to make metal whistle, namely from tinplate.
So appeared modern tin whistle(translated from English tin - tin). Clark collected pipes right on the streets and then sold them at a very affordable price. Cheapness and colorful hoarse sound captivated people. The Irish loved them the most. The tin flute quickly took root in the country and became one of the most recognizable folk instruments.
Varieties of whistles
Today there are 2 types of whistles. The first is the classic tinwhistle, invented by Robert Clark. Second - lowwhistle appeared only in the 1970s. It is about 2 times larger than its smaller brother and sounds an octave lower. The sound is deeper and softer. It has not received much distribution, and is most often used to accompany tin whistle.
Due to their primitive construction, these flutes can only be played in one tuning. Manufacturers produce different versions of whistles for playing in different keys. The most common is D of the second octave (D). It is this tone that has the vast majority of compositions of Irish folk music. The first instrument of every whistler must be in D.
Whistle basics - how to learn how to play?
If you are familiar with the recorder, understanding the essence of tinwistle is a matter of ten minutes. If not, no big deal. This is a very easy to use tool. A little diligence - and in a couple of days you will confidently play simple folk songs.
First you need to correctly take the flute. You need 6 fingers to play index, middle and nameless on each hand. Your thumbs will hold the instrument. left hand place closer to the whistle, and the right one - to the end of the pipe.
Now try to close all the holes. No force is needed - just place the pad of your finger over the hole. When everything is ready, you can start playing. Gently blow the whistle. Too much air flow will cause "overblowing" - a very high screeching note. If you tightly close all the holes and blow with normal force, you will get a confident sounding note. D of the second octave (D).
Now release the ring finger of your right hand (it closes the hole farthest from you). The pitch will change and you will hear a note Mi (e). If, for example, let go of all fingers, it will turn out C sharp (C#).
A list of all notes is shown in the picture.
As you can see, whistlers have only 2 octaves at their disposal. Not very much, but enough to play most songs. Schematic image holes that need to be closed is called fingering. On the net you can find entire collections of melodies in this version. To learn how to play, you can not even know musical notation. The perfect instrument for beginner musicians!
You may have noticed the plus sign in the fingerings. It means to blow stronger than usual. That is, to play a note an octave higher, you need to clamp the same holes and simply increase the air flow. The exception is the note Re. In her case, it is better to let go of the first hole - the sound will turn out cleaner.
Another important part of the game is articulation. To make the melody bright and not smeared, the notes need to be highlighted. Try to make a movement with your tongue during the game, as if you want to say the syllable "tu". Thus, you highlight the note, focus on changing the pitch.
When you can fingertip and thump at the same time, start learning your first melody. To begin with, choose something slower, preferably within one octave. And after a few days of training, you will be able to play something like the soundtrack to the movie "Braveheart" or the famous Breton song "Ev Chistr ‘ta Laou!".
Tin whistle FAQ
I want to buy whistle. Which one should I get to start?
Take one of the inexpensive models (which ones you can read below) in the key of soprano (D).
The tonality of D means that with all holes closed, the whistle produces the note D as its lowest note, and the first seven notes of the tail whistle form the D major scale. This is one of the most common keys in Irish music, and if you are not planning to play in a band in the near future, this one key will last you a very long time. Recordings of tutorials and video lessons are also almost always recorded on re-shny whistles.
Soprano range - these are small pipes about 30 cm long, look for just such. There are also healthy pipes in the key of tenor D, this is a low whistle, and if you have no experience playing wind instruments, I do not advise buying it as a first instrument, although in principle you can start playing them too, it's just more difficult.
As far as makes and models go, you'll definitely like the Tony Dixon Traditional, Carey Parks (Ghost and Every models) or Susato (I especially recommend the Kildare V series Susato). If you have absolutely no money, you can take Clarke Sweetone (don't confuse with Clare), this is the best whistle you can get for such little money. Of the cheap ones, there are whistles from the Generation, Feadog, Walton, Clare, Oak brands, but you probably won’t like them (of course, you can run into a good whistle from these brands, but there is an opinion that it’s easier to win in the sports lotto). If you are unfamiliar with wind instrument making techniques and are holding a flute for the first time, correct the characteristics of a poor-quality whistle in better side("tweak") you most likely will not be able to.
I want to buy whistle / low whistle. Where can you buy?
If possible, take it offline, so you can evaluate the quality of the tool before buying. If you live in Moscow or St. Petersburg - there is a small chance to find high whistles in ordinary music stores. The main office of the online store ta-musica.ru is located in Moscow, which sells various ethnic instruments, including whistles and low whistles, in Novosibirsk there is a similar online store dpshop.ru by Danila Panfilov. If these two stores do not have what you need, I advise you to purchase whistles directly from official sites or directly from the masters, avoid various intermediaries such as aliexpress and amazons. Here you will find many links to the websites of foreign manufacturers: http://whistle.jeffleff.com/makers.html . Russia also has its own masters. Alexander Karavaev makes good customizable metal whistles and low whistles https://vk.com/whistles_workshop, Anton Platonov, among other things, makes good plastic, plastic-metal low whistles, wooden high whistles https://vk.com/antplatru.
How to choose whistle? What to look for when choosing?
Read the Whistle Selection section
I want to buy a whistle, but I'm not sure of my abilities. Is it difficult to learn? Is it necessary to have a musical education? Where do you learn to play the whistle?
