Hope this isn’t a dumb question, but I’m new to this whistling stuff…I occasionally see whistle sheet music with notes below the low D on the scale (i.e., C, B, etc.). I’ve looked at several fingering charts but can’t find anything that shows how to play these very low notes. How do I do that?
Short answer.
You don’t.
There’s nothing lower than a D in a D whistle. The usual approach is to play the offending c or b up an octave.
Regards,
jb
Or replace the C with an E and the B with a D or F# (try and see what sounds best to you)
The only way to do this is to have a Bb whistle handy, and at the instant you need to play such a note, put down your D,pick up the Bb and play the B or C ( the C will have to be half holed BTW). Then quickly switch back to the D whistle. This can get a bit tricky if the note appears several times…
Only kidding. In addition to the suggestions for substituting other notes, sometimes you can leave the offending note out entirely and in a session nobody will notice it at all. Good place to take a breath in a fast tune…
Hi Susfnx,
Welcome to the Board!
It’ll probably be fiddle music you’re looking at. Fiddles (and Mandolins) can go down 4 more notes to G on the bottom string(s).
There’s a recent thread/review I’ve just looked at of a 7 hole whistle, just so you can get a C on your D whistle for those awkward tunes.
Doesn’t anyone else ever do the ‘base of the whistle against the leg’ trick to fake a C#? It isn’t perfect, but its like bending that D down a bit. I can’t do it to a fast reel or anything, but its neat and moody when that last note dips a bit lower, then comes back up to the D.
If you have fairly nimble fingers, you can also wrap the little finger of your right hand around to half-cover the end of the whistle to play that low C#.
Using the same technique on an Original Clarke D whistle, if you completely seal the end of the whistle with the little finger of your right hand and blow softly, you can play a low G (below the lowest D of the whistle). Blowing a little harder with your fingers in this position produces a pretty good A# (in the regular 1st octave of the whistle). Blowing still harder produces a high F# (but not a good one - it's kind of half way between F# and G). Blowing still harder produces a high Cnatural.
[ This Message was edited by: thomlarson on 2002-03-11 23:35 ]
I use an A whistle anytime I need to go lower then the D. The A whistle plays easly in D so it works out perfect.
Another possibility would be bell notes.
Bell notes require as mentioned in a previous message of sealing the end of the whistle to your pants leg and with the combination of appropriate fingering you get notes that you never had before.
Running and Ducking - This techinque is used by Recorder Players.
Bell notes however usually help more on the upper octave, some early 20th century Recorders actually have a bell key that closes the bell for you. Dolmetsche makes such an animal. I’ve not seen it employes on whistles yet.