Dear members, I was looking for a relevant topic but I could not find any so if my point has been previously discussed please copy the link here.
Can you please share your experience on easiest whistles to reach the second octave with the least amount of air pressure? (mostly high D but if you know other keys please share your experience)
I have had a larynx surgery so that I can only play tunes that are mostly on the first octave.
Best,
My experience says Mack Hoover. So soft that i really have to hold back on it wind up exhaling a bunch of stale air when I take a breath.
I must second this. Mack´s yer man. Just tell him what you want and WHY you want it that way.
Bob
I’ve not played a Hoover.
The easiest 2nd octave on a High D that I’ve played is my c1980 MK1 Feadog. It’s incredibly light and sweet, yet retains some character, some patina.
About new High D whistles, the two I’ve played which came closest (very close indeed) are a Sindt and my earlier-model Killarney.
A couple years later I bought a second Killarney High D which has a rather stiffer 2nd octave.
The caveat to the above is that I’ve only considered whistles which also have a solid low octave.
Of course it’s not difficult to make a whistle with a super-sweet 2nd octave and a feeble low octave, but I’m not interested in playing those.
The (Timothy) Potter is probably well suited for your situation, if you can find one (they seem to have been out of stock for a bit). No harm in contacting him anyway.
My Mack Hoover whistle is the easiest 2nd octave whistle in my small collection.
My Timothy Potter is also up there. Dixons are also pretty good, and much easier to get.
More thoughts:
The more I think about it, most of my whistles can hit the 2nd octave easily enough. It just took time learning how to play and control my airflow. The only one that I find to be difficult is a large bore PVC whistle that I haven’t played in a couple of years (although it may have gotten easier too…).
For me the real question is how far up the second octave I can go - d, e and f are usually no issue, it’s hitting g and higher that is hard for me. Again, the Mack Hoover stands out as the easiest whistle I have to play.
Don’t know if they are the absolute easiest D whistle to reach and play the second octave, but of my own whistles that I find that do that easier than the rest, and also are easily available, are my recent production Kilarney D, Freeman Blackbird, and O Briain Improved Tin Whistle. I don’t know the degree of ease that the OP wants to achieve a very easy 2nd octave, but the above whistles stand out of my own whistles for that purpose. Especially the Kilarney, for a super sweet tone.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
If you wish I would be delighted to know your same exoerience but for low whistles.
I generally avoid easy overblowing whistles, but the Reyburn Aluminum low G is probobly what you are going for. Small bore, easy second octave, cant take a lot of push in the first octave.
I’ve seen people who dont like harder overblowing whistles like the Howard low D. Hopefully a Howard player can confirm this.
Goldie low D softblower has an easier second octave than the MK low D. IDK if it counts as easy over blowing or if its in the lower middle. The low end can take a similar push, but the second octave is easier to hit. With Mk being right in the middle of not too hard but can still take some push with a solid low end. My Reyburn low D takes noticeably more push than the MK so I dub that ‘harder overblowing’ than most. Which you definitely wouldn’t want, I’m just saying what I’m comparing my others to.
Of the whistles I’ve played, the very small bore Susato Kildare is far and away the easiest second and third octave whistle I’ve played. Not even remotely shrill in upper end of range.
Crystal clear tone. Tunable. Great intonation.
I’d agree with a few of the posters above about Killarney’s. I’ve got 2 high D’s, a C and a Bb and all three of them have been very smooth and easy to play 2nd octaves, the D’s even up to 3rd high D without much effort. I’ve got a couple of Parks whistles as well that I’ve had no issue consistently playing up to the high B without a lot of pressure as well. Would definitely recommend both makers
I’m going to have to second the Jerry Freeman Blackbird. I find that it really doesn’t require you to push a lot of air through it. It has a very pure tone and is pretty nimble. I have to admit that I haven’t ever played a Killarney so I can’t comment on it in comparison. Maybe someone that has both can say?