By itself, the whistle is a very simple instrument, and anyone, even a child, can master it at a basic level. Therefore, whistle is easy to play, famous tunes everyone can. However, do not forget that most often the whistle is used to play Irish folk music, and this is a very deep and complex genre with many of its unique features, in which the possibilities and potential of the whistle are revealed to the fullest. From this follows the answer to your next question - in ordinary Russian music schools you can hardly meet a teacher who is well versed in the nuances of Irish folk music, you should not think that traditional whistle playing is no different from, for example, classical recorder playing. Specifically, the traditional whistle playing, at a serious level, is taught by very few enthusiastic musicians, conducting classes individually, often via Skype. However, do not lose heart - Irish music has been composed and played for centuries by people who do not have any music education, and the tradition of its study is almost entirely based on the perception of music by ear and attempts to repeat what they heard. Anything you need - good tool, Access to traditional music(in our digital age, you will not have problems with this), basic knowledge that can be obtained from self-study books and desire. Whistle is one of those instruments that you can successfully master on your own. The vast majority of whistlers have learned how to play on their own, and you will learn too.
How loud is the whistle?
Different models of whistles can vary greatly in volume. However, in general, the whistle is not a very loud instrument, so you probably won't have problems with your neighbors, especially if you refrain from playing at night. Pipers and saxophonists have a much harder time in this regard. If you still fear for the peace of the people around you, take a closer look at such models as Clarke Sweetone or Tony Dixon Trad, these are quite quiet instruments. Susato whistles, on the contrary, have a reputation for being loud (although there are nuances, for example, V-series whistles are quieter than the S-series). If you intend to perform on stage with a band, you will most likely need to use a microphone, otherwise you may not be heard over some instruments.
Is it possible to start immediately with a lowwhistle?
It is possible, but be careful. Don't take a huge low D right away, start with a low G. Be careful before ordering low whistles online - first find out the distance between the holes and figure out if it will suit you. Get ready for the fact that there will be problems with recording audio applications for textbooks - they are all recorded on re-shny instruments, so if you want to play along with them, you will have to change their key in audio editors.
Which hand closes the bottom three holes and which top three?
On whistles, it doesn't matter which hand you cover the bottom three holes with - left or right, but if you plan to switch to other wind instruments (Irish flute, transverse flute, recorder, bagpipe ...), keep in mind - these instruments are usually made for right-handers , for left-handers - only by special orders, so it is better to close the lower holes with your right hand, and the upper ones with your left.
Does the whistle require any special care?
If you suddenly took out a wooden whistle from somewhere, then yes, you need to wipe off the moisture after playing and soak the instrument with oil from time to time, just like in the case of other woodwinds - google for example how to care for a wooden recorder, all the same is true for wooden whistle. Some whistles (for example, Clarke Original) have a wooden block (fipple, fipple), the condition of which would also be better to monitor. With other materials (metal, plastic) no special, regular care is required, especially if you treat the instrument with care - do not leave it anywhere, wash your hands before playing, do not play after eating / smoking a cigarette. Whistles made of metal and plastic are usually simply washed from time to time with cool water. Try not to tempt fate by exposing the instrument to sudden changes in temperature. An interesting fact is that if you wet the whistle and the whistle body from the inside, the sound of the instrument will improve for a while. Don't overdo it, remember that water can soften the glue holding the fipple/whistle in place. Do not put plastic whistles in hot water, cheap plastic can change its shape. In general, keep a wooden instrument away from water and wipe the accumulated moisture dry after playing.
I bought a whistle in a non-standard key and I can't find any fingerings for it.
All whistles have the same fingering, whether you're holding a C-whistle, a D-whistle, or an E-low whistle, play it like you're holding a soprano re whistle. The only difficulty may arise when taking the note "natural C" for soprano-re-whistle and similar ones in other keys. These notes are famous for the fact that the fingerings for them can vary greatly from one whistle model to another.
What is the difference between high whistles and low whistles?
In size and as a result ranges - high whistles are soprano and mezzo-soprano, they are smaller, have a higher, louder sound, all lower ranges are low whistles, they are larger, have a lower, uterine sound. Lowwhistles are often used to play slower tunes such as airs. Due to the large distances between the playing holes, lowwhistles are held differently, the so-called piper grip - in which most of the holes are covered with the middle phalanges and not with the fingertips. As a rule, the low whistle has a higher air consumption and is generally more difficult to play.
When should you play C (natural C) and when should you play C# (C-sharp)?
In short, natural C is usually played in melodies written in the key of G major (one sharp with treble clef on the stave). More strictly, natural C is played in melodies in A Dorian, G Ionian, Mi Aeolian, or Re Mixolydian natural modes. Melodies in other natural modes are more likely to be in C-Aeolian, A-Mixolydian, Mid-Dorian, or R-Ionic and will be played in C sharp. If you want more details, read the "Basics" section of the main whistle article or any book on music theory. About natural modes in Irish traditional music is well described in Gray Larsen's book "A Basic Course in Irish Flute and Tinwistle".
How to check on the tuner that the whistle is tuned correctly?
If your tuner (device or special program) does not explicitly show notes, but only outputs frequencies, then you can use frequency tables, for example, from the Wikipedia article "Octave System"
The lower octave of the whistle soprano D corresponds to the second octave, the upper - to the third octave. In low-whistles, the range is shifted to the first or second octave. Don't worry about small deviations (15-20 cents), this is acceptable.
By the way, knowing the frequencies of the notes of one octave, you can easily calculate the frequencies of the same notes in other octaves - for this it is enough to know that the frequency values double when moving up an octave.
I checked with the tuner and noticed that my whistle is not building, what can I do?
If you have a whole whistle, only a tweak can help. If the whistle has a movable, detachable whistle, try moving it up and down. If you have a whistle with a plastic whistle that is attached and does not come off but is obviously separate from the body, you can try placing the whistle in warm water, soften the glue and move the whistle. Use this method at your own risk. Temperature can affect whistle tuning. environment, which again can be compensated by changing the position of the whistle.
Where can I find sheet music for whistle?
