Wicked Good New Ultra Hi-D Whistle

This Whistlesmith product is no longer available. Our current selection of whistles and other Whistlesmith products and accessories are available here.

Buy the latest Whistlesmith Whistles in our Online Store >>

This is a whistle that has been in the works for about two years. It is a common sense approach to several vexing problems that face a whistlesmith when developing a whistle that can be reproduced in numbers and retain tuning and playing profiles when played under a variety of conditions.

After observing how whistle players actually place and play a whistle mouthpiece, I noted that the small size mouthpiece on D, C and Bb whistles in general use, had some major drawbacks. The original design of the mouthpieces on these small whistles was developed to fit the small diameter tubing necessary to make the higher pitched whistles.

What if you made the mouthpiece larger and took away the inclination to place the mouthpiece in any other position other than against the lips where it belongs?

When a beginning player begins to play the small mouthpiece, they place too much of the mouthpiece into their mouth. Instead of blowing air into the whistle, this position blows saliva into the wind way and control of the whistle due to its small size is marginal at best. After questioning people who had played the Straight Shot mouthpiece on the Whistlesmith Low A and G whistles extensively, I got the impression that a larger mouthpiece would not only play better, but would feel more substantial and give the smaller whistles a better balance.

I have had great success with the Straight Shot mouthpiece design and I tried a variety of ways to make it work for the smaller sized tubing of the HI-D whistle. After several starts on the mouthpiece, I was delayed in further experiments with more urgent whistle work and had to put the mouthpiece for the HI-D to one side in a box. I worked on the mouthpiece as time permitted, but the answer to making it play correctly continued to be elusive and time consuming and I would lay it away again.

While working on the Low F whistle which incorporates a small bore with a low whistle key, I developed a new concept mouthpiece using a tapered ramp with a round flute hole that really works well and is very stable when played. This style mouthpiece can be modified to produce more or less air flow and the wind way is easily milled to a variety of configurations.

What does all this mean? It means a common style of mouthpiece can be used to make the entire line of whistles and they will be stable and easily played. This is a Wicked Good Idea! and now it works!

So, now we have figured out how to make a larger mouthpiece play correctly on the small bore whistle and here is what it does.

Stable air flow in the mouthpiece makes the whistle blow easier, longer and with more volume.

Larger cut on the wind way means saliva buildup is no longer a problem.

Flute style hole means mellow, rounder sound with more strength and clarity on each individual note.

Stable octave bounce from low octave to high octave without squeeks and breaks.

Tuning is very accurate and stable in both octaves using this mouthpiece.