Something I have been working on--musical content--instrument design

[Sedi]

Hi guys,
since a few years I have re-discovered an old hobby of mine--making music. Namely--playing the tin whistle. I also acquired a few other instruments but that is the one I had the most experience with before (apart from guitar). So I have been pretty busy practicing and playing and posting in multiple FB-tin-whistle-groups or on the chiff&fipple forum. And after a while, naturally, you start to make your own. Because after all, it is just a tube with holes in it. I first started working with PVC-tubing (cable conduit from the hardware store) and just made very simple rim-blown whistles similar to a quena but with tin-whistle tuning. I always wanted to try my hand at working with alumin(i)um however. And it turns out, it is much easier than anticipated. So I made a little workshop in the basement where we had a storage room. Bought some stuff, like a box column drill, a big vice, files, a Dremel, etc.
And this is the result (I am thinking about starting to sell these but I have to get the paperwork done first):


These are the two prototypes I made so far and they play beautifully. I am thinking about incorporating some aspects of watch-movement decoration of course, like a better and finer brushed "jewelling" pattern on top and nicer and polished angles. So far it has been a lot of fun.
Here is a tune by yours truely:
http://<a href="https://youtu.be/Y3v...3vSVW3Iep4</a>

[Seriously]

They'd be nice (looking) in brass , and of course it's easy to work

[Seriously]

Actually I've dabbled in the past with the flute
I've got a little bit of my early attempts on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQ0GqcMBOA&

[Sedi]

I first tried round aluminum but that was harder to work with than the square ones. Brass is nice but I don't like the bitter taste it leaves in the mouth. Also it can have a certain amount of lead in it. Some people might be concerned about aluminum, too. But I did some research about the connection between aluminum and alzheimer's diesease and at least the US-alzheimer's organisation homepage says that it is not caused by it. So I am not too concerned, especially since whistles have been made from this material since the 70's and there are pots and pans and what-not made from alluminum. I might try brass too but I'd have to make the mouthpiece from a different material. That might raise a problem with contact-corrosion in the long run. I have a whistle that is made from nickel silver which is also used for Boehm flutes but that is harder to work with and heavier. I thought about using steel but that is even heavier. I might make a steel prototype however--I'd probably have to cool down the drill when making one--on aluminum that is not a problem. I'd be interested in how it affects the sound. I also found thicker square tubing with 1.5 mm wall thickness. I might try that as well. The one I used has 1 mm wall thickness. It already sounds better than most of the whistles I bought so far (a lot). Also the square profile has some advantages over round whistles. It is easier to work with and it is easier to get a good seal on the holes when playing which will reduce the strain on the tendons and fingers.

[Sedi]

Actually I've dabbled in the past with the flute
I've got a little bit of my early attempts on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQ0GqcMBOA&

. Did you keep at it and continue playing?

[Seriously]

. Did you keep at it and continue playing?

[geoffbot]

Actually I've dabbled in the past with the flute
I've got a little bit of my early attempts on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQ0GqcMBOA&

[geoffbot]

That's very cool, Sedi - good work!

[Sedi]

Thanks! It's great fun considering I mainly work sitting at a computer. And a tin whistle is simple enough to make yet still can be tweaked a lot to get the sound and playability I want.