Notes for whistle are not fundamentally different from the notes of other wind instruments, the same recorder, however, there are special collections (whistlebooks, whistlebooks) of melodies (mostly Irish folk) for whistle, which may even contain fingering patterns for closing holes under each note for beginners. I advise you not to get used to these schemes and learn to read music. However, do not overdo it with this - the musical notation of folk music is not quite the same as the musical notation of classical works, folk performers perceive the musical notation of a melody not as the only true version of the melody, but as a certain basis, starting point, from which you can build on and change the work according to your preferences (this is how variations of folk melodies arise). In the musical notation of folk music, ornaments are rarely recorded, because. each musician plays them as he wants and where he wants (moreover, there are not even well-established musical notations for cuts, strikes, rolls and some other ornaments because of their specificity). If possible, learn to read abc notation, folk music is often recorded and stored in this format.
Use rewind.
What is overblow?
This is an increase in the force of the blown air jet to play the notes of the upper octave.
With a continuous increase in the strength of the blown jet, during the transition from the note of the lower octave to the note of the upper one, in the middle of the transition I hear an unpleasant overtone.
Many budget whistle models suffer from this. Try to play a note of the upper octave with an attack, skipping this unpleasant gap..
What is playing note with attack?
This is an articulation technique that allows you to play the beginning of a note more clearly. This is a slight movement of the tongue from which the process of blowing an air stream into the whistle begins, this movement is obtained, for example, by pronouncing the word “Tu” in a whisper.
A similar term in English language- "Tonging"
How to learn melodies?
Just like poetry - divide the melody into small fragments, memorize each separately and then combine them into one melody.
Tonight I started sewing covers for my whistles. Whistle is such a tool that contributes to the appearance at some point of the disease called whistlemania. I want to try all the tools that are possible to get. I did not escape this infection. So, I decided to sew covers. He took out all the whistles, laid them out. Then he began to play something on each. IN Once again came to me simple truth, - how different they are all in sound, character (in some cases even temper), energy. I decided for each of them to write, so to speak, a brief description.
Clarke Sweetone D
THE VERY FIRST. My first whistle. He is four years old, but despite the fact that I know exactly my preferences in this area, I still play it. Plastic whistle, tapered body rolled and welded from a strip of metal. The sound of the first octave is quite stable, even dense in places, despite the fact that the instrument walls are rather flimsy. Slightly shrill on overblowing (especially upper A and C).
A wonderful instrument, a classic of the genre - a conical body, a block of solid wood (I could not find out the breed). I love his sound. One of my most used tools. That would just sound a little louder! .. I upgraded it a little - I carefully took out the block, soaked it with linseed oil and installed it back, sealing it with sealant. After that, the air flow became a little less, and the soul does not hurt from the fact that the unit will quickly deteriorate from moisture and condensate.
An instrument made in David Shaw's workshop (England). It is similar in type to the Original, but this whistle narrows more sharply towards the end. In addition, its walls are thicker and harder, as a result of which the whistle has a sharper and louder sound. Capricious on the second octave, but this is just a matter of habit and therefore is not a particular problem. Very temperamental whistle. And the air flow is quite large. I usually play it outside.
The site chiffandfipple.com gives, in my opinion, an exhaustive description of Generation whistles: if you buy them, be careful, you will definitely fall into one of two extremes - either the best instrument imaginable, or naked trash. I seem to have come across some goofy rubbish. To somehow change the situation, there were three weeks of sex with elements of perversion. Playing holes were bored, whistles moved, blades were sharpened (or, conversely, dulled), plastic fringes inside the whistles were cut off ... As a result, the Bb, C and Eb instruments now sound more or less tolerable. People! Decide to purchase Generation - be extremely careful!
Adjustable whistle, classic Dixon plastic whistle and aluminum cylindrical body. Thick walls and overall massiveness give the instrument a very stable, dense sound that can be made very gentle with proper breathing.
An instrument now known among Irish musicians as , , or tinflute , has a long pedigree in historical chronicle folk music.
For the first time such pipes were known in China, about 5000 years ago. Their design came to Europe around the 11th century. The oldest surviving specimens are 12th-century bone whistles recently uncovered in High Street excavations in Dublin's old Norman quarter.
Various types of whistle flutes, which were the progenitors of the modern tinwhistle, are often mentioned in the stories and in the laws that governed ancient Irish society. There is a story that Aileen, leader of the magical tribe Tuatha de Danann, uses feedan to wake up the inhabitants of the High King's palace Tara so that he can carry out his "Revenge On November Eve", held annually (I can only guess what this event is).
Players on feedan
also mentioned in the story of the King of Ireland found in the Judicial Laws dating from the third century AD.
A 12th century poem mentions cuisleannach (performers) on cuisle or pipes) often present at fairs even in the pre-Christian period. However, the poet himself describes them rather disapprovingly. (maybe due to personal dislike, or still because of their game).
A more positive attitude towards cuisle spoken by a 12th century translator in Acallam na Senorach comparing this instrument with the timbre and sound of the girl's voice.
One of the most interesting references comes from a poem found in ancient city Teach Miodhchuarta. It contains descriptions of royal banquets at Tara; cuisleannach assigned to the same division as blacksmiths, armor makers, jugglers, shoemakers, fishermen (in short, common people, artisans), and are named their social compatriots.
Through the research of 19th century scholars, some understanding of what these various "musical pipes" were that flourished at that time was possible.
Both instrument names are feedan (also called feed dog ) And cuisle (cuiseach ), refer to "pipe, trumpet, artery, vein", which were made from arched stems of plants such as reeds and other herbs, (subsidiary meaning feedan - "hollow stick").
Manufacturer uilleann pipes (of Irish bagpipes) Patrick Ennelly of Chicago recalled that as a boy at Mayo, he often made musical instruments from the straw of mature oats, simply removing the core of the stalk, and then shaping the whistle and finger holes with a penknife.
Most likely, the basic principles of the device of such instruments were discovered quite early by many people. Later, when processing technology advanced, more durable materials such as wood and bone began to be used, as well as various whistle designs, reeds and reeds were invented to extract sound in instruments.
