Are Clarke Sweetones Awful???

[@adudewatchingyoutubevids]

I never had played a Clarke sweetone until a friend of mine got interested in learning and that was the first one he bought. I tried it out while I was giving him a lesson and I loved it! For what it is, it's really amazing in my opinion. Warm, cheery, chirpy sound and feels nice.

[@mrpjfresh1810]

The Sweetone was my very first whistle years ago and I honestly have zero complaints. Like Lou mentioned, it is a *very* forgiving whistle and well suited to beginners. At its price point, if you are thinking about learning whistle, it is a no-brainer to just give it a shot. The only thing some people may not like is that to get that conical bore at that price point, they just fold a piece of metal which leaves a raised seam along the back. Some players may find this uncomfortable or annoying. It is not my go-to whistle any longer, but almost 10 years later, my Sweetone still plays just fine despite a small crack or two in the fipple. For ~$10, can you really ask anymore than that?

[@johnatkinson5693]

The sweetone is the best cheap whistle!

[@NathanielDowell]

(high five)

[@bonenfant96]

A $125 whistle is just a wee bit better, sometime.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

My first whistle was a Clarke I was playing it outside on extended hikes, and I had some challenges simply due to temperature, but as it turns out it actually does better than most other cheap whistles I own (feadog and generations, vintage and new). It seems to heat a bit faster, the tube walls are probably thinner, but somehow it also retains the heat a little better. I also like the second octave. I got a great sound practicing in the mouth of a mountain tunnel - best reverb ever and it stayed clear and crisp due to the birdlike quality you are talking about. There is definitely a simple poetry to that. I also find it to be a little darker and mellower than the generations which is good when you are living in an apartment situation ...

[@gypsyman535]

Thanks for your video. A good topic. I have been learning in my new Clarke tin whistle,and I just love mine. Of course I have not used any other ones. I did some research and settled on my lovely black Clarke whistle and it's very nice. I think that it's more forgiving and gas a nice pitch in the second octeve as well I don't know why any one would not like it??. Even sweety pie likes them. I am a big fan of hers as well. She has tought me alot too. For the price you can't go wrong. I paid $16 bucks on Amazon but hey that's still dirt cheap. I got a few starter books and my kid niece has taught me a little too lol. Great video brother your the man!!

[@ariellelionessofYah]

My sweetone is awesome! First whistle I bought and it’s still great. I plan to get a higher quality one in the future but it has a great sound and it’s gotten better the longer I’ve played it (over the last 3 years).

[@ariellelionessofYah]

*right after I posted this I got the new Cobre copper high d whistle from Phil Hardy (KerryWhistles) and wooooow I didn’t realize how squeaky the Clark was😂 I now have 3 Kerry Whistles (low D optima, high d Cobre and Busker A. The A is gorgeous sounding!! May get the busker D I like the A so much!hah!).

[@c_farther5208]

Talked me into it. Thanks for your comment. Three years? That's great, bet you play great.

[@sshepard5222]

Ironically I also started with a Waltons and was absolutely mortified with the sounds that came out, especially the high notes, so I went to a feadog, a slight improvement but nothing amazing, it was then I heard people mention trying the clarke sweet tone. Finally a cheap whistle that could change to those higher notes and not make me cringe. I've now got a Roy McManus, and a Līr which I love both, and they sing beautifully but still find I often grab my Clarke for when I'm just practising around the house. My Walton and Feadog are somewhere in a dusty corner untouched for years now.

[@dukesc5562]

I've had a Clarke's Meg since I started with whistles and I have to say I love it still. It's my go to even ahead of the wild Irish I recently bought. And a tenth of the price! It's solid across the octaves and doesn't squeak no matter what I do.

[@usernamemykel]

Yes, the MEG is lovely (from a guy with 16 whistles).

