I generally keep the whistle straight, unless I’m being drowned out so that I can’t hear it anymore. Then I point it away from the fiddle player and my head blocks some of the sound so that I can at least hear if I’m still playing.
Angelo
I think I started holding my little finger on the barrel after my Burke flew away–didn’t want any more escape attempts. It was a bit off-and-on at first, but I don’t think I could play with it lifted now. It feels completely natural.
To tell the truth, I think it keeps my right hand fingers in better alignment with the finger holes. I play guitar, mandolin, and banjo–both flatpicking and fingerpicking–with the pinky down, too. Maybe that’s why it feels natural.
Now this might not be exactly on thread topic, but I’m just currious how many “righty’s” out there play with their right hand closest to their mouth? ANy or is it just me? I also play the flute with it pointing left instead of right… is that weird? I am right handed, there’s only one other thing beside whistle and flute playing that I do left handed, another favorate Irish tradition… When I go Tout (or any type of) fishing, I hold the rod with my left hand and real with my right hand, but I cast right handed, so I have to switch to my left hand when the bait hits the water. Goofy huh?
Oops I rarely ever use Either of my pinkies To hold my whistle, and I play with it pointed straight out. I think people who angle the whistle when they play, angle it towards their “strong” ear. Most people have one ear that hears musical notes and tones differently than the other, usually the one that hears sound better. That is also the ear that is most likely against the Telephone when you’re talking on it… notice when you switch ears everything sounds… weird 