Maybe it’s the tendinitis flaring up with the cooler and damp weather, but lately I haven’t been able to play the Generation Bb well at all. Getting the B3 finger to seal the hole consistently has been a big challenge. Does anyone else have trouble with the stretch on a Bb, especially between B2 and B3?
That’s strange. Sometimes I have to get used to the B2-B3 stretch of the Bb Gen for a few bars, but only after excessive high whistle playing; and I have rather small hands. Just for fun, I tried to use the piper’s grip on it… no way!
I would humbly suggest that learning to play using the Super Duper EZ grip is a skill every whistle player should eventually embrace. It allows most individuals to enjoy playing whistles in all those lovely lower keys. I would encourage you both to “come to grips” with it.
We all have different hands. So we all have a different stretch and some of us are more flexible than others. Young-uns! 
Where we each find ourselves going to the flat fingered style will vary somewhat from person to person. I can play Bb using standard finger technique but find myself picking up the Bb using a half-and half grip frequently without even thinking about it. I use standard fingering technique with the top hand and piper fingering for the lower hand. I frequently play the low A like that too. Low G and below I use the full flat fingered EZ grip.
I do have arthritis in the hands, especially in the index fingers. The flat finger approach really eases the tension.
Give it a try. It may take a little while to become comfortable but in the long run it may be your most comfortable solution.
Feadoggie
Will give the Super Duper EZ Grip a try. Thanks. 
My 12 year old started playing his Bb (Generation, Freeman tweaked) when he was 10 or 11. (Ooops, he’ll kill me. He just turned 13. How did I forget this? Denial, I suppose.)
Anyway, he said it was “weird” for about, oh, a day or two. Then it became normal. He does have his fingers in a semi-pipers grip… but not to the extent he does while playing pipes. I use it too. Couldn’t do it without. There is no “stretch” this way at all. He even uses it to a small extent with his C whistle… & of course a greater extent on his low A. (I don’t have a video of him on the Bb, but I do on the C, if you want a link.) Of couse, since starting the pipes, I think he even does it on the high D. The point is, it’s very likely both of our hands are smaller than yours.
What is this Super Duper EZ Grip? Can someone clue a newbie in? I tried searching, but I just find references to it but not an explanation.
Just an aside: it may not be the bottom hole that is not sealing well. It’s possible that what’s happening is that the finger on B2 is slipping slightly when you stretch for that bottom hole, and that in fact it’s the larger B2 hole that is coming unstuck. As it were.
I had problems with my Generation Bb when I first bought it, loved the mellow tones but couldn’t get the bottom hole(s) to seal reliably. Then I made a “pvc-tube” flute in D which, for what ever reason, I decided to persevere with then, when I went back to the Bb generation after a few months, the holes seemed closer together 
My point being, size of the hands probably has less to do with it than long-term practice loosening the finger-joints and knuckles, much like one might do stretching exercises to widen one’s span for guitar or piano. I do have minor damage to the index finger on both hands, so my grip on anything can be a bit skewed on occaision, so YMMV 
Tried the Super Duper EZ Grip for about a half hour with the Generation Bb last night. Much better! It helped get both hands in a more comfortable position.
So with me being 40 years old… add at few days, at least.
It’s piper’s grip. I’d provide links for ya, but I’m still workin’ on the 1st cup of coffee and the brain and fingers aren’t warmed up yet.
It might be both. I think B2 was slipping and B3 isn’t stretching far enough. It’s definitely the case with the alto whistles. Can’t even make a good seal on the top 3 holes of the Bb. I’ll probably shelve the altos until next spring.
Yeah, I know. I’m a bass player and can stretch pretty far, especially with my crooked fingers. The right hand not so much though. Still, the large holes of the altos I made are probably too large no matter what. There’s plenty of pipe left, but not much time. Will have to check things out with the whistle calculator and see what kind of compromise can be made.
Thanks Mr. Ed. That’s what I assumed when I first came across it, but sometimes the way it is mentioned with piper’s grip made me think they were two different techniques.
I have a similar issue with the Gen Bb, but I figured my inexperience was mostly to blame.
the large holes of the altos I made are probably too large no matter what.
… there’s a significant amount of leeway available if one is prepared to compromise a bit between overall range of the instrument and overall volume … that is to say, using some smaller holes can allow the “shifting” of the holes up the tube, making for less of a reach, but at the possible cost of reduced volume. As a “for example”, a couple of 17mm id plastic tubes I drilled, each playing in high-D, each using the same whistle-head with a coupler, the “loud” one has it’s 8mm bottom hole 204mm from the windway, the “quieter” one has it’s 3mm bottom hole 186mm from the windway. These are extremes, no doubt a compromise exists, but both tubes play in key, though the non-scale accidentals require different cross-fingering (the small-hole tube responds better to cross-fingering than the other, which really needs half-holing for many off-key notes). Do note, at 17mm bore for a high-D whistle, the upper octave is inevitably limited … as I said, these numbers are extremes, but they do serve to demonstrate the potential range of variation available which will end up with a playable instrument
Please excuse my ignorance on the Super Duper EZ grip, everyone! I tried the “complete” piper’s grip, it just felt like too much finger on too little whistle. But of course, there are shades and variations, which I didn’t think of. Using it only with the right hand is indeed very comfortable, actually I’m thinking of adapting to this.
You’re welcome.
Not sure why, I thought the piper’s grip was only for low whistles, but, whatever works. The Gen Bb is getting more nickel worn off it so I’m happy! I can feel the “sweet spot” when pivoting the hand now. Very comfortable.
Are you using it on a high D?
Well, actually on a high G whistle …
No, I’m also just talking about the Bb Generation. Also, alto Bb is the lowest key I have as a whistle, usually I only use the piper’s grip on my low D flute. Maybe Bb is something of an edge case…?
I thought of getting/making low whistles, but now I’m not so sure. The altos all have holes too big for my fingers, so back to the drawing board.
I’m very happy with the Gen Bb, and haven’t made one yet that even comes close to how good that sounds. And having to use the Super Duper EZ Grip on a soprano makes me wonder if a low would be a waste of time/pipe. Super Duper EZ Grip is a good name for it, I’m getting used to it faster than expected.
I found this was my biggest problem with my Gen B-flat.
FWIW, I too use the “mixed” grip-- regular on the left hand and piper’s on the right. My hands are pretty small. I’ve gotten used to it and do it automatically now.
Whoever 1st called it the Super Duper EZ Grip was right on. My fingers are thankful for it, and the nickel plating around the holes on the Generation Bb is gonna wear off much faster now.
It’s actually not that uncommon for traditional players to use “pipers” or Super EZ grip on all whistles including high D. I wish I could remember the name of the Irish band who played in a PBS TV special this past Xmas. Something like A Celtic Holiday or similar was the name of the special. They had two “piper” who alternated between all sorts of pipes and whistles, both using pipers grip on every instrument.
I don’t - but it makes sense to me and had I not started out on tenor re*%&der I might have gone that route as well.
ecohawk
A very slight piper’s grip on the high D was pretty comfortable too, the little bit I tried it. With tendinitis in both wrists and a recurring ganglion cyst in one… more relaxed wrist angles/positions are always appreciated.