My first whistle was a Clarke Original. The wooden block in the mouthpiece felt comfortable for me, being a former clarinet player. I never noticed the amount of air required and always played it with ease. I never got the hang of the Waltons and Generation type whistles. After 8 weeks of teaching myself the basics of playing, I joined a local session. I consider the Clarke Original whistle to be beginner-friendly because of its quiet sound. I could participate in the session with confidence because nobody could hear me. LoL. Fast forward 7 years, I now play loud and proud with my Tony Dixon DX001. I rarely play my Clarke Original these days, but when I do, I use the one in the key of C for playing songs from movies, folk metal tunes, etc. I thank you for another great video with great content!
One thing I love about your channel is being able to read the comments of other Whistle Player’s. It is enjoyable for me to hear other ideas of players, where I live there is almost no chance to meet anyone who plays. I love this hobby as it gives me a Chance to ignore the crazy world for a little bit and try to produce something that’s joyful.
Some 35 years ago or so, a fellow who played bagpipes gave me a tin whistle, telling me it was the first step to learning to play the bagpipes. Today I saw am episode of "How It's Made", in which the original Clarke tin whistle was featured, so it piqued my interest. I searched on the Clarke tin whistle and found a video. I watched the video where you first compared the Clarke Original to the Sweet Tone. I got the impression you are quite adept at playing these instruments, and an expert musician. I also came across an updated comparison dated 19JAN23. I was delighted it was so current. However, in this video you make a few disparaging comments about the original. From watching the "How It's Made" program, It appears that the whistles are hand made. The little wooden block (the 'fipple') is cut and inserted in the final stage of manufacture, in which the whistles are hand tuned. They are not mass produced as you state from "a hunk of aluminum rolled around a wooden block". I believe it's fair to say that the 'design flaws' you mention are down to the company still making their original whistles available. The Sweet Tone is their answer to your (entirely fair) criticisms of the original design. I'd hazard to say the original was not exactly 'designed' as we know the word to mean today. It was a copy of his own wooden instrument, made of tin, but fashioned on the only device he had available to him to roll the tin plate, a tapered mandrel. The Clarke Original must be seen as a "period" or "authentic" instrument, essential to any "historically informed performance". Comparing it to a modern whistle is akin to comparing a shawm to a bassoon. (Okay, that's a bit hyperbolic.) Here is a link to the Clarke website"s 'Our History' page containing a brief description of the origin of the tin whistle: www.clarketinwhistle.com/our-history I like your channel and have subscribed. Perhaps I'll learn to play that old tin whistle the bagpipe player gave me. The only instrument I play (if you can call it that -- my cat's don't) is the blues harp. But maybe my mouth and lungs can learn to do something other than bend reeds and tongue block...
I did a quick google and found this facebook.com/DiscoveryUK/videos/815001492337052/ which, if we're watching the same thing, tells me we have a significantly different definition of "handmade." Though I'd argue that if the Clarke originals are indeed handmade, that's even worse considering the end result. I'd say that your shawm/bassoon comparison is bang on the money. To that end, I doubt you'd find a bassoon player who'd suggest that beginners start their journey on the shawm. Similar story here.
@@whistletutor Agreed. As for "handmade", .if you've seen "How It's Made", these are definitely handmade compared to the majority of products. Sure, they use tools, a press and the paint booth, but there are many tasks that are done by hand -- turning the mandril, deburring the seam, cutting and attaching the fipple, tuning etc. -- that I'd say they are essentially hand made. If one is looking for a beginner's instrument though, as you've pointed out, it's far better to start on something that won't discourage you, delivering a better return on investment as it were. I do laud them for making the original available though. It's far easier to play a Hohner "Blues harp" than a Marine Band. The Marine Band gets gummed up with spittle and "grundle", is much harder to bend reeds on and tongue block. But I still love a good one.
I’ve been playing on a similar unbranded historical reproduction that I bought at Fort McHenry almost ten years ago. It’s a very difficult instrument, and I see people who’ve played for a few months become more advanced than my on and off playing has gotten me in a decade. Yet I love the historical construction and sound. I have never heard of the Clarke original until today. I’m incredibly excited that there’s a better instrument available which produces the same tonal quality. I’ll probably pick up the sweetone while I’m at it, it sounds beautiful too.