Stone carvings from the 9th to 11th centuries show these flutes as straight, or sometimes slightly curved at the base. They had a narrow conical channel that flared out at the base and were about 14 or 24 inches long.
Whistles currently being made in the key of Bb (B flat) (two steps below the "standard" key of D) are 14.3/4 inches long, this is an estimated but not perfectly accurate tuning of the then feed dog or cuisle .
Harmonic and possibly "overblowed", i.e. "over-inflated" notes were used, as with similar types of simple flutes throughout the world.
Longitudinal members of the flute family, found first in medieval Brittany and Ireland, were later also discovered in Somerset and Mounttootshire, England. Two pipes made of deer bone had five upper holes; one had two lower thumbholes, while the other had only one. One pipe had a range of one and a half octaves, the second - two and a half octaves. These instruments have been restored to working order and found to produce a diatonic scale (as do modern ). This indicates that in those days it was possible to play simple melodies on such instruments.
Modern belongs to a variety of musical instruments called (in the Western tradition) flageolets - harmonics, a famous example of which is the recorder. To distinguish these instruments by device from other flutes, the term “whistle flute” or “ fipple-flute". I would like to point out that now flageolet'om called a whistle flute, having four upper and two lower holes, one of which is an octave.
Fipple (whistle, fipple) - a device formed by a small block, usually of wood, closing the flute channel from the upper end and forming an air channel through which air enters the whistle blade; in some cases this wooden block is not made separately, but is an integral part of the whistle.
Fipples in medieval bone flutes were made of clay. A narrow space was created in the form of a gap between the fipple and the inner wall of the instrument.
The airflow generated by the performer is directed by this system to the sharp edge of the pipe just behind the fipple, thus producing sound. This type of longitudinal flute became known in Europe in the 11th century and, according to musicologists, exists today in various forms worldwide.
Early 19th century English finally took shape as an instrument with six playing holes. Some still had a traditional thumb hole, but the blowing technique made it possible to successfully do without it.
History of Robert Clark
Robert Clark lived and worked on a farm in the small village of Coney Weston, in England, as a simple laborer. He was talented musician, and at every opportunity played well on a wooden whistle. Maybe because of this, or maybe for another reason, but in 1843 the owner of the farm accused him of dishonesty, and fired the poor fellow.
Robert had to look for a way to earn his own bread, and even support his family.
Then he became interested in the possibility of making a metal whistle, similar to the wooden one he had. Why metal? And ask modern wooden whistle makers why they are so expensive? :) Robert learned about the existence of a new material - "tinplate", that is, tinplate. So called steel sheets coated with tin. Tin prevented the corrosion of steel, and generally improved the aesthetic properties of the material.
Clark went to a blacksmith he knew and asked if he could get plate, and how to make a pipe out of tin "... like this one, wooden"? Seeing no difficulty in this, the blacksmith helped (And when did the guys not help?), and Robert turned out to be a good tool. Moreover, so good that he decided to start a business for the manufacture !
His native village was not a place where one could open a real business. Therefore, Clark, having collected tools and other belongings, loaded it all into a cart, and, together with his son (by the way, also Robert) went to Lancashire, where, as he was told, "there is where to turn around."
So they went, pushing the cart in front of them from Coney Weston all the way to Manchester.
When along the way they met villages and towns where there was a market, Clark stopped there and made tin whistles to sell right there. In front of everyone, he made his pipes and immediately played them. They say that the buzzing market stopped and listened to our hero play his favorite tune " Danny Boy«.
Sometimes he met Irish laborers who built railways and canals, and he sold whistles to them - after all, Robert asked for a little, and almost everyone could buy this unpretentious musical instrument for themselves. So tin whistles came to Ireland, and soon became the most beloved Irish folk instrument.
Upon reaching Manchester, Robert Clark set up a factory and soon became a prosperous manufacturer. Later he built a new, real factory, two
at home, and even a church in the nearby village of New Moston. By that time he was already quite a rich man ...
Still The Clarke Tinwhistle Company produces whistles, and they are still available to almost everyone. Whistle is perhaps one of the most inexpensive and simple musical instruments. Clarke called his first whistles "Meg", the Victorian word for a half-penny coin - it was for this amount that you could buy an instrument from Robert.
The current model "Meg" is produced in memory of those days, and now it is the cheapest (but not the worst) whistle in the world.
You can buy yourself this, or even the original version - Clarke Original, and touch the history of Robert Clark - a man who made instruments for the people ...
A little about
The tool now called (literally: low whistle) is a very close relative of the usual whistle (I will not use the expression , which is sometimes used for a clearer semantic distinction between these instruments). Wide popularity among traditional musicians of our time makes us take a closer look at this relatively young instrument. A richer, more complex, deeper and more thoughtful sound allows you to make interesting arrangements of works not only in the traditional folk genre, but also in styles derived from it.
Origin consents no, there are three main versions of the origin of the "low whistle".
Low whistle as a 17th century instrument
The low whistle was first called the "vertical flute" because of its shape. It is a descendant of recorders developed during the 16th century. First had a conical channel and six playing holes borrowed from early transverse flutes. They were made of wood and were not customizable. At the end of the 17th century, when metalworking reached the desired level, low whistles began to be made from brass and nickel. To do this, as a rule, the metal was rolled into a tube and soldered, like a conical whistle Clark. Some of the instruments already had a customization slide. These whistles were used throughout the 18th century and have been found in Ireland, Great Britain, Canada and the United States. It is said that the reappearance of vertical metal flutes in Irish music occurred in the 1970s thanks to the musician Finbar Furey. It is also believed that it was he who introduced the term " «.