[@3lackdog]

Love my Sweetone! Have a Feadog 2nd iteration that is nice when there's a banjo involved 😀 and a Feadog pro. They seem similar. The Sweetone gives me two+ clean octaves (can get to E3 easily) without breaking/squeaking.

[@dreamsmith19]

thanks, I appreciate the review. Comparing to other types of whistles and actually playing them was helpful. I just bought a Sweetone so going to see how it goes. I have 0 experience with whistles so just going to try and learn.

[@NathanielDowell]

Good luck! I think the Sweetone is an excellent whistle for beginners (and beyond), though it probably won't be your last whistle if you stick with it long enough :)

[@c_farther5208]

Well done, love your reviews and playing. Guess I'll get the Clarke Sweetone, I almost ordered the Waltons WM1521 Waltons Whistle Brass D, Mellow.

[@NathanielDowell]

If you're interested in a Mellow D later, I'd highly recommend contacting Jerry Freeman for one of his Mellow Dog D whistles, which is a hand tweaked version of the Walton's. Its an improvement in both tuning and tone. I think he sells them for about $40, but for me, the Sweetone is all you need for a while.

[@andrewwigglesworth3030]

@@NathanielDowell Jerry Freeman's "Mellow Dog" is not a tweaked Waltons "Mellow D." He uses a Feadog C whistle head and makes a new wider bore D body for it (ie. the same bore as a C Feadog whistle). Since he's not after a "Feadog sound", he doesn't make the fact of the tweaked Feadog head completely explicit in the marketing. Incidentally, if you buy the Mellow Dog C/D set (one head two bodies) the Mellow Dog C is exactly the same as Freeman's C Blackbird, apart from colour..

[@Iceland874]

Its mellow. Shrill tones drive me up the wall. Mellow and low yay! Thanks for the video! Nice low tones. My fingers are too small to cover the holes on lower whistles and open hole flutes.

[@JacksNephew]

Buying a Sweetone is what kept me from giving up on playing the tin whistle. My first whistle was a Walton that I bought on a whim from a vendor at an Irish music festival. I squeaked and squawked on that thing for 2 weeks and nearly threw it in the trash as a piece of cheap junk, and called it a day on my learning to play the whistle. But then I bought a Sweetone and was amazed at how much easier it was for me to play (probably having something to do with the conical bore). And wouldn't you know it...when I picked up the Walton again a few weeks later, it was amazing how much the quality of that instrument had improved in the interim. :-D That was a few years ago, and ever since then I've been a sufferer of WOAD. (Actually that's not quite true, as I don't suffer from it-- I thoroughly enjoy it.)

[@NathanielDowell]

My first whistle was a Walton's standard D, and while it was okay for a start, it remains a least-favorite whistle of mine. I keep it for sentimental reasons.

[@p.t.benzinger2179]

This video just made me a subscriber. Just paused the video and ordered my clarke sweetone -d. Do you have videos on vibrato? I understand most techniques of diaphragm breathing, but still nothing

[@NathanielDowell]

I don't, but check out this video of the fabulous Orlaith McAuliffe doing a slow air, and watch her fingers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXXQooOspd2Ha5I In traditional Irish music, vibrato is typically accomplished with the fingers rather than with the diaphragm. I only recently started using finger vibrato, and it's mostly on the B2 hole (OOO OXO), maybe B1 if it goes higher. The important thing to me is to keep at least one open hole between the note being played and the vibrato hole, and I often angle my finger to shade rather than fully close the hole, which gives a more subtle effect. As I go higher on the whistle, I close the hole more because the effect is lessened, and sometimes I move up a hole. Orlaith is much more precise in her technique, and probably learned it properly, whereas I just taught myself by ear.

[@shrapnelz7032]

You gotta try the Damien Thompson flutes.etc. outstanding,☘️🙏☘️

[@paulroberts5677]

I have always played Clarkes whistles since I was 12 (now 70). The Sweetone is lovely jobbing whistle.