I bought both. The sweet tone for learning and the original well, because of the legacy. It’s the original. I may play it one day but like a lot of things I love about Ireland (and England I suppose), there’s always a great story with a bit of a yarn mixed in.
I just got my first, it's actually kinda cool. It feels like quality to me (for the price) substantial and well crafted. I play recorders etc so wet wood iin the mouthpiece s not a problem, lol. I think the whistle looks cool, and mine feels good in my hand (the seam underneath doesn't bother me at all. ) I find I enjoy the breathy, mellow sound (it's refreshingly different than the others) and after playing a used plastic Buffet clarinet, the air requirements are seriously not an issue, lol. I'm ordering the Sweet Tone next, bssed on your recommendation, but I can't say I'm at all disappointed in my Clark Original. There is something for everyone in the tin whistle world. Plus, I rather like the taste and smell of the wood blocl, lol. It makes playing a different experience.😊 Thank you for your channel!
I love and watch all your videos, and your review was the same as so many others, but I really liked the sound of the original so I wanted to add one to my collection. With about 15-20 minutes of tweaking, not only is it now my favorite sounding whistle, but actually one of my most air efficient! "Blues Tin Whistle" channel has an excellent DIY tweaking video. Basically you just gotta hammer that airway closed a bit and use a screwdriver or pliers to straighten out the fipple a bit. It takes some TLC to get it just right, but once you do boy oh boy is it a great whistle!
I've only been playing a couple of months, and early on decided the Sweetone was my favorite. But I thought I needed to try the original, so I bought the Clarke "Playing for Ukraine" model (a portion of the proceeds go to support Ukraine--it has a beautiful blue and yellow paint job) and while it does take more breath, I find the sound a bit more mellow than the Sweetone. Clarkes are great for the beginner, and especially for kids, as the bores are slightly smaller, and so easier to cover, than my other cheapies. I also like my Feadog Pro and the Dixon DX004.
I know you're saying the sweetone is louder than the Clarke Original but, having never played the original I find the sweetone is considerably quieter than my other 2 D whistles (a generation I bought recently because it happened to be purple, and the feadog I've had for the better part of 20 years). I also find the intonation a lot better - compared to other whistles it's pretty consistently in concert pitch, which is pleasing to my ears coming from classical flute. I hope my neighbours are glad that it's the whistle I reach for the most 😝
It's hard to compare because they sound so different but I dont think there's a significant difference in the loudness of my Sweetone and Original. Furthermore, I actually find it easier to play the Original in tune cause I'm coming from low whistles and constantly overblowing the bottom notes of the Sweetone sharp (Original has more backpressure). Plus, my particular Sweetone has very sharp first octave E, around 15-20 cents sharp compared to the surrounding notes so I kinda hate playing it. That said, they're cheap whistles so every "specimen" is probably unique when it comes to the tuning. Either way, the Original just wastes a ton of air so I struggle with long phrases with it.
@Tremendouz yeah I think it's difficult to compare the tuning on cheap whistles if you've only played one of each make/model due to the variability. It's entirely possible i was just lucky with mine.
@@Tremendouz Also my Sweetone in D had the E of the first octave a little sharper but I intervened by partially closing the hole in the north part with transparent nail polish. I can't stand whistles and flutes that are out of tune and I always get angry when they're out of tune. The rule is to close the northern part of the hole a little if the note in the first octave tends to sharp or to close the southern part of the hole a little if the second octave tends to sharp, in practice it would be like moving the hole. I often intervene in the C natural of many whistles which is almost always too sharp but one shouldn't exaggerate because if you want a perfectly intoned C natural you risk worsening the sound and volume of that note.
