Tin whistle

What it is

A six-hole fipple flute of metal or plastic, central to Irish and Scottish traditional music. Also called penny whistle, Irish whistle; low whistles are longer and wider and sound an octave or more lower.⁷

Also called penny whistle.

Range

D5 to D7⁷587 Hz – 2.35 kHz

D whistle; low whistles go an octave or more lower

• Low whistle in D: a composers' range chart lists the low D whistle's lowest note as D4 and the D tin whistle's as D5; top not given⁸

The sound

Air through a fixed windway (the fipple) hits a sharp edge at the window; opening holes from the bottom shortens the tube; the upper octave is reached by blowing harder. Clarke-style rolled-metal whistles sound airier and less pure than cylindrical Generation-style whistles.⁷

Where the sound goes

Sources disagree on where the sound comes out. Jeff Kaufman, a contra-dance sound engineer, says for flutes, recorders and whistles the most consistent sound comes from the hole at the top by the player's mouth, with the rest only setting the standing-wave length. Paul Stamler says for woodwinds generally most of the sound comes from the first open hole (that is, not the mouthpiece or end), so a mic about a foot over the hands gets a rich sound with little breath noise. A forum poster says the sound comes out of the windway, so that is the part to hold close to the mic.^2,6,1

About the range

A D whistle plays D5 to D7, two octaves; low whistles go down by an octave or more.⁷

How loud

Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.

Only informal phone-meter readings: a Generation D whistle at 52-66 dB at 1 m, and G whistles at 68-76 dB on common notes at 2 ft (0.6 m), up to 92-104 dB on A5. The high octave is shrill; Chiff & Fipple posters use a compressor to level low and high notes and tame the top octave.^4,1

Recording it

A poster on Chiff & Fipple says small-diaphragm condensers are said to suit woodwinds slightly better than large ones, and names budget picks (AT2035, MXL 770 and 990, Rode NT1, a Shure SM58 if you want a dynamic). One player who tried an AKG C414 XLS, an SM57, an Audix VX-10, a Beyerdynamic M58 and a large ribbon (NoHype LRM-V) found the ribbon tamed the piercing frequencies politely, with the C414 close but "a tad too truthful"; he cautions against putting a ribbon in a direct air stream. The same thread advises trying 3 in to 2 ft, and aiming the window at, slightly off, or 90 degrees away from the mic. Search-result text from other Chiff & Fipple threads (pages not opened) gives 12-18 in out and above the window, side-address condensers, and an SM58 about two feet away. Bartlett: for woodwinds a flat condenser about 12 in from the tone holes; for a flute, halfway between mouthpiece and tone holes, 6-12 in. Stamler: a KM 84 or MK-012 about a foot above the hands. Use a foam windscreen to cut breath noise.^4,5,6,2

Mics i

1. Shure SM58 2 sourcesClose

On stage

A Shure SM58 about an inch (3 cm) from the window and at about 60-90 degrees to it works for a band member, who can share it with backing vocals; he adds a pre-amp and compressor. A clip-on flute mic (strap or clamp type) is suggested, since flute mics are made for the third octave. One player uses an AKG C3000B 8-12 in away (about 3 in for low notes) for whistle and bagpipes. Kaufman points a cardioid dynamic at the top hole with a foam windscreen. On The Session, players use an SM57 or SM58 with foam, or a Sennheiser e945; one shares an SM57 between whistle and voice, close for the low octave and backed off for the shrill high octave; a Shure SM86 is suggested as a stage condenser.^1,2,3

Problems to watch

Breath and wind noise (use windscreens or socks; keep a ribbon out of the air stream); level jumps between low and high notes; feedback with a close live mic.^4,1,2