[@waldoadams1611]

This is a great video. You make a valid point. I just bought a Clarke Sweetone C whistle. How do you compensate for the lack of tunability on the whistle? I tried to soak it in just boiled water but am struggling to loosen the head.

[@NathanielDowell]

I'm not as enamored with the C version of the whistle (wonky 'Cnat' equivalent cross-fingering), and I've never taken the head off of any of them. For Generation whistles, I've put them in the freezer prior to popping them into near-boiling water, and that's usually been enough to crack the glue and allow me a few seconds to pop the head off.

[@melloncolliemedb]

you don't tune these whistles! different whistles are set in different keys, other than that it's all in the breathting

[@Chris_the_Muso]

@@melloncolliemedb you certainly can tune them. I have a C feadog that was almost C#. It was driving me nuts until I tweaked it. You can certainly blow 5 pct sharp or flat, but not 75. These mass produced whistles are just jammed together without testing so making them tuneable is about best thing you can do, and it’s pretty easy.

[@elisagerallini8365]

Thursday I will arrive with Amazon, I have a conical one Is ok, but I was .... interested in buying a sweetone, I am a beginners .... I think it is suitable to start

[@pgm3]

I keep a Sweetone next to my desk. Some are better than others, none are terrible, this one is quite good. Not my session whistle, but a good one to play at home.

[@tylerdelgregg9398]

Another good post! Thanks

[@jakolantern6790]

My first was a generation, struggled in the second octave. Got a sweetone was so simple to hit all the notes. Only mistake I made was also getting a Clarke original, so different to the sweetone, too many gaps between wood fipple and bore so was unplayable. Eventually adjusted generation with blue tack hack and both it and my sweetone are my go to. Stay safe.

[@PatriciaMiguela]

I just bought the Sweetone in C. I have never tried anything else aside from the Feadog Ds, for me I find the Sweetones warm and mellow sounding. I think Sweetones are a fit if you're into playing airs (That's just my opinion, though) Feadogs are bright and forward sounding. And I agree, I guess Sweetones are not for everybody. It's not the worst.

[@PatriciaMiguela]

and PS - i think the low registers on the sweetones are difficult to sound hahaha

[@NathanielDowell]

@@PatriciaMiguela My only C Sweetone has a weird cross fingered Bb, though half-holing works well enough. Still, it never became a regular whistle I played, though it has most of the nice characteristics of its D iteration.

[@NathanielDowell]

Most whistles that favor the upper register have a low register that is more sensitive to over-blowing.

[@BLOLite]

Hi,does the Sweetone have a raised manufactuingr seam where it joins along rhe back? I have an earlier bare-metal Clarke high D which does, it has a good tone throughout and few squeeks, but I found it gets uncomfortable on the thumbs after a time in sessions due to that seam.I suppose you could put tape on it,but have moved to a heavier one which is more durable to knocks and less likely to corrode inside but obviously a whole lot dearer.

[@NathanielDowell]

The Sweetone definitely has a seam on the back, but it's never bothered me in the slightest. If it's hurting your hands, I'd suggest that you might re-examine how hard you're gripping the whistle, unless you just have extra sensitive skin. Beginners (I was one of them) tend to develop a death grip habit as they try to mash their fingers down to cover the holes. If your fingers are in the right place, you can have a feather light grip, like your whistle is made of thinnest glass, and you'll seal the holes just fine. It took me years to discover the bad habit I'd developed, and longer to unlearn it.

[@BLOLite]

Thanks,could be a bit of both,though as a gardener the mits are pretty leathery already. It's an old troopet and having bare rather than smoothly powder- coated metal as on Sweetone ( I should just get one really,for the price!) certainly makes for a jagged feel by now,what with a bit of authentic old-world corrosion thrown in. i have a conical Shaw low G, whose still substantial seam is turned very smoothly, inwards, and both have a great breathy tone. Happy playing when you can, it's still Zooms here,vs, we get periods when we can meet in/ outdoors in groups of up to 6 (UK),but this is not one of them..