Really. It's so easy to make a fine playing whistle out of the Clark original with just a few minutes time. squeeze the airway down at the blade. Straighten the blade if you like (a paint can opener works great) and scrape the blade a bit with a knife to sharpen edge. Place a small bit of candle wax on the fipple surface and other wood surfaces melt with a hair dryer. If you like you can make the mouth area curved with a stationary belt sander and even drill and pin the fipple. Takes less than 30 minutes and you'll have a whistle with that raspy wooden sound, louder and no problem with extra air requirements. The only neg is it's not tunable, but I love mine and it's less than 20$.
Or don't do any of that and buy a Sweetone which is cheaper, sounds better, plays better, and is tunable out of the box and use your 30 minutes to practice. Or yeah, bust out the paint can opener if you're feeling it I guess
At this point, as a pretty alright tin whistle player who started with the clarke's original, I'm continuing to play it both because I like it and out of spite. Everyone thinks this one is the least efficient? Well I'm playing it anyway! Hurrah.
Wholeheartedly agree, as a beginner you need an instrument that'll help, not hinder. And the "breath saving" can be a big factor. Shaw whistles have a very similar design to the Clarke Original. I got an alto G as a beginner. I could not play one full phrase without running out of fuel! This kinda thing can be very demotivating because as a beginner I wasn't sure if it's my lack of ability or the instrument. After getting a Susato G I know I won't go back to Shaw until a lot later when I've learned to budget with my breath 😄
I ordered a Clarke Sweetone and was sent an Original by the music store instead. I've only been playing a couple of weeks and already have a Feadog C and a Waltons D but did not have much trouble finding enough air, in fact it seemed to be coming naturally. Well, I tried playing that Clarke Original (before I realised the mistake) and tried to record Ratlin' Bog which was my practice piece at the time, and all of a sudden I was having phrasing and breathing anxiety. It made playing a lot harder for me, pretty well my first major hurdle. Strangely enough, "inefficient" was one of the words I used in the letter to the music store to describe the creased metal labium in that whistle. I haven't got my refund yet, and I still don't have a Sweetone. I think I do still want to try one but wonder if it's going to be significantly better than the Feadog or Waltons. Strangely, the main effect this had had is to get me interested in whistle design and manufacture. I've already made a replacement fipple for the Waltons D which makes it easier to play and a lot more mellow. I'm currently investigating sources for brass tubing and designing drilling jigs. Damn, I didn't need *another* hobby LOL. My thought on the Clarke Original is that it's a really cute historical design, it was tuned spot on for equal tuning as far as I could make out. It's just not the right place to start, which given the price point it makes the concept a bit weird.
Well, decided to purchase the NEW Sweetone D, which is now in a plastic body, so, the ridge on the back will be gone. I am a 68 yr old beginner and Celtic DNA runs through my veins, so, I thought I would give this instrument a shot. I picked up drum playing naturally, where I performed many years in pubs on weekends, I play along with my bodhran to many Irish Groups on UA-cam, so thought I would see if I had any ability for the Tin Whistle.
I think part of the appeal of the clark whistle is that is has remained mostly unchanged for so long it's got that classic appeal. It's literally like playing a piece of history and makes you think of all the great performers who have used this exact instrument in the past. It's also relatively inexpensive and It's a long tried and tested brand so you know your getting good quality for your money. However I would agree that this is a starting instrument not really a professional one and if you learnt to play the original and you like it definitely move on to a better whistle but its not a bad start.
Last weekend, I took part in a session for the first time in years with a Sweetone... I must say, I really appreciate the D Sweetone in this context. It has a fragile tone, but it is clean and in tune, and I actually do not understand why you would need to be any louder. It is about as loud as a fiddle. The conical bore and the tone of the Sweetone will never convince me 100%, but it is 'quite good' and there is no competition in it's price range. Generation whistles have the potential to sound better then a sweetone but 99% of them in the key of D are almost unusable cause of terrible side noises. It is not a small accomplishment to make such an instrument reliably for 9 bucks. It will remain my favourite session instrument. I can understand that for recording purposes, there are better instruments and also the timid volume is unfavorable for the use on stage- but for a session? I'd rather invest in a fine low D then in a craft high D Whistle when the Sweetone goes 95% of the distance and also does not overshadow the flute player. Concerning the tunability... let me put it this way: I have played a lot of music on Whistles on recorders in a lot of conditions. I have never tuned a recorder or a whistle. The tuning slide will slightly augment your potential to react to temperatures, but most places on the tuning slide are not usable eitherway cause the internal intonation is ruined. Also, many Whistles and almost all recorders are arranged in a way that the tuning slide is really a detuning slide because the correct place for the instrument to be in tune with itself is on one side of the slide and not in the middle. So the only thing you can do with the tuning slide is to lower your instrument when it's really hot and then also react to the internal tuning in a way you are not used to. It is an advantage, but a small one. In a professional setting, I would rather have 3 non tunable Whistles for normal, high and low temperatures then a tunable instrument.
