I’ve been playing a Clarke’s original D whistle for a week now, and I can control the notes in the second octave quite well on it.
I’ve tried playing the notes of the second octave on a Feadog D and on a Walton’s Guinness D I picked up today. On both of them, I can start the notes of the second octave, but when I increase the breath pressure to keep the note going, it falls apart, mostly sounding the lower octave note. Do I just have some bad whistles, or are these types of whistles just that much harder to play? The windways are much smaller than the Clarke, so maybe that’s it and I haven’t learned how to play them yet. I’ve read and followed Sandy Jasper’s advice on breathing and sounding the higher notes. This works well on the Clarke, but not the Feadog or Walton’s. Any other suggestions on how to cleanly sound the higher notes on this type of whistle?
I had the same sort of problems at first, especially with my Generations and Feadogs. Now, over a year later, I find them some of the easiest whistles to play. And I kept dropping out of the second octave all the time on my Sweetone, mostly because I wasn’t keeping my breath focused.
Just give yourself some time and practice and you’ll be fine. (Really annoying until then, I know!)
Well, I don’t expect to sound like Cathal McConnell in just a week. It may take a wee bit longer.
You mention keeping the breath focused, and it seems fairly easy to do this on the Clarke though I do have to concentrate to hit the higher notes like high A and B. It seems like it would be easier to keep the breath focused with the narrower windways of the Feadog and Walton, but I must be wrong. I just want to make sure I’m not wasting my time trying to play on bad whistles. Without having access to an experienced player to try my whistles, how can I tell if they’re OK and I just need to learn to play them right?
It’d be hard to determine the fitness of your whistles on line, but from what you mentioned, I agree with Bob. If you are dropping to the first octave, then it is likely that you are not blowing hard enough. Compared to the Clarke Original, the other two whistles are harder to get into the upper reaches. Go somewhere where you won’t hurt your ears and try blowing more agressively - particularly on the A (XXOOOO) and above.
As you become better at regulating your breath, you will be able to keep it there and at a reasonable decibel level (though the highest notes will always be loud).
I think I may know what part of the problem is. I can over from the r******* where I was taught to tongue almost every note. I’ve been reading some the discussions on tongueing and have been trying playing without it. I can play the higher notes more consistently on the Feadog and Walton’s now if I don’t tongue the notes. I assume this is because with tongueing, you get the initial burst of air pressure to sound the note, but then it can drop to the lower octave without the right support. It seems that playing without tongueing for a while would help to develop this support.
Not necessarily Bob… you might develop the almighty “oogh” (which I notoriously used before I figured out toungeing) I use toungeing all the time… it’s actually a good thing to start the note nice and clean (depending on what your trying to accomplish of course) and then just sustaining the pressure required to hold that note.
Don’t worry so much about how you start the note as the pressure you need to hold whichever note you want. No worries, you’ll get it in no time.
And remember that in the whistle world… each whistle (even within the same brand in some cases) requirements will vary from whistle to whistle, so just have at it and youu’ll have it before long.
Without having access to an experienced player to try my whistles, how can I tell if they’re OK and I just need to learn to play them right?
Norseman, I see you’re from Mesa, AZ. You have a TON of people not far from you who are experienced players. We have an Irish Cultural center here in Phoenix, where they actually teach tin whistle (among many other things). Plus there are plenty of Seisuns around with some pretty good players showing up. Check out http://www.azirishmusic.com
You’d be surprised how much embouchure helps (it’s not just for Flutes!)
When I get lazy, my lips loosen up and my tone suffers.
Try changing the shape of your lips while sounding an upper octave note.
Tighten the corners of your mouth around the mouthpiece in different ways.
You may find a position that works better with your whistles.
(which I notoriously used before I figured out toungeing) I use toungeing all the time… it’s actually a good thing to start the note nice and clean (depending on what your trying to accomplish of course) and then just sustaining the pressure required to hold that note.