Thursday • May 12, 2011 • by Misha
As we’ve been getting lots of emails asking when whistles are going to be ready we thought it would be a good idea to keep everyone updated with when they’ll be ready through our twitter feed – www.twitter.com/mkwhistles. We’ll be tagging info as we put it up so you can search twitter for any of the following hashtags :- #mkproD #mkproF #mkkelpieD.
Of course, if you have any further questions get in touch – info@mkwhistles.com for general info or orders@mkwhistles.com for existing orders and delivery info.
Posted in: Mk developments, MK MUSIC BLOG
Thursday • April 14, 2011 • by Misha
Earlier this week there was a fire at our Anodisers. Fortunately no-one was hurt and it was contained. It has mean’t all their production is currently on hold. Like all the people we work with – they are exceptionally good at what they do and one of the up-shots of working with people that are really good at what they do is that they are really busy. Before the fire we had a big backlog of instruments waiting to be processed, and, well, this fire isn’t exactly going to help things along! Fortunately it’s not likely to delay the arrival the Low Fs, as by this time things should be up and running again.
Posted in: Mk developments, MK MUSIC BLOG
Sunday • April 3, 2011 • by Misha
I used to think that all wind instruments should have tuning slides, certainly all the classic winds instruments do – Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone etc etc – although not so much their ethnic relatives. Having spoken to many customers over the last few years, I’ve realised that buying an expensive musical instrument, particularly when you’re just starting out and unsure how you’ll take to it, can be a little daunting. The trouble is, in this situation, most people often end up with really poor instruments, something which isn’t going to encourage you to play. This was really where the idea for the Kelpie came from – when you’re learning you want to know the instrument you’re playing isn’t holding you back.
There are so many compromises in making musical instruments it’s impossible to have everything, but a great instrument has it all balanced right. One of the big compromises with making whistles, is how easy or ‘accessible’ all the notes are to reach. It is possible to make all notes extremely easy to reach all the way up the scale, but by making the notes more accessible, you are also making them more ‘shallow’, and consequently some fullness of tone is lost as you can’t drive the tone to the same extent. A more experienced player, who has developed the technique, wont have trouble making use of the greater possibilities with the tone, but a learner might struggle a bit. The idea behind the Kelpie was to make a fantastically priced Low Whistle which made the instrument as ‘accessible’ as possible – it’s based on the original MKs but is very slightly biased to make the notes easier to reach.
There also seemed to be a place for something which is of a solid ‘one piece’ construction – that you could sling in a rucksack or canoe and not worry about. This of course, has to be the beauty of whistles.
We’ve started with the Low D with more keys to come >>>
Posted in: Mk developments, MK MUSIC BLOG
Thursday • March 10, 2011 • by Misha
Here’s a first draft of a Datasheet for the Mk Low D. What do you think? Is there any info which isn’t there but could be useful? Any inaccuracies?
Please use the comments to let us know what you think – your feedback is much appreciated.
Posted in: MK DESIGN BLOG, Mk developments, MK MUSIC BLOG
Tuesday • February 8, 2011 • by Misha
The news from the Elves down in the engine room at the MK workshops, is that they have a new product in production – due for release around, if not on, March the 1st…
Posted in: MK MUSIC BLOG, the buzz
Thursday • January 20, 2011 • by Misha
Last year, I attended with a friend of mine to a travel in Switzerland. Well , let’s call this a road trip. It was in March, the fresh air of the Alps didn’t frighten us.. During two weeks, we crossed trough the Swiss cities and Mountains, and Forests. Alternating walking stands and hitch-hiking. We planted every evening our tent (sometimes in improper places) under the Swiss stars.
I bought a MK whistle, last year, and I bring it in my travel. My friend was a guitarist, and we used to busk across the Strasbourg Streets, where I’m from. In every Swiss town we visited, we stopped for several hours, playing some jigs and reels on low whistle and guitar in the streets, to get coins and to buy some food ( EVERYTHING in Switzerland is AWFULLY expansive ).
We played on medieval wooden bridge in Lausanne, in the old streets of Luzern, Basel, Bern, Montreux, Genève… The last two days, we’ve played from morning till night to buy our returning ticket to Strasbourg ( 60 CHF ! = 80€ each ). That travel was an awesome adventure, and I’m proud to say that my whistle was a great companion !
