I have just started, meaning two days ago, playing the Low D whistle and have a question. Please excuse me if this has been asked hundreds of times on this forum, as I searched, but could not find a thread addressing my question. I am having a hard time playing in the 1st octave…playing the low D, the G and the F#. It keeps wanting to hit the 2nd octave register. I am trying to experiment with different ways of blowing with different pressure. Is there a certain thing that I should be doing or does it just come with time and practice? Any help is appreciated
Hi
Don’t stress about it. Start by just playing notes G to C for a few days to get a feel for the pitch of the instrument, then sneak down to F# and further down when you’re comfortable.
Welcome to the lows! It sounds like you just need more time on the low whistle-you could be blowing too hard (good idea to try blowing with different breath pressures), or you may just not be covering all the holes well, all the time. Piper’s grip isn’t an automatic adjustment-at least it usually takes more than a couple of days to get used to it.
About the breaking into the second octave: most often, the only note that really is easier to break into the upper octave is the low D note on some whistles, and you will adjust your playing when you find this out by hitting it with the right force as you get used to it. Being that you are having trouble with other notes besides this, I’d say it’s a good bet you just have to cover the holes more reliably-and that will happen as you adjust to the long stretches and piper’s grip.
Also, it never hurts to look inside of the whistle head and see if there any bits of plastic around the windway or window that might be affecting how the whistle plays-especially on production whistles that are new.
Have a blast!
Barry
I started with a dixon low d - a pretty easy reach and simple whistle to play - and squawked and squeeked for at least a couple of weeks! There are so many factors involved to get it sounding right but the first fundamental must be covering all the holes adequately on a low D. Just keep at it and try going up and down scales slowly till something sounds right.
Thanks for the advice…I figured it would just take time and I have a feeling that I am not covering the holes as well as I should. I have gotten to the point where I can hit the F# pretty reliably…I will just keep plugging at it. Thanks again
Which low D are you playing ? There are some low D whistles that break easily into the higher octave (they are called “soft blowers”), and others that don’t (they are called “medium” or “hard” blowers).
I had problems with some low D whistles (Kerry plastic head, Dixon) because I could not manage to prevent the low D and E notes to break into the higher ovtave, and I have no problems at all with other whistles (as Overton, Alba, Susato).
Yes it could be your technique or, if you are six feet tall with big lungs as I am, it could be that you should switch to a “middle blower” !
I have a susato
Welcome to world of Susato!
I just got my Low D Susato a week or so ago and I love it. Can’t beat it for the price and tone. I have the one with a key on the bottom hole and I find the key works great. At first I found out I wasn’t covering all of the holes completely. When you find yourself not hitting the note you want and sound as if you went up an octive - hold the note and roll your fingers slighly either up or down on the whistle and see if the note comes in.
Good luck and enjoy!