[@martinbruce5979]

This is what I need, a cheap whistle with sweet higher octaves. If I want an expensive whistle to play concerts, then I need several thousand hours of practice first. Not gonna happen, I'm old, just wanna have a little fun learning an instrument.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

Thumbnail looks like you are practicing on the toilet :D

[@MusicMoonandflute]

Thanks, here in Spain it is difficult to find certain whistles, but the clarke sweetone is one of the most common, even for prices of 6 euros. I have a Freadog in D and another in C, but they do not convince me, the octave down is so sensitive that sometimes you have to blow very, very soft so that that (trrrrrr) that sounds does not sound and that in the recordings it looks very bad. I wanted to try a Clarke, an OAK and a Generation, but I think they are very similar, I hope the Calrke does not make strange noises or be so sensitive in the octave below. I have learned to play many instruments and am currently experimenting with Chinese instruments such as: Dizi, Hulusi, Bawu, Yunnan Flutes and others. I wanted to buy a Tony Dixon or a Susato but as I am learning I do not want to go for professional things, although I prefer the Susato over the Tony Dixon. The most difficult thing has been to get a Low whistle, here in Spain it is very difficult to get one except in a store in Madrid. Thank you for your videos, they are serving me a lot since the ones I have seen with everyone to promote brands and I think that what you do is not for that purpose.

[@NathanielDowell]

Thanks! I live in San Antonio, TX, where most people haven't even heard of whistles. When I started, it was frustrating to be looking at whistles without a good idea of their sound, especially relative to other whistles, so I've been trying to share my experiences as I go.

[@MusicMoonandflute]

@@NathanielDowell I thank you for your work and effort because nowadays many people do this work for money and not for passion, therefore all those opinions are very impersonal and you cannot find something according to what you need. I live in Asturias, Spain, although I was born in Venezuela and later lived in the Canary Islands. Thank you for responding and for contributing your knowledge, I appreciate it very much.

[@NathanielDowell]

As for the issue with low notes that break easily, that's very common, and the Clarke won't be much different, though I do find the Feadog to be particularly sensitive to overblowing, so you might like the Clarke a bit better. The Susato is a stronger whistle, tending to be on the loud side, and it has a firmer bottom end (which means you have to push a bit harder to get the high notes, and they're a bit harsher). A lot of pipers end up buying medium or hard blowing Goldie whistles because they like how much backpressure there is (meaning when you blow, there's more resistance, often translating into greater air efficiency and a firm first octave). The cheaper whistles don't tend to offer that sort of backpressure. The other consideration is the bore size. Wider bore whistles tend let you blow harder without breaking the bottom notes, and they give you a bigger, fuller sound. The Walton's Mellow D is inexpensive and offers a taste of what a wide bore whistle is, though I don't think they're the best-tuned whistles out there.

[@MusicMoonandflute]

@@NathanielDowell And he's right, I've seen it, but I haven't tried it, although I'm still experimenting. These days I have dedicated myself to making an instrument in PVC and well there is an Irish PVC flute made recently and recorded by me on my channel and well, the truth is that it would not be bad given the material from which it is made. As for the Whistles, I see that you have a lot of knowledge about them, I will closely follow your channel and thus be able to learn more about them. I recorded some songs with a Freadog, but it doesn't quite convince me. Currently I have learned to play: the transverse flute, the trumpet, the electric bass, the clarinet,xaphoon, pífano,the ocarina, the Xun, Saxofón, Dizi, the hulusi, the bawu and a few more, all in a self-taught way, I hope to continue learning. Thanks for your help, really.

