Hi Whistlers,
I’m new to the whistling world, been at it a year. I’m basically a guitar player who has functioned as a utility player (mandolin, a little fiddle). Now I’ve added whistle to the mix.
Been working on Drosy Maggie for the last few days, and am having a little difficulty moving from the high D (2nd octave) back to the low E (1st octave) smoothly & quickly. Are we talking an embochure technique? It’s getting better but not where it should be.
Help. Thanks.
Are you venting the top hole for the high D? Makes this jump a lot easier:
O X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X O
d’ E
I almost NEVER play a high D on any whistle with all the holes closed.
From note to note takes a different amout of breath control. Some note changes are very subtle but still there. As you play more it will come easy, and you may not notice it untill you play another whistle. Going from the upper octave down can be the most noticeable untill it becomes a reflex.
You can, in this instance, also tongue it or “glottal stop.” what either technique will do is temporarily shut off the air flow and make the jump easier.
for practice, learn the tune “Gravel Walks”
I do the opposite of Paul: I almost NEVER vent the middle d, and I was about to tell you not to before I saw his post. 
Really, it’s all in the breath control, and the more you play the easier it will get. Just go for it. The worst that can happen is that you’ll accidentally play the D in the lower octave, which is a nice variation.
I vent sometimes but not others. I really can’t say how often, but I think it’s pretty rare. I simply aren’t conscious of that any more. On a whistle I know I rarely break octaves so I guess it is a breath control thing.
What sometimes helps me is thinking about whistling a tune just with my lips. If you whistle a tune where there is a jump from high to low, I can’t think of one just off the top of my head, anyway notice what happens inside your mouth with your lips, tongue, throat, cheeks, etc. when you go down to that low note just whistling with your lips.
On my whistle (but not all whistles are like this) I have to cut down greatly on the force of the air to get lowE and lowD. It is hard to cut the air down just at the very right moment, and then I can get some messy sounds too.
Just a thought from a beginner.
well, if you’re just starting out on the whistle, my guess is drowsy maggie might be a little too much for a beginner for this very reason. For the simple fact that you haven’t played long enough. That’s nothing against you, just more than likely, the truth. I use to have to think of how hard I had to blow when I changed notes, now I do it unconciously. The way I play drowsy maggie is, I tongue that 2cd octave D note, and I don’t vent it. When played up to speed, you won’t notice the difference (depending on your whistle, I don’t with mine) between venting the D or not venting the D. And I think it’s a little easier, to not vent it. Drowsy maggie can be a tricky tune, expecially for a beginner. So, you might want to put that into perspective as well.
Dropping from a vented D to low E or D is the easiest way, I think. For some reason (I have only the vaguest notion of the acoustics involved) slapping down the B finger or index finger of you left hand makes low notes pop out nicely.
According to Arnold Jacobs, downward leaps require tonguing, glottal stops, popping keys (holes) or some change in the air column, concious or not. Most people just experiment until something works.
Well, aside from acoustics, not venting the D hole for this particular tune makes playing it up to speed just a little easier… As in that’s one less finger to have to move during all those jumps from E to D. I normally vent the D second octave, and I definitely do it for those rare 3rd octave D’s. Rare for me anyways, if a tune goes that high, I’d normally just pick up a G whistle. But anyways, on my whistles, and I’m venturing a guess for most other whistles, maybe if not all who knows, (of course it depends on what you like or prefer) that venting the second D sounds, fuller, or “better.” But, for just a fast tune like Drowsy Maggie, or any others like it, you can’t tell the difference when played up to speed. (between venting or not venting D) I just think that not venting the D for this tune makes for easier playing of it. That’s my 2 cents. It works for me nicely. I understand the world is a pretty diverse place, and if one can achieve something using a different technique, then rock on. 
I guess the only remedy to this is, do what’s comfortable for you.