Out of 16 whistles, I have three Sweetones (and three Dixons). I like the "friendly" Sweetones. Do they compare to my Sindt or what I expect from my in-transit LIR, no, but you tend to get what you pay for. (I have to admit that I only paid $60 for my Sindt, but that was way back in 1999). I totally agree about the original - very rudimentary - not recommended.
Do you happen to know if the Clarke “Celtic” is just a sweetone with a different paint job or if there is a difference in the actual whistle? The seem the same but the Celtic is slightly cheeper which I cannot account for if it’s the same whistle?
![The Lonesome Jig (Rolling Waves) Tin Whistle Lesson [Flute/Piano]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VOC7o_Tx-HI/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Lonesome Jig (Rolling Waves) Tin Whistle Lesson [Flute/Piano]](/img/tr.png)
My first whistle was a Clarke Original. The wooden block in the mouthpiece felt comfortable for me, being a former clarinet player. I never noticed the amount of air required and always played it with ease. I never got the hang of the Waltons and Generation type whistles. After 8 weeks of teaching myself the basics of playing, I joined a local session. I consider the Clarke Original whistle to be beginner-friendly because of its quiet sound. I could participate in the session with confidence because nobody could hear me. LoL. Fast forward 7 years, I now play loud and proud with my Tony Dixon DX001. I rarely play my Clarke Original these days, but when I do, I use the one in the key of C for playing songs from movies, folk metal tunes, etc.
I thank you for another great video with great content!
I actually like the smell/taste of the wooden black. Might sound silly but .... lol
@@cathytai Not silly at all! I agree!
One thing I love about your channel is being able to read the comments of other Whistle Player’s. It is enjoyable for me to hear other ideas of players, where I live there is almost no chance to meet anyone who plays.
I love this hobby as it gives me a Chance to ignore the crazy world for a little bit and try to produce something that’s joyful.
Some 35 years ago or so, a fellow who played bagpipes gave me a tin whistle, telling me it was the first step to learning to play the bagpipes. Today I saw am episode of "How It's Made", in which the original Clarke tin whistle was featured, so it piqued my interest. I searched on the Clarke tin whistle and found a video.
I watched the video where you first compared the Clarke Original to the Sweet Tone. I got the impression you are quite adept at playing these instruments, and an expert musician.
I also came across an updated comparison dated 19JAN23. I was delighted it was so current. However, in this video you make a few disparaging comments about the original.
From watching the "How It's Made" program, It appears that the whistles are hand made. The little wooden block (the 'fipple') is cut and inserted in the final stage of manufacture, in which the whistles are hand tuned. They are not mass produced as you state from "a hunk of aluminum rolled around a wooden block".
I believe it's fair to say that the 'design flaws' you mention are down to the company still making their original whistles available. The Sweet Tone is their answer to your (entirely fair) criticisms of the original design. I'd hazard to say the original was not exactly 'designed' as we know the word to mean today. It was a copy of his own wooden instrument, made of tin, but fashioned on the only device he had available to him to roll the tin plate, a tapered mandrel. The Clarke Original must be seen as a "period" or "authentic" instrument, essential to any "historically informed performance". Comparing it to a modern whistle is akin to comparing a shawm to a bassoon. (Okay, that's a bit hyperbolic.)
