My Experience of the Dixon Three-Piece Low D

Whistle
1

At least one person wants to know more, and I have had large amounts of help on this forum, so I will say a bit more about this whistle, and hope it is of use.

Disclaimer:

I do not have much experience of whistles - I have only ever played three low-D whistles including this one from Tony Dixon. Maybe if you all sent me your favourite whistles I could do a more balanced comparison. My other whistles are an Overton medium blower and a cheiftain (which I hardly ever play now - it will soon be looking for a new home).

I am still a beginner (maybe I have got that far…) so what I say must be taken with a pinch of salt, and I am not sure what terms like ‘breathy’, ‘chiff’ and so forth really mean. So my review may be completely useless. Whatever I say, please do not let my review put you off buying one of these whistles.

To business:

I think this is an excellent whistle. Comparing it with the Overton seems unfair as they are different animals entirely, but that seems the only way I can make sensible comments that others may understand.

It is quiet and easy to blow, but the air requirements do not increase as dramatically with pitch as my Cheiftain. The high notes are easy to play sweetly and I am flirting with the third D, and even sneaking up on the third E - though the dogs are still uneasy at the results. Everywhere the note sounds lighter, cleaner, and, though I really want to resist saying it, more flute like.

The octaves jumps seam easy, clean and controlable, but occur maybe a little early to get good volume out of the lowest notes. The volume is well balanced across the range, but significantly lower than the Overton, and I have not been able to exert much control over the volume. This is probably because the back pressure is lower.

As an experiment I got my better half to try the whistle. She is no musician, and mostly refuses to try, but she got some good clear notes at the top of the first octave and at the bottom of the second octave. Had I got those when starting I would have been well pleased.

The finger holes are relatively small - which meant that I missed them a lot when starting, and also that bending notes was a bit tricky. Time, practice and patience seem to be sorting these problems out.

My better half prefers me playing the Dixon - she says I hardly ever hit a bad note compared to the Overton - I wonder though how much the lower volume contributes?

I still prefer the tone and the back pressure of the Overton though it is harder to play and in my hands still generates more squeaks and squarks. I find however that I pick the Dixon up more often - it takes less warming up, and is probably a better match for my skill level.

The Dixon is very practical. I was given a whistle head, a flute head, and the two sections of the body, all in a really neat cordura case with velcro down flap. The most portable low D I have seen, and it is the most likely to travel with me (if I am only allowed one whistle).

I like the Dixon whistle a lot, it has become my go-to-first whistle. I may outgrow it as I get more proficient on the Overton, but only time will tell. I still occasionally try the flute head, but as yet have not got anything remotely musical. I think I saw comment on the sister forum that the Dixon three piece flute was a good choice for a beginner - so this pack would make an excellent starter set for someone interested in both.

I hope someone finds the ramblings useful.

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Thanks for sharing, Drphill! I like how you included what your listener thought about which whistle was more pleasant to listen to.

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Thank you for the review, Phill. When you say that the Dixon jumps to the higher octave before getting good volume with the lower notes, do you mean that it breaks octaves too easily ? This was the main problem I had with a Dixon cylindrical low D : I was almost unable to play the low octave well because often, even if I did not want to, the whistle was jumping to the higher octave, especially with the D and E notes.
Thanks.

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The phrase “too easily” leads to subjective answers. What you reckon as too easy might be acceptable to me. Not because I am a better player than you - almost certainly not, but because I play slower or perhaps less challenging pieces.

My slower tunes give me ample time to choose the octave. I could imagine it being a little more difficult to choose the octave when playing faster, but that is probably BAU.

I can play reasonably well controlled octave jumps (or at least the failings are mine not the whistles). When I want the first octave D I can hit it pretty reliably from any other note (though the further away I start the harder it is), when I want the second octave d, it is there happily waiting for me - and I am one of those that does not usually lift t1 for the second octave d. Same for first and second octave e.

I am not sure I am being of help here…

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Phill, you have a Chieftain and an Overton which are generally considered middle blowers.
I had the opportunity to play both these whistles and I had no issues about jumping the octaves.
I wonder how much the 3 pieces Dixon low D is "easier’ to blow compared to the above mentioned whistles ?
Let’s put it this way: if you play the Chieftain and the Overton for a few minutes, do you have to adjust your breath control when you switch to the Dixon (otherwise you break inadvertently into the higher octave ?)
I know that the notion of “soft” or “middle” blower is subjective, but I really hope you can help me on that.
You are the only one so far who had the chance to try this new Dixon low D.
I would be interested in buying the Duo but I would like to avoid to make a wrong purchase.
Thanks again !

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Actually my cheiftain is an easy blower - but I got it second hand, and I reckon it could have been tweaked. It sounds good in the lower octave but needs a lot of air at the top of the second octave.

The Overton is a medium blower - so says Colin and he should know.

By comparison the Dixon is an easy blower, but does not need as much air as the Chieftain, and sounds a lot nicer at the top of the second octave.

