Hello! My name is Helen and I’ve been trying to learn how to play the whistle for a little while now. My first whistle is a feadog I bought from Hawkins Bazaar, complete with a small tutor book, for about fifteen quid.
It’s brass coloured with a green plastic mouth piece, and also sounds quite brassy. I really have to blow hard to achieve a clarity on the high notes, and find it impossible to achieve a high B (top hole closed, blowing really hard - I think it’s a B…worries). A high A is struggled for, but anything lower sounds good (to me, at least )
Anyways, I bought a Clarke Meg in Hawkins Bazaar just today, for £2.99 - what a bargain, I thought! I’d just read Dale’s review of the Meg on his site last night and was slightly wary of buying it, but I’ve got WOAH - so I had to have it (along with the blinged up black and gold-diamond Clarke I bought off the net last night…)
I got it home and started to play it. I have to admit, I was very pleasantly surprised. I think the Meg is made from tin or something - light and metallic, though not brassy in any way like my feadog. It sounds low and breathy, much like a recorder, and has become an instant companion for my feadog.
However, when I tried to reach the higher octaves, it struck serious problems. It won’t play a high A or B - just plain refuses, and the local cats are starting to avoid my house (which is no bad thing).
Anyway - this rambling post does, actually, have a point and a conclusion. I was hoping to pick the group members vast intellect and ask if they knew what types of whistles held properly to make sweet, true high A’s and B’s?
Not a large part of the vast intellect here, but I can certainly tell you this… no matter what whistle, practice is what will help with that.
Practicing scales from lowest to highest, intervals and patterns will help you develope control over the changes from one octave to the other, and help you learn to control the tone in the upper octave more precisely.
Yes, certain whistles are a little more easy to get nice tone from, but the fact is that even the best will only sound really good after you learn those things.
Just keep plugging away at it, ignore the cats’ criticism, and have fun. Play while you surf the net, read, watch TV, while someone else is driving… anytime you can get away with it. It’s cheaper, and in the long run, more effective than buying the high priced spread early into the game.
I was playing a tune I think is called ‘Cooks in the Kitchen’ with my new Meg as I was waiting for a reply (which includes the high A note) and I realised part of my problem was that I wasn’t keeping the hole completley covered. That, and not blowing hard enough
The high As and Bs are the toughest to hit. You need a whistle that can handle it and it takes practice with those notes. Practicing scales that make sure they include those notes is worth it, despite the fact that cats, dogs, and spouses will howl!
I usually practice them in the car, WHILE STOPPED, with one hand.
I still run into that ‘not keeping the hole completely covered’ problem when I switch from one whistle to another. One other thing I’ve learned is that blowing harder isn’t always the way to get the hard note, but increasing the pressure within the mouth - sort of a tightening of the lips, cheeks, etc, rather than forcing more air, increasing the velocity of the air… cuts down on the shrillness of the note while actually getting it out of the whistle… hope that helps.
Even “knowing” how to do it right, from advice and example, sometimes it doesn’t really become clear until you finally get to the point where it proves itself by happening for you… epiphany in playing… feels reallllly good.
As a beginner, I have found changing whistles to be quite hard. I only have three and each seemed to be in a completely different family of instruments when I first tried each one! I’m sure more advanced people can switch more readily. But I’ve certainly had the experience with both high and low notes that they just plain refused to do it at first. You slap 'em around a bit to show who’s boss…no, no, just kidding. The whistle is the boss and you can eventually figure out what it is trying to get you to do.
Messing around with things like this was very helpful to me. Thing is, I once looked in the mirror while I was playing and I looked very strange with my cheeks and lips all weirdly contorted. I guess you just shouldn’t look in the mirror.
I wonder if you’re not attempting to play in the 2nd and 3rd octaves (instead of 1st and 2nd). Most of the cheaper whistles (including the ones you have) are very easy to hit the high notes on. High A and B are a bit tougher on most whistles, but really not too tough on the cheaper whistles.
Yup… mirrors are not our friends while we’re playing whistle - practicing, maybe, but not while we are playing … and photographers have to be dealt with severely as well.
I play Original Clarkes and Clarke Megs. I haven’t had any problems with those whistles… The only other time I’ve had, was when I was first learning the whistle.. OR, when my fipple was soaked excessively… Other then that, no problems with either whistles. So if you’re still new to the whistle, maybe thats the problem. Maybe. It could also be the whistle.
I’d go ahead and buy a Clarke Original (the ones with the wood fipple) as aiglos celt said, and practice on one of them. Then try the meg after you’ve gotten some good practicing down on the Original. I don’t know, but for me, my first whistle was a Clarke Original with the wood fipple. And I played that whistle day in and day out for 8 months straight. When I
first was learning, I squaked alot on those upper notes. A, B, C, and D. After a little while, the squaking went away. Eventually, you just know by instinct as to how much air is needed to make the note. I do it now without even thinking of how hard or soft I blow. It comes with time.
You may also find, (if you haven’t already played a whistle with a wood fipple) that whistles with a wood fipple take more air than those with plastic fipples. You’ll also find, that whistles with plastic fipples from different makers, can be more or less sensitive to air pressure as you go up and down the scale. For example, my cousin’s Oak D whistle, is more sensitive than my Clarke Meg D whistles. So, just something to think about. Just keep up the practicing, and you’ll get better in time.
In my experience, I love Clarkes. Both Meg (at least the D, the C seems out of tune…) and the Clarke Original whistles. They’re good whistles for the money. (in-expensive) The Clark Original C whistle reminds me of an Irish flute, and I kinda like that tone for some tunes. But just experiment around, and see what suits your tastes. Happy whistling!
I found the Feadog that comes with the booklet to hard to play in the upper octave. Even now, after playing for a couple of years, I still pull it out and it plays hard. I do not think it’s a good beginner whistle.
I think a Sweetone is a good beginner wistle. It plays easy all the way up.
I’d have to agree with FJohnSharp on the Feadogs.. I bought one from a Highland Games here in Mesa, and it’s not the greatest sounding whistle. Mine’s playable, but that whistle wouldn’t be my first choice for playing in front of an audience..
If you are sure you are going to stick with the whistle, and you can afford to buy a better quality whistle, do. But do not fall for the idea that just having a good whistle will make you a good player.
It is no fun trying to play well if the whistle you are using is not at all good, and with cheapies, it’s a bit of a dice roll. Some of them are just fine, but certainly not all. You’ll get differing opinions on which ones are better.
My recommendation (besides the simple refrain of “practice, practice, practice”) would be to get a Jerry Freeman Tweeked whistle - particularly the Mellow Dog. They are still in the inexpensive range at less than $40, but high on playability. Then you can be sure that the problems are not with the whistle, and you can get on with figuring out if you really are going to play enough to warrent getting into the higher priced ones.
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Other then that, no problems with either whistles. So if you’re still new to the whistle, maybe thats the problem. Maybe. It could also be the whistle.