Here is a link to the Clarke website"s 'Our History' page containing a brief description of the origin of the tin whistle: www.clarketinwhistle.com/our-history
I like your channel and have subscribed. Perhaps I'll learn to play that old tin whistle the bagpipe player gave me. The only instrument I play (if you can call it that -- my cat's don't) is the blues harp. But maybe my mouth and lungs can learn to do something other than bend reeds and tongue block...
I did a quick google and found this facebook.com/DiscoveryUK/videos/815001492337052/ which, if we're watching the same thing, tells me we have a significantly different definition of "handmade." Though I'd argue that if the Clarke originals are indeed handmade, that's even worse considering the end result.
I'd say that your shawm/bassoon comparison is bang on the money. To that end, I doubt you'd find a bassoon player who'd suggest that beginners start their journey on the shawm. Similar story here.
@@whistletutor Agreed. As for "handmade", .if you've seen "How It's Made", these are definitely handmade compared to the majority of products. Sure, they use tools, a press and the paint booth, but there are many tasks that are done by hand -- turning the mandril, deburring the seam, cutting and attaching the fipple, tuning etc. -- that I'd say they are essentially hand made. If one is looking for a beginner's instrument though, as you've pointed out, it's far better to start on something that won't discourage you, delivering a better return on investment as it were. I do laud them for making the original available though. It's far easier to play a Hohner "Blues harp" than a Marine Band. The Marine Band gets gummed up with spittle and "grundle", is much harder to bend reeds on and tongue block. But I still love a good one.
I watched both links and found them very interesting. Thanks for posting . It’s fun to learn more history about these little music makers
I’ve been playing on a similar unbranded historical reproduction that I bought at Fort McHenry almost ten years ago. It’s a very difficult instrument, and I see people who’ve played for a few months become more advanced than my on and off playing has gotten me in a decade. Yet I love the historical construction and sound.
I have never heard of the Clarke original until today. I’m incredibly excited that there’s a better instrument available which produces the same tonal quality. I’ll probably pick up the sweetone while I’m at it, it sounds beautiful too.
Thanks again Sean nice comparison. 👍
You're right. Sweetone is better for it's breath saving. Tnx for making this video.
I bought both. The sweet tone for learning and the original well, because of the legacy. It’s the original. I may play it one day but like a lot of things I love about Ireland (and England I suppose), there’s always a great story with a bit of a yarn mixed in.
What about Wales!
@@pauldavies9360 haven’t been to Wales yet but on my bucket list. 👍
I just got my first, it's actually kinda cool. It feels like quality to me (for the price) substantial and well crafted. I play recorders etc so wet wood iin the mouthpiece s not a problem, lol. I think the whistle looks cool, and mine feels good in my hand (the seam underneath doesn't bother me at all. ) I find I enjoy the breathy, mellow sound (it's refreshingly different than the others) and after playing a used plastic Buffet clarinet, the air requirements are seriously not an issue, lol.
I'm ordering the Sweet Tone next, bssed on your recommendation, but I can't say I'm at all disappointed in my Clark Original. There is something for everyone in the tin whistle world. Plus, I rather like the taste and smell of the wood blocl, lol. It makes playing a different experience.😊
Thank you for your channel!
I love and watch all your videos, and your review was the same as so many others, but I really liked the sound of the original so I wanted to add one to my collection. With about 15-20 minutes of tweaking, not only is it now my favorite sounding whistle, but actually one of my most air efficient! "Blues Tin Whistle" channel has an excellent DIY tweaking video. Basically you just gotta hammer that airway closed a bit and use a screwdriver or pliers to straighten out the fipple a bit. It takes some TLC to get it just right, but once you do boy oh boy is it a great whistle!
I've only been playing a couple of months, and early on decided the Sweetone was my favorite. But I thought I needed to try the original, so I bought the Clarke "Playing for Ukraine" model (a portion of the proceeds go to support Ukraine--it has a beautiful blue and yellow paint job) and while it does take more breath, I find the sound a bit more mellow than the Sweetone. Clarkes are great for the beginner, and especially for kids, as the bores are slightly smaller, and so easier to cover, than my other cheapies. I also like my Feadog Pro and the Dixon DX004.