I certainly have to adjust my breath control when swapping between the Dixon and the Overton. The Overton is a lot more demanding overall. It is easier to jump octaves with the Dixon, but I think this is proportionate to the relative effort of general playing the two whistles. I am not concentrating just on preventing undesirable octave jumps, but on delivering a consistent gentle stream of air. In fact, for some notes the difference between underblowing and overblowing is far narrower on the Overton, though it would be fair to say this is not the case for the lowest two notes.

Yes, making a wrong purchase is always a worry. Whistles and the differences between them are personal choices, and subjectivity rules. If you want volume, or back pressure, then this may not be the whistle for you (yet - Tony may have some more tricks up his sleeve). This whistle is definitely quieter than the Overton, and requires a more gentle touch. I personally would love to try this whistle with a little more back pressure - I have mentioned that to Tony, so who knows…

If you know what whistles you are happy with I guess you should ask yourself why you want another whistle. If difference is what you want, then the Dixon is a different whistle entirely from the Overton, both have thier characters and strengths. From my beginers perspective, it seems that swapping between two such different whistles has strengthened my skills on both (but maybe that is because I have so far to go that any practice helps).

BTW: I said in an earlier post that I might outgrow the Dixon. I have changed my mind. I now think there will all be times, places, or tunes, that it will suit better than other whistles. It has its own extremely pleasant sound. Ask me next year.

I hope this is helpful… I think what I experience is too difficult to put into satisfactory words.

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I have been in contact with Tony Dixon via e-mail and he told me that he may consider to design an optional “middle blower” whistle head with more back pressure, in the near future.

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Yep, thats what he said on the phone too. It might take a month or so. I never know how much to say in public so I apologize if I seem tight-lipped.

And thanks for the questions - I got the old Chieftain out for a blow. What do you know - a couple of months of neglect have improved it greatly. Not enough to displace the other two low-ds, and not enough as I would think of keeping it long-term. Odd isnt it? How a whistle can improve in a dark drawer if left alone long enough.

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I finally received from North Art Heritage Music the Dixon Duo (three pieces polymer flute with additional whistle head).
I like the flute very much. Beautiful looks (with new brass rings instead of the old plastic ones) , very easy to play, and superb -in my opinion- mellow tone.
I have mixed feelings with the low D whistle combination.
It looks great, and the tone is really good, although a bit quiet.
But still, I find the whistle head too much a “soft blower” i.e. with very little backpressure.
I struggle to keep the lower octave without breaking into the higher one, even with a light blow. It is for sure a matter of technique, however I am waiting for Dixon to release in the next weeks/months the new alternative “middle blower” whistle head.
That would really be a great combination !

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I am glad my ‘review’ did not put you off. I struggled be informative and impartial, but found it difficult. My lack of playing experience hampered me a bit.

What do you think of the upper reaches of the whistle - I found them much easier than other whistles I have tried. Maybe I will choose the whistle on the basis of which part of the register is important to the tune. For example TLB works better for me on the Dixon, whereas something with prominant bell notes might be better on, say, the Overton.

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The high octave on the Dixon whistle plays great , it is sweet and stable.
This is, I believe, typical of whistles that are “easy Blowers” i.e. it is difficult on one side to keep the lower octave, but the second octave sounds much better than “middle blowers”.

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I thought that it was the tapered body, not the easy blowing, that was responsible for the improved top end. Though it is not a statistically significant sample, my easy blowing chieftain is ‘not so sweet’ at the top end, and very strong at the bottom end.

I thought that tapered whistles tended to be a little weaker at the bottom end. I am not sure now where I acquired this set of beliefs - perhaps some of the experts can confirm or deny them. Please.

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OK, I decided that the low D whistle head, combined with the flute body, creates a great low D whistle in tone, but too “fragile” for my technique (if I have one…) I mean I was so focused on preventing the low D and low E notes to break into the 2nd octave, that I was not anymore focusing in playing the music…
So I sold the low D whistle head to a Dixon Irish flute owner who is very happy with it, and surely has a better technique than me ! I will wait for Tony Dixon to release, hopefully soon, an alternative “middle blower”
whistle head.

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Hi, I know this is an old thread, but I have the same Dixon conical 3-piece low D flute/whistle combo and I wanted to share my comparison to the Sasuto low D whistle, and my solution to the Dixon’s weak low D note. There’s still not a lot of info out there on this instrument so I’m sure other readers will find this, and hopefully it will be helpful.

First, the tip of the mouthpiece:
Sasuto: Huge. I find it gets annoying after playing a few tunes, and I can see some people getting a sore (or at least tired) jaw.
Dixon: Nice, about the size of a bass clarinet or tenor sax. Comfortable for long practice sessions.
My preference: the Dixon, by a wide margin.

