Okay, since I’ve decided to start saving funds for an Alba low D[1], I probably need to start practicing how to hold it. I have a Bb Gen, which should be large enough to hold like that (not to mention, it would make me sound better on the Bb, as I have trouble covering the holes).
So, if I understand it correctly, I should practice holding with the middle section of my fingers, instead of the area near the finger tips, right? Are there any photographs out there to demonstrate this?
[1] I also want to see if I can save enough to get a Q1 along with it. The Q1 looks absolutely delicious
It’s hard switching to whistles with the holes further apart. It takes time, I’ve been playing low whistle for a year (sometimes more often than other times), and still have trouble with hole coverage.
I moved from a Clarke D to an Overton low D, with which piper’s grip was essential…took a week or two to feel like I was “at home” on it and covering holes adequately. Funny thing, is, I now prefer piper’s, so when my Bb came, piper’s grip felt natural and fingertipping felt forced. You may find, on the Bb, that you like having your top hand in a more fingertip position, and your lower hand using the middle of the fingers.
I’m sorry, but both pictures look as if the ring fingers are covering their respective holes with the fold between the last two joints, where the finger joints bend, instead of the fleshy part of the tips (where you get finger printed). I just think that both pictures are not really in the best interest of someone who wants to learn the Piper grip.
Each finger has three sections. On both hands, the pointer and the middle fingers cover the holes with the middle section, while the ring finger covers the holes with the end sections.
That’s what I use when it is convenient. But I admit that I don’t think about what’s right or wrong, but use a hand position that is comfortable and covers the holes, and where I don’t have to bend my fingers too much (an exception is the left hand on the flute, where I don’t play straight-fingered as I want to use keys later). There’s nothing wrong with using the joint to cover a hole, if it works. There’s nothing wrong with any technique if it allows you to do what you want to do, for that matter, but that’s drifting into philosophy now.
The thing is, everyone’s fingers vary in fleshiness, and distribution of girth, which means no picture of piper’s grip is necessarily going to be something you can copy to the micron. It’s more a matter of figuring out how your fingers best cover the holes comfortably.
Practice yer pipers grip on the Bb by all means, but…!
When you get yer Alba Low D,
my foolish advice would be to leave all yer other whistles alone!
Practice on the low whistle little and often e.g. one of yer fav’ tunes
that you can play well, a couple of times through.
Then put the whistle down for a spell, then go back to it,
so you practice prap’s a dozen short times/day for 3 - 4 days.
Persevere!
Holding my Alba Low Bb, the holes on my left hand just
touch the joint area of all three fingers.