Posted in: MK MUSIC BLOG, Mk Stories
Tuesday • December 28, 2010 • by Misha
To start off, I first learned about your whistles when I visited the website:
www.theirishflutestore.com by Dr Patrick Jones DVM. So I Googled MK Whistles and found your site. Now as far as my musical past; I started out with drums from fifth to seventh grades, then went over to Eb Alto Sax (with a little Tenor and Baritone Sax thrown in) from eigth to eleventh grade. I stopped playing in the school band as a senior since my class workload was 7 out of 8 periods with the free period being lunch/ study hall. Right around that time I saw and heard a Recorder. I decided to learn how to play the Recorder since it had practically the same fingering as the Saxophone and was a lot easier to carry around. Then in college, I bumped into a student who played the Tin/Penny Whistle. I was hooked once again since it had a different sound and musical feel. At that same time I was spending more time in the outdoors with the campus GROTTO Club learning canoeing, kayaking, hiking, cross country skiing, rock climbing, and caving. On most of those weekend trips some with camping. I would bring a recorder until my mother’s poodle chewed it up one holiday visit. So entered the Tin Whistle. It went wherever I went. My college adventures took me not only around New Jersey, but also to Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Texas (twice), Colorado, and Baltimore Maryland. The last locale was for a American Recorder Society 5 day workshop in Baltimore and included a concert by the National Aquarium. I played Recorder outside, but inside the aquarium I took my whistle to play some sea shanties and John Denver tunes.
As far as the other state visits goes, it was mainly a lot of rock climbing, hiking, and most of all caving. Caving is an all season around the year activity that can be done day or night in any kind of weather. It doesn’t matter because caves are always – inside, dark, and stays at a temperature about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Now theres a lot of mud and humid wet conditions that tells you “Do not bring a wooden Recorder in here; it will not survive.” I was known as a Pied Piper by my comrades of outdoor exploring. I would find a nice spot to take a break and pull my Whistle out of my canvas Gas Mask Bag where my water, extra fuel for my Brass Carbide Lamp, food, and mini Maglite flashlight were kept. I’d turn off my lamp and start playing some tunes while the others in nearby passages would be lunching or just relaxing before we start moving on or exiting the cave. I’ve been in over 65 caves with the Whistle. One was within the city limits of San Antonio Texas about 2 miles away from the historic Alamo Mission. In West Virginia I was in a vertical pit cave that had us rappel down 300 feet and then continue on for about another 400 feet. Caves have great acoustical qualities to them. The sound also carries throughout a good part of nearby passageways and rooms; sometimes having an echo effect which comes in handy when playing rounds. If the weather was too nice In West Virginia to go caving, we might go climbing at Seneca Rocks. Or we would hike around Blackwater Falls…
Above ground my Whistle would go along while hiking at the Delaware Water Gap or Sunfish Pond or Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania. Climbing would have tunes being played in the Trapps part of the Shawangunks in New Paltz New York or Bear Mountain also in New York.
Now I’ve mainly played High C & D Whistles. I understand that you make Low D and Low F Whistles. Even though I’ve never played a Low Whistle, I’d be willing to learn and show it around the state and county parks in New Jersey or Sea Kayak it around Barnegat Bay, the Delaware River, or around the Barrier Islands where no gas engine boats or jet skis are permitted. I would like to learn more about your high quality whistles. Is it possible to have two sound samples of the Low D and Low F Whistles??? Hope you enjoyed my Whistle Story as much as the bats, pack rats, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and birds enjoyed the tunes being played in or under the great outdoors…….
Sincerely,
Douglas M Davis
Posted in: MK MUSIC BLOG, Mk Stories
Tuesday • December 7, 2010 • by Misha
We’ve been working on a new Satin finish model of our current instruments. These are based on exactly the same high-quality crafting and machining of our other instruments, but feature a Satin finish and will be available in our standard colours – Red, Green and Black. For the Low Ds we’re starting these off at – £199. We do currently have Black ones available ahead of the official product launch in 2011 – please get in touch if you like one or tell your friends! – if you’re quick you might just scrape in before last post dates ahead of Christmas! Pictures to follow…
Posted in: Mk developments, MK MUSIC BLOG, the buzz
Tuesday • December 7, 2010 • by Misha
Mk Whistles have been featured in the latest issue of New Design, a magazine dedicated to what’s new and inspiring in the world of design. Read the article, and check out the magazine.
Posted in: MK MUSIC BLOG, the buzz
Friday • November 12, 2010 • by Misha
Firstable, i’m so sorry for my poor english level. I’m french, and i’ll try to speak without to many mistakes.
I play violin since 16 years now in a french music highschool, only classical music in an philarmonic orchestra, and i love it ! However i’ve ever feel bad in this type of institution. A little bit more academic for me who doesn’t want to become professional. One year ago, i push the door of an irish fiddle lesson ! What a Revolution !!! It was absolutely fantastic. How such a musical wealth could stay hidden to my ears for such a long time !!! New way to learn ( no shits , only learn by listening ) , New way to play fiddle , New music , New friends , NEW LIFE ! This summer i was playing fiddle in an irish music session when i’ve meet a whistle make. A very passionnate and fascinating man ! He put a whistle in my hands , and so for the first time i was able to try to play a wind instrument ! Siff thing, the sound was however warm and powerful. I was fallen in love with my new voice. Nowadays, i’m still playing irish music. And i try to share my passion as best as i can by playing in free sessions and folk events ! Maybe one day we’ll meet Around a table and some notes! I would be very honored with it.
Posted in: MK MUSIC BLOG, Mk Stories
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