I was goofing about on my brass Gen Bb and found I could play a really nice 3rd octave bell note. I didn’t want to fool with going any higher. Has anybody tried this? Any special finger patterns?
Cheers,
Aaron
I don’t get it.
If a whistle is said to play 2 octaves, that includes a 3rd fundamental.
For fingering, it better be oxx xxx, or half-holed øxx xxx rather than xxx xxx where a slight underblow may bring a 3rd register a’’ (D whistle convention) in-between d" and d’‘’.
Most whistles can get into the 3rd octave at least a little ways.
Here’s some fingerings to try:
high D:
(o x x | o o o)
(o x x | o o x)
(o x x | x x x)
high E:
(x x o | x x o)
(x x o | o x x)
(x x o | o x o)
high F#:
(x o x | x x x)
high G:
(x o x | o o o)
high A:
(o x x | x x o)
This is usually how high you can go on a whistle without causing an effect a bit like a singularity in the space-time continuum. 
–James
I have a Hoover Bb whistle (3/4" aluminum tube, whitecap mouthpiece) which I heartily recommend to one and all. This is a very nice whistle in every respect, at a very reasonable price.
The reason I got the Hoover was to replace the only Bb whistle I had, a Gen. I had just learned Deanta’s “The Wee Rabbit” and that tune requires you to access the third octave quickly and cleanly. This I can now do.
One characteristic of the Hoover that you have to be aware of is that you can’t leave your right ring finger on the bottom hole for balance–that will have an adverse effect on tone and pitch. for example, if you were to go to the third octave with any of the suggested fingerings and then come down to a “C#” ( o o o | o o o ) you have to concentrate a bit so as not to lose your hold on the whistle.
Here’s another possible–and quite practical–fingering for the first note in the third octave:
x x x | o o o
This needs to be overblown to get to the third octave, but it works surprisingly well on a lot of whistles–very clean and in tune. Once you get used to it, it can be very convenient to use. I find it helps in the situation I outline above.
Oops–quick clarification. The deal with the “C#” I was talking about (A on a Bb, I guess) only applies to the “C#” right under the third octave. The far, far more common “C#” note in the middle range, hinging the 1st and 2nd octaves, so to speak, is not affected in the least when you use a “balance finger,” whether ring or middle.
Depending on which whistle I play, these are the fingerings I use for top D (tonguing needed):
OXX OOO
OXX OOX
OXX OXO
OXX XOO
One of these 4 fingerings is in tune with all the whistles I play (in public).
I tried some of the fingerings and had the best results with oxxxxx for third octave Bb, then xxoxxo for C and xoxxxx for D and had little success for anything higher. I haven’t tried these one a D whistle… not sure if playing that high on a D whistle appeals to me.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Cheers,
Aaron
Hmm.. that is flat on my Generation.
OXX OOX is the best on my B flat Generation.
On a second try oxxoox is better.
Thanks, Phil.
Cheers,
Aaron