Yes, it just came in, the Overton Big Hole Low D from the recent sale posted on the board.
First, I love it. When I can get a note, its beautiful (havent had a chance to check tuning, though). But I’m havin huge problems because all the crazy swordfighting in my younger days has mangled my hands and makes it hard for me to maintain the finger-spread and constant and solid pressure necessary to hold the whistle and cover all the holes. If you guys thought you had it bad learning the Low Whistle, try it with major arthritis.
I’ve been experimenting with putting a rolled up towel between the whistle and my chest to allow me an extra surface so I can press my fingers on the holes without having to use counterpressure with my thumbs. To my surprise, it works like a champ. Without it, I cant get a note. With it, I’ve hit all the notes except low D with only five minutes experimentation, and I can also kinda bollux up a few of the tunes I know on the soprano D.
Im already designing a special “Bad Hands” attachment that would strap to the whistle with a neck strap to make it easier to play Csharp with all open holes, since im not holding the whistle with my thumbs.
I havent read any of the available books on low whistles. Has anyone also done something like this to help their playing on the Low Whistle, or is my idea something new? Im curious.
Gotta go now. The guys down in R&D need another case of Mountain Dew.
Dazed,
I removed the post on Susato thumb rest and laminated a strip of velcro in its place which wraps around my right hand thumb.This is a realy good support method for my Susato and allows for easy `all fingers off the barrel´ playing, but a larger size would be necessary for your overton.The velcro I used is from a set of D´andrea guitar cable ties.A neck support sounds like a great idea. peace, Mike
My suggestion for your problem is to sell the darn thing to me. By the time I saw it, it was already gone. Just a thought in my quest to be helpful with your problem.
I love my BHD Overton. I don’t know what to tell you though. I was blessed with large hands and long fingers so I have no problem at all. Sorry you didn’t need to hear that. You are using the piper grip right? Angle your fingers down keeping them straight. When I do this the F is under my second joint and the bell note D is under the tip or end of my ring finger. Keep angleing your fingers untill they sprawl across the holes, don’t worry what part of the finger covers the hole. You need to find a way to hold the whistle that doesn’t require you to have to squeeze it. Very little finger pressure is required, alot less then you would think. You can still keep fingers on the lower three holes when you play the open C# this throws the tune out a tiny tiny bit, not noticible if your running through the note. If your hanginging on the C# just keep your ring finger on the D and hold it there.
I hope you are able to work through the problems. Good luck!!
When I was at the “I’ll try anything” stage of trying to play guitar at the level I was accustomed to despite the nerve damage in my wrist, the biomed engineer I went to told me about a support he devised for an oboist in the Cleveland Orchestra. Basically, it was a post that stretched from the base of his sternum to the middle of the oboe. The post was stabilized at the chest end by a belt around the chest. With this post and a strap around the neck he was able to continue playing despite crippling arthritis in his thumbs. Maybe you can modify this to meet your needs, at least for practice sessions.
Thanks everyone. Good and helpful comments all (except perhaps you, Jim)
I spent the afternoon in the park with the Overton, and discovered a few things:
Pipers Grip. Yes I laughed when I read that suggestion because thats basically what I came up with, but for me I need to use my fingertips for the lower three holes.
Bony Fingers. Well, not only am I arthritic, but I’ve got the skinniest, boniest fingers in all of Whistlery. I guess thats why I was pressing so hard when I first started, trying to get adequate hole coverage to sound the notes. Dont laugh, but I’m about to get in my car to go to Sports Connection to see if I can find some neoprene scuba gloves…with those, I may have enough coverage on the holes.
Chest support. Yeah, I wondered if one of these had been devised for another instrument. Surprisingly, Ive made a lot of progress in only one day, so I may check out the glove option first and see if that covers it.
If not, I may have to contrive somethign to strap to the whistle…I’ll probably end up looking like one of those dudes from Hellraiser by the time its done…“My whistling will Tear Your Soul Apaaart!!!”
P.S. Jim, uh, thanks for the helpful suggestion that I sell you the Overton, but not only is this whistle totally cool, its also totally hefty, and using it to puree the cranium of anyone who even suggests that I give it up would be, well, a justifiable reflex action.
Hang in there and don’t give up, your ablilty will improve in time.
Fortunately I don’t suffer from arthritis, but I have very small hands for a man.
When I got my first low D (Dixon) I was sure I’d never be able to play it, but eventually I could.
Then I bought my big hole Overton and once again thought I’d never be able to play it, but I can manage it fairly well now.
I can’t play fast tunes yet and I may never be able to, but I prefer slower tunes on low whistles anyway.
Good luck to you, and please post a tune to Clips & Snips when you’re able… I’m looking forward to hearing another happy owner of a big hole Overton low D.
You know, Im actually quite amazed with how much progress Ive made with this today. At first I was sure I’d never succeeed with this.
I have worked out probably the most extreme pipers grip anyone has ever seen, but it seems to work. Now I need to rig some kind of thumb strap like Mike mentioned. Im having trouble getting used to covering the lowerholes for C#, so some kind of support is gonna help a lot.
So after working out this bizzarre finger stance, I can actually bumble my way through the Galway Hornpipe and the Milltown Jig. And thats without funny neoprene gloves! I will go to a dive shop tomorrow with my whistle, but I suspect that while the gloves will give me more hole coverage, the loss ofsensiitivity will make it too difficult to play with the gloves on.
So looks like I just gotta keep at it and play through the pain (who ever thought whistling would sound macho). But at least now I dont have to exert so much pressure. Thanks for all your support.
Is it my imagination,
or is it just that this is my first low whistle,
or is it that this is an Overton…
but DAMN, THIS WHISTLE ROCKS!!
When I can get the fingering solid I get a really nice bell tone, and all of the lower octave notes have a wonderful, deep resonance. What fun!
With all the good suggestions you received, I have no doubt that as you hang in there your rewards will be many. My suggestion was just in case all else failed. I didn’t want you to get discouraged that there were not enough “answers”. I have many ideas; my friends tell me that once in every blue moon or so I have a good idea.
enjoy your whistle and my other suggestion is be gentle with yourself and practice in small increments of time to begin with. That has helped me as I’ve been trying to learn the flute.
Naw, Jim, dont take me serious, I was only ribbin ya. I can be a dementedly determined guy when it comes to pursuing goals…its the only way I could ever have learned to play the French Horn.
All of your suggestions were great. I actually just got back from my local pub, and was pleased to have been able to have play the BHD a bit tonight…actually hitting the right notes…as a whistling punter lurking in the back, shadowing the evening’s live band. Got a long way to go, though.
Sigh. I just got this today, and now I see Paul’s gorgeous wooden whistles can be had for $175.00…does it ever stop???
If you’re wanting to use a Susato thumbrest to rig up your velcro dealie (as Mike did), they likely have one to fit. I’ve put one on my Burke low D, and it wasn’t the largest size. I got their seven-pack; Thom at the Whistle Shop would be likely be willing to order you the correct size if you send him the whistle’s diameter. (Of course, to be worth the shipping cost, you’ll probably have to order something else. ) Susato themselves might also be able to work off the whistle diameter.
Tremendous that you’re making such great strides. It’s great fun!
peace, Mike