Low whistle as a 20th century instrument
The low whistle is a recent invention (probably no more than 30 years old); and, moreover, adopted into the Irish tradition even more recently. The use of low whistle in the show Riverdance contributed to the recognition and popularization of the instrument, however, few musicians found this novelty usable instead of the traditional flute or the usual . Generally speaking, most often used as a tool for "special effects" on several individual tunes. Although there are some performers who play exclusively on low whistles. It seems to many that a low whistle allows you to get a sound like a flute, while without the technical effort that a flute requires. This opinion is not entirely true, since the flute still sounds unique, and not always as easy to play as . It can be said with the assumption that - something between a whistle (in terms of ease of playing) and a flute (in terms of richness of sound). But this is purely my opinion, let's move on to the third, most common theory.
Low whistle as an invention of Bernard Overton
In the late sixties, one of the most famous musicians who set the tone for the English folk scene were the brothers Eddie and Finbar Fury. The main phenomenon was Finbar's composition called "The Lone Boatman". Finbar himself played in this group on the Indian bamboo flute in A-flat. In the end, this tool, due to physical wear and tear, cracked, and lasted its last days only thanks to adhesive tape and chewing gum. One night, Finbar accidentally sat on his unfortunate flute, finishing it off completely.
The need for a new instrument forced Finbar to order from an English master named Bernard Overton. At that time he was engaged in the manufacture of transverse flutes. Bernard took on the creation of a prototype in the key of G... When the instrument was ready, Finbar liked it so much that he asked Bernard to make another one for him, in the key of D (below exactly an octave). This was the birth of a dynasty Overton…
The popularity of Finbar Fury was high, and at concerts many people asked him where he got this new tool. So Bernard Overton began to receive his first orders, and soon he left all other work, fully engaged in the manufacture of low whistles. Currently low whistles Overton are made in more than 20 different keys, and special models are also produced (with additional playing holes and non-standard characteristics).
Many manufacturers have begun to make , to a greater or lesser extent copying the models Overton. However, few people have managed to get close to the sound of the "space drainpipe", as this brand of low whistles is sometimes called for its recognizable sound.
A few years ago, Bernard Overton decided to leave whistle making, a decision that could destroy the fragile market for artisan whistles. Bernard sold whistle rights Overton two people - Colin Goldie and Phil Hardy.
Colin Goldie is completely handmade and makes whistles exactly like Bernard Overton made them. His instruments are highly respected and sought after for their impeccable and consistent sound quality. Unfortunately, in 2008, Bernard passed away, and, since August 2009, at the request of Bernard Overton's family, Colin Goldie no longer names his whistles. Overton. Now he uses his own last name - Goldie while maintaining the highest quality and unique sound of the instruments. Phil Hardy took a more commercial path. Pretty quickly he developed new series whistle based design Overton, but factory, not hand-made. Now these whistles are produced under the brand name "Chieftain", and, thanks to mass production and a good price / quality ratio, steels are very common. Phil Hardy, however, produces more expensive low whistles entirely handmade under the brand name "KerryPro".
“Here’s PR again!”, You say, but there’s nothing you can do about it ... For many years, the terms “
" And " Overton
” were almost synonymous, and I don’t know of another story that could more adequately tell about the birth of this new instrument, one of the youngest instruments in the world. beautiful instrument- a beautiful story, that's the way it is with us ... :)
Article taken from tinwhistle.breqwas.net
Tin whistle (Whistle)
Tinwistle, whistle, Vistula, Pennywhistle(English) "Tin Whistle", "Penny Whistle") is a simple longitudinal folk flute, similar in structure to a flute and (in terms of a whistle device) to a recorder. Widely used in Irish traditional music and other related genres.
At a basic level, this is a fairly simple instrument, even simpler than a recorder. However, the traditional style of playing the whistle involves the study of a rather complex system of finger ornamentation (decorations). In addition, the tradition of performing most Irish (and not only) folk melodies involves playing enough fast pace(slides, jigs, reels, polkas).
Basic Information
The whistle consists of a whistle and a body with six playing holes on the front side.
Common names various parts tool:
A good story about the whistle, basic things like placing hands and playing notes:
The whistle is classified as a diatonic instrument, which means that all of its notes are in perfect fifths or fourths. The first seven notes of the whistle played sequentially from the bottom note (all holes are closed) to the top (all holes are open) form a diatonic major scale, the tonic (the first degree (note) of the major scale) of which, obviously, coincides with the tone (system) of the whistle. Thus, for the whistle in the order D (D) we get the scale D-major, for the whistle in the order E-flat (Eb) - E-flat major, etc. See the full list below.
Diatonic scales for various common whistle keys:
(Hereinafter, for brevity, I call the diatonic scale diatonic)
| Whistle build | List of degrees forming the diatonic scale | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | |
| F# (F-sharp major), the same, as Gb (G flat major) |
F# (gb) | G# (ab) | A# (Bb) | B | C# (db) | D# (Eb) | F |
| F (F major) | F | G | A | Bb (A#) | C | D | E |
| E (E major) | E | F# (gb) | G# (ab) | A | B | C# (db) | D# (Eb) |
| Eb (E-flat major), the same, as D# (D-sharp major) |
Eb (D#) | F | G | Ab (G#) | Bb (A#) | C | D |
| D (D major) | D | E | F# (gb) | G | A | B | C# (db) |
| C# (C-sharp major), the same, as Db (D flat major) |
DB (C#) | Eb (D#) | F | GB (F#) | Ab (G#) | Bb (A#) | C |
| C (C major) | C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
| B (B major) | B | C# (db) | D# (Eb) | E | F# (gb) | G# (ab) | A# (Bb) |
| Bb (B-flat major), the same, as A# (A-sharp major) |
Bb (A#) | C | D | Eb (D#) | F | G | A |
| A (A major) | A | B | C# (db) | D | E | F# (gb) | G# (ab) |
| Ab (A-flat major), the same, as G# (G sharp major) |
Ab (G#) | Bb (A#) | WITH | DB (C#) | Eb (D#) | F | G |
| G (G major) | G | A | B | C | D | E | F# (gb) |
| Fingering (scheme for closing holes) X - closed, O - open, whistle left |
XXXXXX | XXXXXO | XXXXOO | XXXOOO | XXOOOO | XOOOOO | OOOOOO |
With forked fingerings or semi-covered holes, you can achieve a chromatic scale, but if you are going to play exclusively traditional music, this will rarely be necessary (with the exception of raising the 4th or 6th step for playing additional keys, read about this below).