[@NathanielDowell]

@@MusicMoonandflute I try to maintain a playlist with my whistle comparisons. You might find it helpful to look through it. I have a bunch about Soprano D whistles. kzbin.info/aero/PLyujhpemdQEcjOVM20DGKTX2PKWz4b8Yo

[@fatheroblivion45]

I first learned to play on my grandfather's vintage original Clarke's C whistle. ( All the original Clarkes back in the day were in C ) Still a great sounding whistle but it required a lot of air in the high register. I then bought a Clarke's "Celtic" / Sweetone whistle and loved it from the word go. The high register was easy ( especially for a beginner ) to play and the overall tone, though different from the original, is still pleasing. I think Clarke's Sweetone / Meg / Celtic are excellent starter whistles and I fully agree with your opinion of them matey :)

[@mrpjfresh1810]

Interesting! Did those original Clarke's have the classic wood block design by chance? I only own two Clarkes, both modern - the Sweetone (in D) and 2016 200 yr anniversary/birthday model (in C) celebrating Robert Clarke's birth. Both are conical with the folded metal design. The latter uses the old fashioned wooden block design and is not the most air efficient when compared to modern whistles. It's actually good practice to prepare one to play a low whistle and account for breathing.

[@fatheroblivion45]

mrpjfresh Yes. It had a wooden block as the fipple. I believe some of the very first Clarke’s original had a lead block.

[@BrutishYetDelightful]

@@mrpjfresh1810 I have a positively ancient Clarke traditional with the diamonds around the holes instead of between them, with all the markings done in gilt, not paint. Someone at some point went around the fipple block with either pitch or cobbler's wax, I can't tell which. They pinned the fipple block in place with a brass pin and did some fiddling with the blade (the bit that splits the airstream). It plays like a sonofabitch. EXCELLENT whistle. I telephoned Clarke UK and described the whistle to them, hoping to find out when it was made. They were stumped. All I know is it is QUITE old. I got it and two Cooperman fifes in an insane package deal. I did and do still care not so much for the fifes - I wanted that whistle. I can't deal with sideways woodwinds. Bagpipes and whistles for me. I can make those work.

[@dwightjones3305]

Susato makes a V-series whistle. It has a “very small” bore and is said to be quieter and sweeter sounding than the S-series that you tested.

[@andrewwigglesworth3030]

Yes Susato does make VSB (very small bore) whistles in some of their soprano instruments. The D VSB It is a little quieter than the D "small bore" Kildare, but as it is a Susato, it's still noticeably louder than a D Sweetone, or indeed any of the other cheap whistles (eg. Feadog, Waltons, Generation). I know this by direct experience as I own examples of all the above whistles. :-)

[@marklammas2465]

Conical bore whistles are fine. I still use my original Clarke silver D from the 1980s, but it's no longer silver, because it got lost in a friend's damp cellar for many years. It now looks like a genuine rust-flecked 19th century antique. The tiny holes are a pig for half-holing, but the tone is extremely musical. I've never blown a Sweettone.

[@aaronm6674]

I'm only a week into learning to play the tin whistle & I'm already considering upgrading from my Walton :") I really wanted the book & DVD that came with it though so I'm not sad I purchased it! Kind of like learning to drive.. if you can drive well on the bad roads you'll be even better on the good roads, right? lol

[@NathanielDowell]

I started with a Walton's Whistle/Book set. The whistle was (and remains) a bit rough in the 2nd octave, but it was fine for starting out. Better whistles will be more responsive, easier to play, give a nicer tone, but when you're first starting out, you're just learning to cover the holes, working on breath control, and building muscle memory for tunes and ornaments. The Walton's can do all that, especially for 1 - 1.5 octave tunes. A good whistle has a tone you like and allows you to play without worrying about annoying quirks that make you have to really think about the mechanics. Obviously, beginners are still 100% thinking about mechanics, which is why it's fine to start with something cheap and serviceable until you know you're going to stick with it, but once you've played a while, you'll notice that better whistles are just easier, smoother, allowing you to get into the groove rather than fight the instrument. If you're not feeling the Walton's, try something else. I personally like the Sweetone because it's bubbly and responsive in the 2nd octave, and isn't quite as earsplitting (though almost all high D whistles are painful for me at the top end, which is why I wear earplugs when I play them). These days, I like a bit more thickness and fullness in my tone, so I go for wider bores and thicker walls, but the Sweetone is the only cheapie whistle I still enjoy playing. Also, I'd emphasize my recommendation of getting a Generation Bb at some point. Great whistle for $20, and so much more mellow than a high D. If you have a speed/pitch changer app, you can take tunes in D and bump them down to Bb for practice.

