I recently bought the above whistle at a music shop in Manchester. To be honest it was the only decent one they had in stock at the time, so I thought I would treat myself.I find the lower octave very nice and even, but I seem to struggle with the upper octave.Being new to the instrument I also seem to get a lot of moisture, could this be due to how I am playing it.I would be grateful if anyone who has played this model could give me some playing tips.
Thankyou
The upper octave is usually the harder for new players. Breath control comes with time, and (inconcievable as it feels now) will become second nature after a while.
Wet mouth is trouble we all have to some extent - on the main C & F site there are a number of strategies listed to help prevent moisture from condensing in the whistle. Other hints: Swallow as much as you can before you start playing. Put the mouthpiece no further in than necessary (helps me a bit). Pause every 2 or 3 tunes to shake out your whistle. Warm the whistle up before playing (if the room is cool). Don’t eat just before playing (especially anything with a lingering taste). Avoiding areas with a strong, savory aroma (like near the kitchen when dinner’s cooking) might help.
Also, I don’t know about the Kerry Songbird specifically, but many of the high-end whistles take a bit more control than their less expensive counterparts - just as a reality check (and to start you on the path to WhOA) you might want to buy an easy-to-play cheap whistle (Clarke Sweetones or Meg, maybe - they’re pretty consistant). I love my more “professional” whistles for their tone and predictability, but they do require more attention to technique to sound their best. Whistles like the Sweetone are much more forgiving, especially in the upper octave.
My two dollars worth -
Dana
Although I play several Chieftain and Kerry whistles I haven’t had the chance to play the songbird. I have heard from a very reliable source that the songbird does have clogging issues.
Shouldn’t that be “from a VERY RELIABLE source”?
No, that should be a… very “reliable” PROFESSIONAL source.