The main fingering of the whistle (on the example of a whistle in D tuning):
The full fingering of the whistle, including semitones and notes of the third octave, using the example of a whistle in D tuning (click to enlarge):
The range of a good whistle is two octaves, plus an optional number of notes in the third octave. The transition to an octave higher is made by blowing - increasing the strength of the blown jet, while the fingering does not change.
As is often the case with wind instruments, whistle fingering does not depend on tuning, therefore, having learned, for example, to play the high whistle in D, you automatically master the entire range of keys, including low whistles (if you do not take into account the differences regarding air flow, pressure and methods retention). Thus, for example, picking up a whistle in G and playing a piece on it the same way as on a whistle in D, you will get the same piece, only transposed. This partly explains the fact that most whistlers are more willing to use separate instruments in other keys when necessary, rather than show off with alternative fingerings on one. The exception is perhaps the "additional" diatonic, which can be easily obtained on any whistle by raising one of the steps by half a step - for a re-whistle, this is primarily G-major (we increase B by half-tone - extracting C) and, less often, A-major (we increase the salt by half a tone - extracting the salt-sharp).
Below are the most common "additional" diatonic for different keys of whistles, each whistle has two of them (the rest are rarely used, because to extract them you need to increase more than one step, which is unprofitable to keep in mind, and it is easier to take a separate instrument).
The first of the listed "additional" diatonic in any tuning is performed by raising the 6th degree (or lowering the 7th degree, if you like this point of view), which is achieved by half-covering the 1st hole (we agree that the numbering of the holes begins with a whistle), or fork fingering - closing the 2nd and 3rd holes. This is the most common "additional" diatonic.
The second of the listed "additional" diatonic in any tuning is performed by raising the 4th degree (lowering the 5th), which is usually achieved by closing the 1st and 2nd holes and half-covering the 3rd. This diatonic is more complicated and is used much less frequently.
"Additional" diatonic scales for various common whistle keys:
| Whistle build | 6th grade upgrade (performed instead of the 7th step of the lower octave, gamma starts from the 4th degree of the lower octave) |
4th step upgrade (performed instead of the 4th step of the upper octave, gamma starts from the 5th degree of the lower octave) |
|---|---|---|
| F# / Gb | B major (extracting E) | C-sharp major (extracting C) |
| F | A-sharp major (extracting D#) | C major (extracting B) |
| E | in A major (extracting D) | B major (extracting A#) |
| Eb / D# | G sharp major (extracting C#) | A-sharp major (extracting A) |
| D | G major (extracting C) | A major (extracting G#) |
| C# / Db | F sharp major (extracting B) | G-sharp major (extracting G) |
| C | F major (extracting A#) | G Major (extracting F#) |
| B | E major (extracting A) | F-sharp major (extracting F) |
| Bb / A# | D-sharp major (extracting G#) | F major (extracting E) |
| A | D major (extracting G) | E Major (extracting D#) |
| Ab/G# | C-sharp major (extracting F#) | D-sharp major (extracting D) |
| G | C major (extracting F) | D major (extracting C#) |
| Fingering (various options) X - closed, # - half closed, O - open, whistle left |
#OOOOO OXXOOO OXXXOO OXOXXX OXXOXX OXXOOX |
XX#OOO XXXXXXX XXOXXO |
The ratio of additional keys to the main key of the whistle can be quickly obtained using the circle of fifths and a simple rule: if we take the direction of movement along the circle of fifths clockwise, and consider one of the major keys on the outer circle as the main key of the whistle, then the previous major key on the outer circle will indicate the first additional key (raising the 6th step), and the next - the second additional key (raising the 4th step). For example, for a whistle in D: the previous major key on the circle is G, the next one is A, for a whistle in C# (Db): the previous F#(Gb), the next G#(Ab), etc.
It is obvious that the whistle can also be played in minor keys corresponding to major ones, they can again be easily determined by the circle of fifths (the keys of the outer circle are major, the keys of the inner circle corresponding to them are minor). For example, for D major the parallel key is B minor, for E flat major it is C minor, and so on. But here, of course, one must also take into account the limitation on available octaves - for example, it is more difficult to play B-minor than E-minor on a re-whistle in this regard. the scale of B minor begins, suddenly, from the 6th step of the lower octave, i.e. you can't really play in two octaves, while the E minor starts only from the second step of the lower octave.
Thus, if we put everything together, we get, for example, that the whistle in D can be easily played in the keys: D major, E minor and G major, and with an effort also in F sharp minor, A major and in B minor. Do you think that's all? Ha, no matter how. We have considered only major and minor. Pentatonic scales can also be played on the whistle, which further expands the formal list of keys. But it is much more important here to remember the natural modes.
