Since this is my first post, I should probably do the intro thing, even though I’ve been skulking around this board for at least a year… I’ve been singing as long as I can remember, and playing piano since high school. The whistles captured me somewhere around 11 years ago, although it’s been a very on-again-off-again relationship with them and I’m still very much a beginner.
To come to the point, though… I got a Susato low D for Christmas, and I’m going crazy with it. The only way I can get the low D and E out of it is to remove my upper lip from the mouthpiece and blow across the darned thing rather than into it. Not exactly the most agile accomodation! Please, someone help me! Is there a tweak I can use, or am I doing something else wrong? Augh!
This oblong 5th (from top) hole of the Susato low D has proven a bitch to many others than you.
If you seal it wrong, which ain’t easy at first, then you’ll sure miss low D and E.
You can tape it just to check. If you get your D, E, sounding allright with this F# hole sealed, then learn to press your right hand middle finger better (which doesn’t mean necessarily harder); try changing your right hand wrist angle, for instance.
If all fails, get your hands on another low D, see if it works better.
Now, don’t dump or sale your Susato in this case : you might grow to love it later…
BTW, all this is assuming you do use piper’s grip, not finger tips, right ?
Thanks for the taping tip, Zubivka. Tried it and found that yes, I do have a problem sealing that dratted hole. I am using piper fingering, which was so easy on my Gen Bb, but such a stretch on this Susato. Hmm, now I guess I have a reason to purchase yet another whistle. Drat! Let’s see, how can I justify this one to my husband???
The Kerry is an expensive
whistle that is quite good.
64 bucks I think, at
the whistle shop. Alloy
with plastic mouthpiece,
sounds better than lots
of more expensive whistles.
The Dixon low D is about 75,
and quite easy to play,
and it sounds good.
Pippin - your hubby inadvertently got you the one low D that most of us steer away from; the Dixon low D should fix things. Otherwise, put a plaster (bandaid in Yankspeak) on the relevant finger (the cloth elastoplast type) - that may help seal the hole.
Turner - do yourself a favour and get another whistle! Spend £24 with Tony Dixon of Barnstaple for a brass slide tunable and you won’t look back (just my humble opinion, but the Clarke I have is the very last of my collection that I would choose to play. The first is my Rose Blackwood, and if you can spare £175 get one of those!)
This may be a bit off topic but I often use a combo of piper fingering and finger pads. While this may make “proper” whistlers shudder, I find it works well, and puts less strain on my fingers and hands. If playing and comfort are the major concerns I would use a combo of both techniques.
Tony is a great bloke (Barnstaple is in Devon, just before the Cornish border). All you need to know (incl. numbers) is on the site - just give Tony a call and ask for the brass slide tunable unless he advises otherwise. It’s a beautiful little whistle with a lovely tone - you won’t be disappointed.
Sorry, but I just HAVE to put my 2 cents in on fingering… I have very small hands (don’t start ) and what I have learned to do.. although still learning… is to use my index and middle fingers in a pipers grip, and the fingertip of my pinkys.
It sounds ludicrous I guess, but hey, it works for me. I am still learning how to be able to play faster tunes, but slow airs aren’t bad for me, and hopefully, Tony will post a recent submission of mine on one of my low Ds.
Like I say though.. (which is evident in the post) I still have trouble sealing sometimes on ANY low D I have tried, so I still end up with ‘sqwaks’ now and then too!
Main thing is to have fun.
Take care all,
John
[ This Message was edited by: McHaffie on 2003-02-19 11:40 ]
) and what I have learned to do.. although still learning… is to use my index and middle fingers in a pipers grip, and the fingertip of my pinkys.