The more I watch this videos, the tempted I become to buying one 😂.
I know you're saying the sweetone is louder than the Clarke Original but, having never played the original I find the sweetone is considerably quieter than my other 2 D whistles (a generation I bought recently because it happened to be purple, and the feadog I've had for the better part of 20 years). I also find the intonation a lot better - compared to other whistles it's pretty consistently in concert pitch, which is pleasing to my ears coming from classical flute. I hope my neighbours are glad that it's the whistle I reach for the most 😝
It's hard to compare because they sound so different but I dont think there's a significant difference in the loudness of my Sweetone and Original. Furthermore, I actually find it easier to play the Original in tune cause I'm coming from low whistles and constantly overblowing the bottom notes of the Sweetone sharp (Original has more backpressure). Plus, my particular Sweetone has very sharp first octave E, around 15-20 cents sharp compared to the surrounding notes so I kinda hate playing it.
That said, they're cheap whistles so every "specimen" is probably unique when it comes to the tuning.
Either way, the Original just wastes a ton of air so I struggle with long phrases with it.
@Tremendouz yeah I think it's difficult to compare the tuning on cheap whistles if you've only played one of each make/model due to the variability. It's entirely possible i was just lucky with mine.
@@Tremendouz Also my Sweetone in D had the E of the first octave a little sharper but I intervened by partially closing the hole in the north part with transparent nail polish. I can't stand whistles and flutes that are out of tune and I always get angry when they're out of tune. The rule is to close the northern part of the hole a little if the note in the first octave tends to sharp or to close the southern part of the hole a little if the second octave tends to sharp, in practice it would be like moving the hole. I often intervene in the C natural of many whistles which is almost always too sharp but one shouldn't exaggerate because if you want a perfectly intoned C natural you risk worsening the sound and volume of that note.
Really. It's so easy to make a fine playing whistle out of the Clark original with just a few minutes time. squeeze the airway down at the blade. Straighten the blade if you like (a paint can opener works great) and scrape the blade a bit with a knife to sharpen edge. Place a small bit of candle wax on the fipple surface and other wood surfaces melt with a hair dryer. If you like you can make the mouth area curved with a stationary belt sander and even drill and pin the fipple. Takes less than 30 minutes and you'll have a whistle with that raspy wooden sound, louder and no problem with extra air requirements. The only neg is it's not tunable, but I love mine and it's less than 20$.
Or don't do any of that and buy a Sweetone which is cheaper, sounds better, plays better, and is tunable out of the box and use your 30 minutes to practice. Or yeah, bust out the paint can opener if you're feeling it I guess
At this point, as a pretty alright tin whistle player who started with the clarke's original, I'm continuing to play it both because I like it and out of spite. Everyone thinks this one is the least efficient? Well I'm playing it anyway! Hurrah.
Wholeheartedly agree, as a beginner you need an instrument that'll help, not hinder. And the "breath saving" can be a big factor.
Shaw whistles have a very similar design to the Clarke Original. I got an alto G as a beginner. I could not play one full phrase without running out of fuel! This kinda thing can be very demotivating because as a beginner I wasn't sure if it's my lack of ability or the instrument. After getting a Susato G I know I won't go back to Shaw until a lot later when I've learned to budget with my breath 😄
Ooo I bet the Susato G is lovely, I don't think I ever played one of theirs in that range - I have a Shaw Low D and it's brutal!
I ordered a Clarke Sweetone and was sent an Original by the music store instead. I've only been playing a couple of weeks and already have a Feadog C and a Waltons D but did not have much trouble finding enough air, in fact it seemed to be coming naturally. Well, I tried playing that Clarke Original (before I realised the mistake) and tried to record Ratlin' Bog which was my practice piece at the time, and all of a sudden I was having phrasing and breathing anxiety. It made playing a lot harder for me, pretty well my first major hurdle.
Strangely enough, "inefficient" was one of the words I used in the letter to the music store to describe the creased metal labium in that whistle. I haven't got my refund yet, and I still don't have a Sweetone. I think I do still want to try one but wonder if it's going to be significantly better than the Feadog or Waltons.
