Frequently Asked Questions - Page 2

What is Ornamentation?

- Ornamentation playable on a whistle includes Cuts, Rolls, Bends, Trills, Vibrato, and many others. It's what makes the music that you're playing unique, and gives it a style all its own. You can see some details about ornamentation in our Online Tutorial.

 

There are so many choices - metal vs. wood - brass vs. nickel, plastic vs. aluminum - how do I choose?

- Again, it really just boils down to personal preference. One advantage is that there is a wide variety available at a very low price. You can buy a number of excellent whistles without putting out a lot of money. Here are some very general statements about materials (these vary greatly from whistle to whistle, so please don't use this as a "written-in-stone" guideline):

• Brass - Softer tone

• Nickel - Brighter tone

• Wood - Softer (often Recorder-like) quality

• Aluminum - Many different makes available, so sound varies greatly. Generally a very good material for whistles.

• ABS Plastic - Nice round sound. Many traditional players have not accepted plastic yet, but there are some excellent plastic whistles out there. Susato is now making a very reasonable priced ABS Low D Whistle that plays extremely well. Plastic is probably about the most durable material to make a whistle out of, and holds up well - even in your back pocket!

• Tin with a plastic mouthpiece - Happy, round sound

• Tin with a wooden fipple - Breathy, flute-like quality

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