Four Low D Irish whistles: Reviol, Burke, MK, Susato

[pancelticpiper]

Of the Low Ds I played there, the MK is the most air-efficient, that is, longer phrases can be played on a single breath. The Burke is the least air-efficient, and breaths need to be taken nearly twice as often on it.

[pancelticpiper]

It's difficult to make a comparison in air requirements, because every Low D whistle is different, and every flute is different. Also, with a flute you can alter how much air passes through the instrument with your embouchure, while on a whistle the instrument only plays in tune with the fixed amount of air set by its maker.

Add to that that there's two different things meant by "how much air" 1) the pressure required and 2) the volume of air which passes through the instrument.

[folkflutist]

is there much difference between how much air an irish flute takes than a low whistle?

[pancelticpiper]

I've owned two MK Low D's and I've tried a couple others and each plays differently. All good, but different.

I ended up preferring the MK over the others. The Burke has the strongest Bottom D of any Low D I've played, but it takes considerably more air than the MK. Somehow the MK takes little wind but is very loud... I suppose it's more efficient, one could say.

[yidneth]

I love my burke, i'd go for one!

[clarinetcat]

Nice comparison, thank you! Amazing how distinctive the sound is on each.

The Burke is definitely the "purest", very flute-like tone, especially in the lower register. The Reviol sounded "dirty", very airy. The other two fell someone in-between. It's all in what kind of sound you want as a player, I guess. :)

[pancelticpiper]

About the name The Banner, that's what the people I heard play it called it. It's also called that in the Luke O Malley Collection.

About MKs, they vary from whistle to whistle like all whistles seem to do. I have a red one now that I like a tad more than this green one here.

[BlackFolkAndPiano]

@pancelticpiper I know it as gallagher's frolics :)

beautiful whistles... for now I'm ok with the low whistles I make myself, but I think I'll buy an overton one someday

[williamswhistlepipes]

so do you think the mk is worth the extra money then and if you had say two mks would they both sound exsactly the same?

[upkilt]

Not sure where you got the name for this jig. It's commonly known as O'Gallagher's Frolics or simply Gallagher's Frolics.

[CreekHopper]

Oh this is fantastic! I've been waiting for someone to make a low d comparison video that included a Burke, thanks so much!!!

[pancelticpiper]

Thanks for the comments! For more details about these whistles you can read the review I posted on chiff&fipple a while back. I talk about gracenote clarity, relative volume of different notes, air requirements, etc etc. Bottom line, my two favourites are the MK and the Burke. The MK does a lot of little things a tiny bit better: a bit more interesting tone, a bit clearer gracenotes, somewhat more air efficient. But the Burke has an amazing booming bottom D like no other whistle.

[usfenderfsdlx]

fantastic video/review. youtube needs more like this! how does the backpressure/air consumption vary on each?

[acromiton]

Richard, am planning on buying a new car, but am still to choose between a Citröen C3, a Fiat 500, a VW Golf and a Peugeot 307... Could you test-drive them as well???

Just joking, mate!! Hurrah from Brazil!

BTW, great playing. I preferred the Burke. And by the looks in your face, I'd say you did as well...

Fredgie

[deterdettol]

You could do a few things:

Visit Top Gear's youtube channel. They might have reviews on some of these cars.

Or, test drive them yourself. Only you know what you want from your car.

[deirjon]

Wow! Thanks for doing this. As I´m trying to decide between a Burke and MK it was really helpful to see just how "fat" the Burke is.

[deterdettol]

MK has a fatter sound; Bukres are known to have a cleaner sound.

If you like a traditional chiff tone, MK is great. Overton(Colin Goldie) is good too.