Strangely, the main effect this had had is to get me interested in whistle design and manufacture. I've already made a replacement fipple for the Waltons D which makes it easier to play and a lot more mellow. I'm currently investigating sources for brass tubing and designing drilling jigs. Damn, I didn't need *another* hobby LOL.
My thought on the Clarke Original is that it's a really cute historical design, it was tuned spot on for equal tuning as far as I could make out. It's just not the right place to start, which given the price point it makes the concept a bit weird.
Well, decided to purchase the NEW Sweetone D, which is now in a plastic body, so, the ridge on the back will be gone. I am a 68 yr old beginner and Celtic DNA runs through my veins, so, I thought I would give this instrument a shot. I picked up drum playing naturally, where I performed many years in pubs on weekends, I play along with my bodhran to many Irish Groups on UA-cam, so thought I would see if I had any ability for the Tin Whistle.
I think part of the appeal of the clark whistle is that is has remained mostly unchanged for so long it's got that classic appeal. It's literally like playing a piece of history and makes you think of all the great performers who have used this exact instrument in the past. It's also relatively inexpensive and It's a long tried and tested brand so you know your getting good quality for your money. However I would agree that this is a starting instrument not really a professional one and if you learnt to play the original and you like it definitely move on to a better whistle but its not a bad start.
I've only ever played the Clarke original, so now I am curious to try a different whistle and see if it really would be easier to play "breath-wise" 😅
Very, very helpful comparison, so the original for sure isn’t for me, good to know! I like the Sweetone and I am a beginner 😅
Last weekend, I took part in a session for the first time in years with a Sweetone... I must say, I really appreciate the D Sweetone in this context. It has a fragile tone, but it is clean and in tune, and I actually do not understand why you would need to be any louder. It is about as loud as a fiddle. The conical bore and the tone of the Sweetone will never convince me 100%, but it is 'quite good' and there is no competition in it's price range. Generation whistles have the potential to sound better then a sweetone but 99% of them in the key of D are almost unusable cause of terrible side noises.
It is not a small accomplishment to make such an instrument reliably for 9 bucks. It will remain my favourite session instrument. I can understand that for recording purposes, there are better instruments and also the timid volume is unfavorable for the use on stage- but for a session? I'd rather invest in a fine low D then in a craft high D Whistle when the Sweetone goes 95% of the distance and also does not overshadow the flute player.
Concerning the tunability... let me put it this way: I have played a lot of music on Whistles on recorders in a lot of conditions. I have never tuned a recorder or a whistle. The tuning slide will slightly augment your potential to react to temperatures, but most places on the tuning slide are not usable eitherway cause the internal intonation is ruined. Also, many Whistles and almost all recorders are arranged in a way that the tuning slide is really a detuning slide because the correct place for the instrument to be in tune with itself is on one side of the slide and not in the middle. So the only thing you can do with the tuning slide is to lower your instrument when it's really hot and then also react to the internal tuning in a way you are not used to. It is an advantage, but a small one. In a professional setting, I would rather have 3 non tunable Whistles for normal, high and low temperatures then a tunable instrument.
Out of 16 whistles, I have three Sweetones (and three Dixons). I like the "friendly" Sweetones. Do they compare to my Sindt or what I expect from my in-transit LIR, no, but you tend to get what you pay for. (I have to admit that I only paid $60 for my Sindt, but that was way back in 1999).
I totally agree about the original - very rudimentary - not recommended.
Do you happen to know if the Clarke “Celtic” is just a sweetone with a different paint job or if there is a difference in the actual whistle? The seem the same but the Celtic is slightly cheeper which I cannot account for if it’s the same whistle?
Yep exactly the same, just doubled up the branding - why, I have no idea
😎
Id just get one of each their not expensive and make your own decision i think hey either way we all ganna jam soon lol
did he say..."grundle"? 🤢
He did indeed!
@@whistletutor just checking. I might be playing this instrument wrong all this time coz it never touches my taint 😅