Traditional music is much more often described not in terms of major and minor keys, but in terms of natural modes(because traditional music is not limited to major and minor). Most often, seven octave diatonic scales are called natural modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. One natural mode is distinguished from another by a unique sequence of five tones and two semitones. For example, the Ionian mode is a major (tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone), Aeolian - natural minor(tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone). Full list:
- T-T-P-T-T-T-P - Ionian (major)
- T-P-T-T-T-P-T - Dorian
- P-T-T-T-P-T-T - Phrygian
- T-T-T-P-T-T-P - Lydian
- T-T-P-T-T-P-T - Mixolydian
- T-P-T-T-P-T-T - Aeolian (natural minor)
- P-T-T-P-T-T-T - Locrian
Describing the nature of the Irish melody, they use the concept of the so-called. "tonal center", the main note of the melody. Usually this is such a "pedal" note, i.e. the note which ends the whole melody or part of it, which you want to pathetically pull at the end. Full name the mode of a melody consists of the name of the tonal center of the melody and the scale used, while considering the tonal center as the tonic (first note) of the scale. Take for example the tune "Cooley's reel". For one of the variants of this reel, two sharps are indicated in the musical notation of this tune with a treble clef, it would seem, here it is, D major. But what if we want to describe a given tune in terms of a natural scale? The tonal center is the note mi, usually both parts of this reel end with this note. Two sharps define the main set of notes from which we can compose a diatonic scale (we will specially write the scale starting from the tonal center): E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D. Tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone- tone. This is the Dorian mode. Thus, it can be said that this variant of Cooley's reel under consideration is played in the E-Dorian natural mode. In practice, of course, everything is a little more complicated. In addition to the fact that the tonal center can wander during melody variations or transposition (which simply changes the name of the mode), there are tunes that simply go beyond the diatonic scale, the most banal example is the use of both C and C# in the same melody. Such tunes can no longer be strictly attributed to one or another natural mode. Also, a tune can easily have several tonal centers, then they talk about different natural modes in relation to parts of the melody. Whatever it was, having an idea about natural modes and tonal centers is useful, for example, if you play accompaniment.
In Irish traditional music, the most commonly used are: B-Aeolian (minor), A-Mixolydian, E-Dorian, D-Ionian (major), A-Dorian, G-Ionian (major), E-Aeolian (minor) and D- mixolydian modes. The first four are played in C#, the rest in C. Several pentatonic scales are also used. All such melodies can be played on the whistle in D without any problems. You can read more about this in Gray Larsen's book The Irish Flute and Tin Whistle Basic Course.
Varieties and ranges
The most common and canonical whistle system: soprano D (D). It is on him that a beginner should pay attention, it is he who should be bought as the first tool. This tuning is accepted by many as a standard, and almost always people play D whistles at sessions. As mentioned above, the whistle in this tuning can easily be played in the keys of D major and G major, which is sufficient for the vast majority of Irish melodies and for a significant part of the music of Scotland, Wales and England. Such a prevalence of these keys is usually explained by the fact that these keys are the easiest to play on the violin, and since the violinist was almost an obligatory member in Irish bands, the music was formed accordingly.
The tuning (tonality) of a whistle is determined by the lowest note that can be played on it (closing all holes).
By closing all the holes of the whistle and additionally half closing the outlet in the lower part of the body of the whistle with the little finger of the lower hand or knee, you can extract the so-called leading tone (“leading tone”), i.e. a note half a tone lower than the main tone of the whistle.
Conditional division of whistles by bands:
Material and features
Metal whistles (made of aluminum, nickel, brass, tin) are considered the canonical option, plastic is the budget option, the most common and compromise is a plastic whistle and a metal body. Whistles with a plastic whistle are especially suitable for playing in cold rooms, as for obvious reasons they produce less condensate than metal whistles. Expensive artisan whistles are also made of wood.
Whistles are configurable and non-configurable. For tuned whistles, the whistle is movable relative to the body, which can be used for tuning (however, don't count on it too much, usually you can move a maximum of half a step with tuning). An additional plus of a customizable whistle is the ability to remove the whistle, which will facilitate cleaning.
There are also whistles with adjustable volume (for example, the Every model by Carey Parks), which is achieved by the ability to change the size of the whistle window (the narrower the window, the weaker and, as a rule, worse sound, you can experiment with tape).
There are whistles with a conical channel. Its main purpose is the stability of the system in both octaves. However, one should not think that any whistle with a cylindrical channel loses stability, a high-quality whistle with a cylindrical channel is no worse than a whistle with a conical one. In general, whistles with a conical channel are much less common, I think this can be explained by the fact that a whistle with a cylindrical channel is easier to manufacture (one of the common methods is to take a long metal / plastic tube and cut it into several parts, getting blanks for the bodies of future whistles) .
As is often the case with folk instruments, for whistles, in principle, there are no well-established conventions about their sound and playing characteristics. It would not be a big exaggeration to say that each company produces a unique whistle model: some whistles are quiet, others, on the contrary, are loud; some are hissing (as they say, with a "chief"), others have a clear or even sharp sound; Some tools have high pressure and air flow, while others are low. In general, no one is particularly surprised by this. This huge variety (as well as a relatively low price) very often leads to a funny effect - any avid whistler eventually turns into a real collector, ordering more and more whistles from manufacturers that he does not yet have. Everyone gets sick in one form or another.
Buying a whistle
Read also the Whistle selection section
Instructions for buying a whistle, which I brazenly pulled from one group in VK - http://paste.org.ru/?je3yhj
http://dpshop.ru - D. Panfilov's Novosibirsk online store selling ethnic instruments, including whistles. In good years, even Hilch whistles could be found here, but recently the assortment has decreased, but cheap whistles like Clarks and Fidogs are brought there regularly. Mail delivery.
http://ta-musica.ru - Moscow online store of ethnic instruments, whistles available. Susato and Tony Dixon whistles, whistles from Karavaev's workshop, are often sold here. Delivery by mail or courier service.
https://shamanic.ru/ - St. Petersburg store of ethnic instruments, Clark's whistles, fidogi, from Karavaev's workshop.
http://whistle.jeffleff.com/makers.html - Collection of links to official websites of various companies and whistle masters, some links are outdated, but it's better than nothing.