Tone:
Susato: A bit more flat & reedy than the Dixon. Nice firm bottom E and D and you can get it to bark a bit, sort of like a wood flute. Untweaked, I find it sounds a bit too much like a recorder for my taste. But all you have to do is dull the blade a bit - I just scraped it with a small jackknife blade - and the sounds gets slightly more raspy, kind of like going from a Clarke Meg whistle to a brass Feadog I guess.
Dixon: A bit more round, dark, smooth, even.
My preference: I like them both, but I think I still have a slight preference for the sound of the Dixon even after tweaking the Sasuto.

Playability:
Susato: Takes effort to get an even tone, especially in the low E & D and anything above second-octave g. You have to give it just the right amount of air or it will squawk (and it’s a loud, shrill squawk too). And you have to cover the holes very carefully and tightly, or it will squawk. And it’s got a cavernous oval 5th hole, over 1/2" long - very easy to get air leaks even with wide fingers.
Dixon: Very easy to play every note but the low E & D. The second octave just sings, no effort required. The bottom-hand finger reach is a bit easier, and it’s got a normal-sized 5th hole that’s easy to cover. And it’s not so quick to complain if you don’t get a perfect seal on every hole, and if it does complain it’s not such a whiner. Slides and half-holing are easier and more reliable than with the Sasuto - it’s not as likely to complain if you don’t do it just right. But the low E is hard to play and the low D is useless. You have to barely whisper them out, or they’ll pop into the second octave.
My preference: The Dixon, by a wide margin, even with the low note issue. Before I got the Dixon I thought I had a lot of practice to do just to be able to play a low D whistle at all. Now I know that all I have to do is sell the Sasuto.

How to fix the low E & D:
Increase the bevel of the windway floor exit, and lengthen the tone window. I learned about tweakery on this forum and by seeing what Jerry Freeman did to the Mellow Dog mouthpiece (that’s a great whistle, by the way). So all you have to do is take your $300 instrument and gouge it with a small screwdriver and a jackknife. Simple!
…Or, I suppose you could use proper tools, or see if an experienced tweaker would be willing to do it for you. I was desperate, didn’t have the tools nor the patience to get them, just wanted to be able to enjoy playing this thing. And I’d learned a lot from tweaking some of my cheap whistles. And I had some tools that I knew would work. And a new bottle of Irish whiskey. (Don’t underestimate the importance of this last item. If the tweakery goes badly, it will be there to console you, and to take the blame if anyone finds out what you did to your nice whistle.) So I used the small flat screwdriver as a blade to scrape a bigger bevel onto the windway floor, and used the knife to shave back the sound blade. I wish I’d taken before & after measurements and photos, but I’m pretty sure I took about 1/16" off the blade. (And then dulled it a bit, but that’s for the voice, not the octave issue). Fortunately it worked perfectly and completely solved the problem. Now I can blast the low notes well enough for my liking, and (bonus!) the D is now capable of a bit of that flutey bark. Reeeeally happy with it now!
If you’re going to try this, there are two things to consider first:

  1. The second octave now takes a bit more pressure to maintain. Not a lot, and it’s still much easier and more fun to play than the Sasuto. And it has a slightly more airy voice in the second octave (probably in the first too but I don’t notice it) - this is a slightly different effect than dulling the blade gives, but both effects are similar, and both ruin the whislte if overdone. Not at all drastic, and in fact I like it better (that Meg vs. Feadog thing again). But it’s no longer a whistle that begs to sing sweet and clear in the upper octave and avoid the lower one. You need to push it up there intentionally, and when it’s there it will be somewhat louder and brassier (but not fuzzy unless you overdo the tweaking) than it was before. Be sure this is what you want before you make any changes. If you like a super-easy and clear upper octave, then this tweak is a bit of a trade-off in favour of the low notes. For me persoanlly it’s a double win. I have more control and I like the sound better.
  2. Work gradually! If you overdo it, it’s not impossible to go back but it does take a lot more time, effort, and skill to successfully add material than it does to remove it, and then it looks hacked too. If you can’t get at the windway floor well enough to put a nice, flat, even, 45-degree bevel on it, skip that step and just shave the blade back. And just shave a tiny bit, clean it up, and play test it. If it needs more, do a tiny bit again. As soon as you can get the low E & D well enough to make it playable, STOP. There is a sweet spot somewhere, but you won’t know where it is until you’ve passed it, and from there it goes downhill quickly with any more work.

One other thing of note in this: my initial frustration with the Sasuto, and then with the whistle side of the Dixon combo, pushed me to play around with the flute side. I was interested in flute from the start but always thought it would be a lot longer before I got into it. But now that I’ve started, I’m hooked and now I practice flute as often as whistle and am loving both.

One final note: please don’t blame me if you try what I describe and don’t like the result. If you haven’t done this sort of thing before, please practice on some $10 - $20 whistles first.

And (what comes after final?): if you do tweak your Dixon, please post your results.

Cheers!

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Interesting stuff… I might try that later, though I may use a fine file on the blade. I have two whistle heads, so I get two chances to messup. :smiley:

I also experimented with a non-destructive tweak.