What brand, spider--what brand?

**Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:55 pm**

Spider (or anyone else), what´s your experience with playing in third octave? Is it dependant on whistle, or all play the same? I think I have above-average whistle - and I can play only D and E there - it isn´t too nice sound when played solo, but at least people can recognise it is D and E. But higher than that...it sounds like screaming.

**Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:07 pm**

Pyro wrote:Spider (or anyone else), what´s your experience with playing in third octave? Is it dependant on whistle, or all play the same? I think I have above-average whistle - and I can play only D and E there - it isn´t too nice sound when played solo, but at least people can recognise it is D and E. But higher than that...it sounds like screaming.

I also have that problem

**Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:21 pm**

Yeah - and in some songs (now Boys from the county hell or Repeal come across my mind) are as far as I hear started in 2nd octave - but truth is, that these notes played in 3rd are still D and E - and they don´t sound that bad when played along to CD/other band members.

**Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:49 pm**

Yeah Repeal is horrible (but it's still a fucking great tune Spider :wink:

)

**Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:13 pm**

Mick Molloy wrote:
Pyro wrote:Spider (or anyone else), what´s your experience with playing in third octave? Is it dependant on whistle, or all play the same? I think I have above-average whistle - and I can play only D and E there - it isn´t too nice sound when played solo, but at least people can recognise it is D and E. But higher than that...it sounds like screaming.

I also have that problem

Yeah I have never been able to get the third octave either, but fortunately most session tunes don't use it so that's fine by me.

**Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:11 am**

Pyro wrote:Spider (or anyone else), what´s your experience with playing in third octave? Is it dependant on whistle, or all play the same? I think I have above-average whistle - and I can play only D and E there - it isn´t too nice sound when played solo, but at least people can recognise it is D and E. But higher than that...it sounds like screaming.

I have an Overton and I haven't been able to get to the third octave yet, so I don't think it's the whistle.

**Sun Feb 25, 2007 2:33 pm**

In my opinion, unless your planning on jamming with Wolf Eyes or someone, the third octave is best kept for clearing seagulls away from fishing boats. Its way too shrill for anything other than really abrasive, earscraping, sonic torture. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

**Sun Feb 25, 2007 2:34 pm**

That last one was from me. spider

**Sun Feb 25, 2007 2:51 pm**

Thanks sir, I wholeheartedly agree :-)

I´m rather happy you (and Gunsofbrixton) have confirmed that as I wanted to get a good whistle and I was worried I chose a bad one.

But you played it in third octave with Pogues at times, didn´t you? I am not sure...maybe in Repeal of the licencing laws and I think several more - but yes, it´s always D or E, which are listenable (although hardly, especially when the whistle sounds alone).

Real fun is when I switch whistle head for piccolo head - I am not really good at playing piccolo head, but it´s a lot louder, so when I have to scare birds of tree, third octave comes in handy :-)

**Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:39 pm**

How much difference will a good whistle make? I picked up some old one that was lying around the house, and so far I've managed to get most of Repeal of the Licensing Laws down, and after spending a long time working it out properly, it sounds pretty decent. Would I be better off with a good whistle, I think the one I'm using now is some really cheapo thing.

**Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:47 pm**

Dropofpoison wrote:How much difference will a good whistle make? I picked up some old one that was lying around the house, and so far I've managed to get most of Repeal of the Licensing Laws down, and after spending a long time working it out properly, it sounds pretty decent. Would I be better off with a good whistle, I think the one I'm using now is some really cheapo thing.

I don't think it matters how much then thing costs as long as it sounds good to you.

**Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:44 pm**

Heather wrote:
Dropofpoison wrote:How much difference will a good whistle make? I picked up some old one that was lying around the house, and so far I've managed to get most of Repeal of the Licensing Laws down, and after spending a long time working it out properly, it sounds pretty decent. Would I be better off with a good whistle, I think the one I'm using now is some really cheapo thing.

I don't think it matters how much then thing costs as long as it sounds good to you.

It sounds fine, but rather metallic and gratey, and I was wondering how much having a better one would improve that, I'll stick with it for now, mabye get a better one if I have the money later.

**Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:12 am**

So the secret to reaching the 3rd octave notes is getting an Overton whistle? I had a Silkstone and didn't like how the high notes sounded at all. I play a Susato now and its great but the upper register still sounds too shrill. I have been trying to play Dingle Regatta the way it sounds on the recording but I can't stand the way it sounds up so high.... Mr. Stacey your whistle playing sounds so sweet but is it really a D whistle you are playing?
Great show in Boston last night!

**Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:09 pm**

Hm, even Spider said 3rd octave is pain. But when playing with other instruments, D and E sound mostly fine imho.

I have Dixon D whistle and I am quite happy about it.

It depends on how much you want to invest - if you can afford Overton, then go for it.

**Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:42 am**

Sorry for double post, but I think it can be justified here (it´s longer than a week).

Two weeks ago, Colin Goldie´s Overton arrived...and I´m deeply in love.

Honestly, Sweetone to Dixon was rather big change...but Dixon to Overton was huge difference. Let me tell you, the backpressure is the best invention since God decided to create women...Perfectly responsible - and it feels different. Whistles without backpressure are mostly pieces of metal, but with Overton I feel like it´s part of my being (or I´m a part of its being, not to be rude :-)

).

I can definitely suggest it - Colin is a wonderful man I think (and has very similar voice as George McFly from Back to the future - although you won´t find this too relevant I´m afraid :-)

), you can get a custom whistle, or choose one of these he has already.

And it´s cheap really, considering how good it is, I would buy it if it costed twice as much.

What brand, spider--what brand?

whistles and stuff

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