[@irelandserverferrersegura4021]

I have a sweettone, but i have to improve a bit more

[@NathanielDowell]

Don't we all?

[@richardswaby6339]

Clarkes Sweetone whistles are great. I bought my first one in the toy section of a hardware store and I was very surprised at how well tuned it was and how sweet the sound that came from it. I even liked the ridge at the back. Compare that with trying to find a Generation or a Walton whistle in tune.

[@waldoadams1611]

What's your opinion on the lack of tunability on the Clarke Sweetone?

[@richardswaby6339]

​@@waldoadams1611 It is a very inexpensive whistle

[@BrutishYetDelightful]

@@waldoadams1611 A myth. Heat up a glass of water to near-boiling in the microwave. Dunk the sweetone in it headfirst and leave it for a minute or two. Pull the fipple off and use alcohol to remove the remaining glue. The fipple should slide back on and now be tunable. If it's too loose, a bit of teflon tape will secure it while still leaving the fipple slideable/tunable. All 3 of my sweetones have had this done, along with a blob of poster-tack jammed into the empty space inside the fipple. I use a chopstick to push the poster-tack into the opening, and to shape the front surface of the poster-tack. If you look through the voice window of a traditional whistle with a wooden fipple plug you will see exactly how you need to shape the poster-tack to mimic the front end of the wooden fipple plug. This improves the second-octave (and some first-octave) behavior of the whistle to no end. Try it. If you don't like the bright blue poster-tack, Hobby Lobby's is a very neutral grey.

[@markc1234golf]

How long til one can play from memory ?

[@NathanielDowell]

Immediately. You can use sheet music to help you initially learn a tune, but then try to play it without looking. Work on one short phrase at a time. Also, trying to hum it first can be helpful. If you can hum it, you can play it.

[@markc1234golf]

@@NathanielDowell Thanks for that 🤗🤗 sounds very encouraging. I am so grateful for youtubers you know sharing all their skills, my son taught himself to glass blow , my husband learned black smithing and now i am trying to learn all the flutes . I'm really enjoying myself here with all you out there and you people sharing, it's so very beautiful i would have loved to have grown up with this. Used to play the recorders up to bass in school, i guess it's something that never really leaves you.

[@tylerdelgregg9398]

How is the OXX OOO your Carbony collection? The conical Sweetone D plays a good OXX OOO but the Sweetone C not so much. Is this the case with the Carbony as well?

[@NathanielDowell]

My Carbony high D is pretty good at OXX OOO. Putting down an extra finger makes it too flat. I got a Sweetone C years ago, but I never played it much because of the awful Cnat cross fingering.

[@NathanielDowell]

I don't have a Carbony C, but my other Carbony whistles do well with OXX OOO (I just checked Bb, G, F, and E).

[@tylerdelgregg9398]

@@NathanielDowell Thanks, I really like the Carbony samples you posted. Very tempted to get one some day. (I have a lot of whistles, as we all do.)