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/inexp.html - Cheap whistle selection, comparative description(English)
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/tutorial.html - Tutorial on varieties, differences (English)
Models and manufacturers
When it comes to price and quality, whistles are often divided into categories of inexpensive (“Inexpensive”) and expensive, artisan handmade (“High-end”, “expensive”, “high quality whistles”). It is interesting that even professional performers often prefer cheap whistles, finishing them up to the desired state for themselves (the so-called “whistle tweak”). Keep in mind that some professional whistles are difficult for a beginner (they may have more air pressure and air flow, based on professional whistlers). In general, the whistle (along with the recorder) is one of the cheapest wind instruments, you can easily find a good instrument entry level for 1-3 thousand rubles, and even the price of artisan high-quality high whistles made of metal / plastic rarely exceeds 10-15 thousand rubles. Metal/plastic low-whistles are more expensive, but typically don't go over $400-500. Wooden whistles can cost as much as you like, the price to a certain extent depends on the type of wood.
Budget whistles
generation- very common, cheap high whistles with a plastic whistle and a body made of nickel or brass (your choice), which are stamped somehow. You can often hear the phrase - "if you bought a Generation, then you bought either an amazing instrument or junk, as you're lucky." Unfortunately, the percentage of junk is usually higher, so if possible, buy offline when you can immediately check the sound. However, people often take Generations precisely in order to tweak it with their own hands and get a completely tolerable tool. There are even people who purposefully buy Generations and similar whistles, tweak them and resell them, one of the most famous such masters is Jerry Freeman (his tweaked whistles are very respected among professional whistlers). Another detail that affects the popularity of Generations is a good choice different keys (G, F, Eb, D, C, Bb) for little money. Generations (usually tweaked) are very common with old school traditional musicians. Despite this, I want to emphasize once again that good tools among generations are very rare, but if you are lucky enough to find a good copy, take care of it.
Feadog, Walton, Clare, Oak- cheap high whistles, similar to Generation. Reviews about them are usually bad, but they are sometimes taken for the purpose of tweaking.
Clarke- authentic whistles with a conical (tapering towards the end) metal body. Several different models are produced with different sound characteristics. Keys - only soprano C and D. The most popular models are Sweetone (very simple and easy in terms of playing, with a fairly accurate system, often recommended for beginners) and Original (with high air consumption and a recognizable hissing timbre, the so-called “chief”, for which he is so loved). Among these whistles, there may be not very high quality ones (especially for the “Meg” model), but less often than among Generation. From time to time there are reports that the plastic whistles of Sweetone whistles and similar crack and burst, I think this is due to the special shape of the whistle body, in cross section the body of Sweetone whistles is not quite round, but rather oval or even teardrop-shaped, and being put on a round whistle stretches it, which can lead to cracks. Personally, my Sweetone did not escape this sad fate, although it may be my own fault, because I dropped it well a couple of times, in any case I was lucky - it cracked so well that it did not affect the position and integrity of the whistle in any way, the sound did not change.
Shaw- the shape is very similar to the Clarke Original whistle, but (as far as I heard) it is louder, has even more airflow than the Original, and has a characteristic hoarse, rough timbre.
Whistles are more expensive, professional and semi-professional
Tony Dixon- quite popular whistles, most often have a plastic whistle and a plastic / metal cylindrical body. There are quite a few models that differ in whistle shapes, material, the ability to adjust and tonalities. Dixon sells both high whistles and low whistles. In general, the opinion of most people agrees that these are pretty good instruments, not without flaws of course, but pretty good in terms of price and quality.
I have played two models: "DX006D" made of aluminum (not the most pleasant whistle), and brass "Trad D" (which I liked much more than the first one). The downside of the DX006D whistle is its outrageously uneven timbre, trad has much better with this, which, by the way, is quite paradoxical, given the difference in price. The Whistle Trad is not adjustable (although the plastic whistle seems to be held on with glue and can be removed in principle), it has a quiet sound with a small chip, low pressure and air consumption and is generally a good tool for a beginner.
Note that some Dixon models come with two interchangeable whistles, one of which turns the instrument into a simple transverse. Take it as a bonus, you shouldn't purposefully buy these models because of the transverse whistle. the sound quality with it is worse than normal transverse flutes, better buy a full transverse (or fife) if you need it.
Susato- extremely high quality and popular plastic whistles. They have a clear, rather loud, ringing sound. Susato produce several lines with different models, both with a detachable whistle and one-piece. Susato produce both low whistles and high whistles, the number of available keys is one of the highest in this price category. It is interesting that within a separate range (soprano, alto) whistles from the same line of models are standardized in size in such a way that a removable whistle can be attached to various bodies. Thus, it is possible to order several whistle bodies in different keys from the same range and one whistle, which, if necessary, is installed on the desired body, which saves money and space in the bag. Susato whistles are almost the only whistles that can be purchased with special hole wrenches that make it easier to play low whistles with large hole spacings. Although, on the other hand, getting used to these conveniences, it may be more difficult for you to switch to models from other manufacturers in the future, and you may also have problems playing some ornaments, so a low whistle with keys can be recommended to people with small hands who find it difficult to play on low whistles, but I really want to.
Killarney- metal whistles from Ireland, currently available in nickel and brass. These are high-quality and pleasant instruments with excellent tuning, comfortable pressure and a pleasant, even timbre. With a chief. The whistles are customizable, the whistle can be removed. Somewhere I think I saw information that the diameter of the game tube of this whistle is the same as budget whistles like Generation or Clare, which allows you to use their game tubes with a whistle from Killarney (at least I can personally confirm this for the Clare whistle ), this is supposedly even done on purpose. The design of these whistles resembles the whistles of the master J. Sindt (especially the brass version). Currently released in soprano keys in C (C), D (D) and E-flat (Eb).
hilch(master Gal Hilch)
Overton/Goldie(Master Colin Goldie)
