I would like to see here a central repository for links and comments about how to obtain 3rd octave notes on whistles. As there will be enough differences between different brands and keys of whistles, lets just keep this topic about whistles (and not flutes, which have their own variegated idiosyncrasies and deserve a separate topic).
When you post your own observations, it would be nice if you could state the type of whistle that contributed to your conclusions etc.
This is not a joke (not yet anyway!). Thank you for your gracious attention to this sincere invitation.
Here are the fingerings I use. I don’t go into the 3rd octave often, but these work on Burke and Hoover whistles. I have also on occasion used them for Oak, Generation, and Susato. There are two to try for some of these; try both and see which one works better for you. (Use hearing protection please!)
Starting with 3rd octave D and going up:
D ( o x x | o o o ) or ( o x x | x x x )
E ( x x o | x x o ) or ( x x o | o x x )
F# ( x o x | x x x )
G ( x o x | o o o )
A ( o x x | x x o )
There are theoretical fingerings about these, but who would want to?
By the way, I’m not kidding about the hearing protection. Consider yourself warned.
–James
P.S. These will also work as listed on keyless flutes.
I play most tunes in A whistle(Sindt/Reyburn hybrid) so a part of 3rd octave is fatally important. Why I needed Reyburn’s new tube was that I had to take this issue into consideration. I needed to get good G natural on 2nd octave with much less efforts,etc.,…
The highest note on most ITM tunes is B(H). This note of course belongs to 2nd octave on D whistles. But it’s 3rd octave on A whistles.
Above the 3rd octave B,I cant get good coloured comfortable tone on A whistle. At least I dont have that confidence and I will not get the tones in the future even when I get far better breathing.This is what was expected from the start so naturally I will abandon the other tunes or I will transpose them.
Now It’s time to know the players who play ITM in that silly manner and need to learn more from those sounds and experiences.I seriously need to develop my technique more! Does anyone have that sort of info?
P.S.Considering 3rd octave,Sindt As are very good at the cost of the less fascinating first parts of 1st octave.