[@jsv438]

Hey I want to enjoy just learning and practicing on the cheaper ones. It's fun because I like to have different ones to play for different tunes and some days I feel like playing w/a different sound. With these common whistles I can still own quite a few for cheap. (cool tip- a drummer stick bag makes a great case for many whistles) I actually tried the Clarke Original w/wood fipple first. I STILL enjoy that despite its criticisms. I actually like the airy breathy tone for certain songs. The Sweetone is now one of my 2 favorite go-to whistles. I actually like the seam because it helps me hold it more stable. All the notes are well within playable range, even better than some other cylindrical whistles--they're more consistent I've found throughout the 2 octaves. My fav' though is the Woodi. It IS louder, fuller tone, I find it EASY to play. Only hang-up is that it really doesn't match traditional tin-whistle sound for classic Irish & Celtic songs. It's not "chirpy" and bright like a traditional whistle should sound. If anybody doesn't play a Woodi seriously it plays SO easy it feels like cheating. Tunable too, but again you can't get that sharp metallic timbre from it. I think the difference in cheap whistle playability and consistency in notation comes from the fipple more than anything. That fipple on the Clarke Sweetone is why I wanted to try it in the first place, and now I play it most often. Hey I LOVE both those Low-D's you have there! I found a cheaper pvc tunable but the Low-D's really start showing off how different it is when you have a nice one. ~JSV

[@ivanrowe2880]

EXCELLENT tip about drum stick bag, was thinking about arrow quivers or making one from leather

[@3Dhyana]

Just bought a Clarke C Sweetone. Not sure how I feel about it. I do love my Jerry Freeman tweeted D

[@NathanielDowell]

I'm not as fond of the Sweetone in C. The only one I have has an out of tune cross fingered "C Nat" equivalent, so I didn't play it much.

[@mcgeewathen7700]

The thing I dislike about my Sweetone C is the position on the bottom hole. There's a really exaggerated gap that us just awkward.

[@Tremendouz]

The second octave of my C sweetone is very flat to the point where the 2nd octave C is only a little bit higher than the 1st octave B (ooo ooo) The D Sweetone I have is quite nice but I prefer my plastic Dixon

[@alvarodumain5057]

I swear by my Clarke sweetone, great for playing jazz/blues and "fife" marches in second octave

[@Jessi4JC]

I love my Clarke Original, but I'm also just starting out, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. ;)

[@melloncolliemedb]

the Walton's & Feadóg are not for beginners! it is a terrible mistake to begin on those. I have the Clarke 'celtic' which is much the same as the Sweettone and the Clarke 'original' which has the wooden fipple, they are the best hands down, you don't need anything else, most of the time. they are my favourite whistles, such a sweet tone❤

[@JorgeBurrezo]

And the Sweetone vs Celtic???

[@NathanielDowell]

Same whistle, different paint.

[@alfredbackhus6110]

No they are not awful. They are *good*. Their sound is 'merely' a 7,5/10 but their reliability is unbelievable, I bought 10 of them last year to have some in stock- they are almost identical, incredible achievement for such a cheap instrument- they have no disturbing chiff, their tuning is almost perfect every time (the D sweetones, not the ones in C- these are oftentimes badly out of tune) and that for the price of 10 Dollars. It's amazing and that's why I play them even knowing that there are marginally better sounding Whistles. I can use them like others use pens. Yet... it is true that they are not loud enough for some circumstances.

[@SO-ym3zs]

Among inexpensive whistles, the Clarke Sweetone is hard to beat. Much superior to Waltons (ugh) or Generation. A far more consistent sound across the octaves, and a smoother, more even and pleasant tone in general. Really, they're a great bargain in beginner-friendly, inexpensive wind instruments in general, up there with a decent harmonica, ocarina, or quality plastic recorder (like Yamaha or Aulos).

[@jimobrien84]

Sweettones are way better, like infinitely and indescribably better, than Waltons. Generations and feadog’s can be better but they’re inconsistent quality control. Sweettone best in that absolute cheapest price tier. But I would always strong argue to just spend another like 15 bucks and get a Dixon trad D which blows all of those cheap cheap ones way out of the water. And of course if you’re a serious player I always say get a handmade whistle from a real maker like Sindt or Burke or Goldie or failing that something like a Lír or Killarney

[@Melissa05121992]

I realised Clarke original n sweetone the last hole the sweetone is further away than the original…😂

[@percebe_albino9285]

I don't like the shape of Clarke that's why I buy a Tony Dixon high D

[@laurino.]

