I am a relative newbie. Just wondering why no one seems to play low whistle at sessions. Is it just a coincidence, or are they considered a flute for those who can’t play the flute, and thus kind of frowned upon? The reason I ask is that my son wants me to get him a low whistle because no one else plays one in the sessions, and he thinks he could learn to play it. He is pretty musically inclined and seems to be able to figure out how to play just about anything.
This Irish music stuff has finally given us something to do together, so I am very thankful for that. He is 16 and wants to hang out with his dad. Is that a miracle or what?
Probably the main thing is that it gets losts in most sessions. Doesn’t seem to be as much volume or cutting edge as flute, and doesn’t cut through as well as a high d whistle. I’m sure some people get to play low whistle in sessions, probably just not as common.
I dunno, I sometimes play my low D in the local session, and if anything, it seems to be welcomed over the high D. The reason I don’t play it very much is because it is quite a bit harder to play at a quick tempo on it, and the stretch makes my fingers and wrists sore.
I’ve heard the “flute for those who can’t play the flute” thing before, but it always struck me as a stupid comparison. They are quite different instruments, with different sounds. Certainly the number of people you see playing both flute and low D whistle suggests they each have their place.
That said, if I could play flute, I think I’d prefer to play it in sessions.
I think it comes down to a few factors…it’s not really a “traditional” instrument, so those guys who hate guitars in session (for the same reason) will frown on low D’s. It’s not really a cheap instrument either..and we know that a lot of whistlers think there’s no use in spending more than $10.00 on a whistle..so spending several times more on a low whistle would go against the grain, so to speak. And I think part of it is that many people in session think that whistlers eventually “Grow up” into flute players. I got exposed to a bit of that attitude myself a few times…so if that’s you’re thinking, you’d naturally move to flute instead of low whistle.
So, I think there’s probalby a lot of reasons why you might not see very many lows in session. That said, in Houston I ran into a guy who only ever played lows when he came to session. I don’t think I ever saw him bring a high to session.
I myself play low D in session, as the mood strikes me. I will play it for just about everything, excepting the absolute fastest reels. I haven’t spent enough time behind the wheel (so to speak) to be as nimble on the low as I am on the high.
I’ve sat a few feet away from a low d player in a moderately noisy pub and couldn’t hear him (Chieftain low d). A shame too, because he’s pretty good. I’d bring one to a house session, but even still, if there are a lot of musicians, the sound will get lost. It only takes one accordian…
Tony
I play my low d in the local slow session, there’s not a whole lot of people so the volume thing isn’t so much an issue. I’d rather play whistle or my pipes, but the mood strikes me every now and then to play low d.
IMO, one reason you don’t see more people playing low d’s in sessions has to do with skill: I find it much more difficult to play sessions tunes up to speed on a low d whistle as opposed to the flute.
An Overton Low whistle will be plenty loud for most sessions, so I don’t see lack of volume as a major factor, I just think most folks don’t have the chops (and wind) to belt out fast jigs and reels on a low d, and those who do probably also play the flute, which is a bit more versatile…
I’ll have to parrot the “too quiet” response. Even a loud one is too quiet. It just doesn’t penetrate the box and fiddle as well as a flute or a high whistle for that matter.
As for the “flute for those who can’t play the flute” comment, (and I play flute instead of low whistle) I do have to agree that in certain hands they are different instruments. I attended a Paddy Keenan concert the other night and in his hands the low whistle is its own instrument.
This is definitely an interesting topic and a wide variety of opinion. In our session, which I can’t possibly play in for quite some time and just go to listen to, we seem to get 3-4 high whistle/flute players, with at least 2 of them always playing flute, 3 fiddlers, a bodhran, a harpist, and a guitarist. So a low whistle might fit in nicely in some cases. I know that I can’t even get a sound to come out of a flute.
Really?? I think the low whistle’s extremely easy to play compaired to the flute. You just blow and finger for gods sake, what could be easier? The flute on the other hand…
To add my 2 cents to the discussion, I have to agree that I haven’t come across a low D that would carry over a larger session. The only time I ever saw a low D in session was in Ireland, at a smaller session in a nice and quiet pub. The whistler had a full set of Overtons and still, he just played the low D for solo pieces, or when he was just accompanied by the bouzuki and the others sat quiet. I also think that the flute is preferable to the low whistle. It’s harder, sure, but a lot more rewarding to play. It’s louder and more versatile. I could make my flute sound almost exactly like a low whistle if I wanted to, but I don’t see the point as long as I can make it sound like a flute
I’ll break out the low D when there is another hi D around. Tuning between two hi Ds is often an issue. But of course they’re not playing at 120bpm. I couldn’t keep up with that on low D (nor hi D, I think).
The session I play in regularly has 2 or 3 Low whistlers. I’ve certainly never heard anybody complain about it not being “traditional”,
(bouzouki, guitar, accordion, banjo etc.- don’t really want to go there). I would certainly agree that the flute is a louder, more versatile instrument but I really enjoy playing low whistle.
Yes, the low whistle is a bit on the quiet side when up against 6 fiddles and various other instruments but even most fiddles don’t “cut through” but rather blend in. I personally don’t want to be heard above everybody else and prefer just to play along and blend in. I’ve started to play a low d MK whistle which really is quite loud and has a good strong sound when played with 1 or 2 fiddles, but even in a big session is loud enough for me to hear.
Well, unless one has unusually large hands, I think most people will find that (given the same amount of practice time on each instrument) playing fast passages is much easer on the flute, due to hand position, hole spacing and hole size issues.
Regarding the blowing part: Obviously embouchure techniqe requires development, but once that’s done, one can play much longer phrases between breaths on a flute than one could on most low whistles.
I agree with Loren that Flute has it on volume and ‘playability’..but…
As regards Low whistle being described as ‘Flute lite’,I’d like to include Finbar Furey as a musician who took up the Low whistle as someone who ‘could’n’t be bothered to learn Flute’,and makes a mighty sound.
I saw Clare Mann at the local Folk club,last Saturday playing ‘D’ and Low ‘Bb’ Flutes (by Chris Wilkes),and also a tunable low ‘D’ whistle (Overton?).
I thought that the Flutes were extraordinary.
My mate preferred the sound of the Whistle.
He plays the Banjo.
Hmm.
At the concert Paddy Keenan told a story about he and Finbar making whistles out of TV antennae and selling them. He said they looked forward to storms for finding discarded antennae.
Cheers Aaron, Paddy told that story when I saw him play Newcastle last october.
He’s certainly no slouch on the low whistle-he played a Grinter ‘F’ (“with a crack in it”) and a low ‘D’ (not sure what it was).
“Flute Lite” ??? I know I didn’t say that, although I think the flute is more versatile. After hearing Brendan Ring’s CD, I don’t think ANYONE would call the low whistle “Flute Lite”
