Dear All: I’m new to this forum & new to whistle-playing–I bought a “Biadog” whistle at a music store in Dingle, Co. Kerry 4/20/04. (I remember it because it was my birthday.) Now I’m studying from Geraldine Cotter’s book & like it. My first whistle was a “D” & of course can play in “G” easily.
I have a key-of-C Clarke’s whistle on order. I have more than 50 years experience, can read & write music, sing in two choirs (& play both 6-string & 12-string acoustic guitars quite well).
Now that you know something about my background, you’ll understand the question better. Is it possible to play accidentals on “C” & “D” whistles? Is it easy? Can any reader recommend websites or books that help with this?
Many thanks …
Welcome aboard!
Sure, you can play chromatically on whistles – it takes some practice, but folks do it all the time. The most common method is simply half-covering or uncovering the offending tonehole, although in some cases you can “cross-finger” as well. Your results will vary, of course, and some experimentation will probably be required. I don’t have the link to the fingering chart at hand (just got a new computer so all my bookmarks are gone), but a search on this site or chiffandfipple.com should land you a chart in no time. In fact, the book that comes with your Clarke will probably have one …
Anyway, good luck!
For the half hole method to get a half step lower cover half of the next hole it is that simple. Here is a link for a fingering chart with all the cross fingerings http://www.irishflutes.net/mef/Fingerings.htm the Clarke won’t have all the cross fingerings I have a Clarke (D my second best whistle) also. 