F*ck i paid for it 20euros XD But yeah, is very good uwu

[@VarnokGamer]

I have a clarke meg and it sounds like a dying animal when i play ir

[@NathanielDowell]

It's really easy to overblow whistles and make them sound awful. Try sighing into the whistle for the lowest notes, rather than blowing, and go from there. It takes a really gentle breath in the first octave. Sometimes, people end up over-blowing it into the 2nd octave, thinking it's the first, and then they are trying for the awful third octave when they think they're in the 2nd. Not sealing all the holes is another source of awful sounds. For that, try starting from the first hole at the top and working your way down the whistle, making sure to get a clear, strong note each time. If you can get that to happen, being careful, you should be able to eventually do it at speed. If you've got more experience and it still sounds bad, you might have a bad whistle. I'm sure it happens occasionally. Hopefully, you can get it to sound better.

[@TheNaraku32]

Honestly, Original Clarke whistle is much better than Sweetone. The price is almost the same.

[@NathanielDowell]

Definitely a matter of opinion as to which is "better". Some people love them, but I got a Clarke Original and right out of the box, I didn't like it. It had a full, breathy tone, but It took a lot of air, and I really don't like wooden fipple blocks (or wooden whistles, for that matter). I know that there are professionally tweaked Originals that can be had for around $30 that might be worth trying someday, and of course, you can always tweak your own (I messed mine up, unfortunately). That being said, enough people love the Clarke Original that it's probably another good one to try, if the wood doesn't bother you.

[@NathanielDowell]

Link to the Whistle Shop's "Tweaked" Clarke Original: www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/Tweeked/tweeked.htm

[@richardswaby6339]

The Original Clarke whistle is not better than the Sweetone because it takes so much more air to play the Original. It sounds great though.

[@musiconabudget3712]

It's actually made out of tin lol

[@wulfdownardmusic]

I have to admit, the Qwistle sounds WAY better to me...

[@NathanielDowell]

It has a GORGEOUS first 1.5 octaves, but when you get into the second octave it takes a hard push and a lot of control to keep it from kicking back down into the first, and I struggle with certain ornaments that are easy on other whistles. However, if you want booming, first octave power, the Qwistle is definitely the whistle for you. My main issue with the Carbony (the low D, in particular) is how weak the tone is, but I love the way it handles. I actually made a clip on windway wall that mimics the Copeland design, and it strengthens the first octave (but comes at a slight cost to the handling, of course). I showed it to Rob Gandara, and he's now planning to make his own version, which is awesome. It's still no Qwistle, but it brings the volume more in line with other low whistles I've played. The clip on nature of it is nice because sometimes I want a stealth low D, and other times I need a bit more "oomph". I'll be making a demo video for it pretty soon.

[@NathanielDowell]

This is the plastic Qwistle with the "Pro" head, by the way. I suspect the other non-pro head is a little easier to play, though you probably lose some of the power. Might be a good balance.

[@wulfdownardmusic]

@@NathanielDowell interesting. I have a similar issue with my Dixon. I love the way it handles, hate the tone/volume. I'm still looking for whistles out there that don't require so much compromise. Believe it or not, the closest I've come so far are the Oak C (nickel) and a Generation Bb (also nickel).

[@NathanielDowell]

@@wulfdownardmusic I wonder how you'd feel about a Milligan whistle. I got one in Dymondwood, and it's got a powerful, slightly raspy tone, great handling.

[@NathanielDowell]

@@wulfdownardmusic here's my video for testing the effect of the wall around the Carbony windway, using PVC and putty. I made a cleaner version with a larger diameter PVC tube epoxied to the smaller diameter. It works about the same. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIW4ZHV9iJqKj68