I often brace my whistle with the pinky on my right hand while I play… I think I might have recalled reading something that advised whistle players not to do this, but I’d like a clarification…
I assume you mean “I put the pinkie down to hold it stable”. If that’s what you mean, it’s not uncommon..I do it myself to stabilize the whistle on C# (all fingers ‘up’). I brace it below the 6th hole. Some folks brace the whistle on c# by closing the last hole instead (though this reputedly affects the tone on a small number of whistles).
Of course, if that’s not what you mean, i can’t tell ya
I started out not doing it, but changed that when my Burke D flew out of my hands. It landed on tile, which scared me, but fortunately only suffered an almost invisible ding. Now the right little finger is down at all times. That, along with both thumbs and my lips, make for a perfectly stable whistle that doesn’t jump around when I move the fingers that do the real work of playing. I have enough to worry about without that.
My pinky stabilized the whistle unconsciously when I’m playing the c# area and lifts off when it’s not needed. Now and again I notice this phenomenon, but I don’t think about it. I think it’s because the whistle wobbles sometimes if I don’t and I have dropped a whistle or two at times. It’s helpful on low d just as a reference point on where to plunk down your lower ring finger.
Tony
My pinkies are about 3/4 normal size and never come close to the whistle. I rigged some thumb rests out of various things (rubber bands/paper clips etc), and now use the clip on from my Susato VSB on my C Sweet tone. It works a charm. Next order I place to the whistle shop I plan on getting several in different sizes.