Since I’ve been playing flute I find I feel uncomfortable playing whistles lower than G. They feel awkward in my hands and my fingers don’t respond like on flute or higher pitch whistles. Has anybody else run into this?
Cheers,
Aaron
I find that the grip is different enough that it takes a bit to get used to the switch. I also can’t play with the pads on my right hand, but have to use the pipers’ grip with the whistle. So, yeah. There is a noticeable difference. I’m definately less facile on the low whistle.
Erik
I don’t find it especially difficult, just not very rewarding after playing the flute.
My flutes sound better, and my hands cramp too much when playing the LW.
I have sold all of my low whistles.
M
I’m still at it, Copeland low D.
Less so, but there remains a place
for them, IMO. Sort of like
playing an organ pipe.
Im not sure what to say about the low whistle. I like the consistency of the sound of them but the flute is much more rewarding! Low whistles just don’t have the nyaa that the flute does. looks around for low whistlers Thats probably why I flute instead of whistle. 
Cheers
I like to play low whistle on some stuff. I do like Flute more.
I like the flute more than the low whistle, more control over the tone. I do find the LW more dificult to play, especially when I’m holding it down. If I hold it up higher, it’s easier. I still like the LW, even though I like flute better.
Max
Curiously, I enjoy playing my high whistles more and my low whistle less. After the flute it IS like blowing into an organ pipe 
I lost my fascination with the low whistle entirely when I started playing flute. I never could manage the fingering. The low whistle seems to be an evolutionary dead end. Most whistle players aren’t interested in playing low whistles and flute players could care less. 
I’ve never been crazy about low whistles, but the ones in higher keys can sound nice. I’ve heard a low F that sounded nice. In fact I’ll probably get one at some point. One of the guys I play with sings in F a lot. I can’t accompany him on flute as its a keyless, so I usually have to do it on the fiddle, but for some of the songs he does, whistle or flute would go better with. Hard to spend the money though when the need to play in F rarely comes up in other situations.
Looking at this thread, it seems strange that people like high whistles and do not switch to piccolos. Is it the sound, the cost, what? I have nothing against whistles, Low or High, it just seems that if you prefer side blowing you would stick with it regardless.
Low whistles caused me to rediscover the flute and discover the Irish flute (thanks Doug Tipple & Ralph Sweet). Picked up a couple of high whistles as an adjunct to mountain dulcimer. The high pitch drove me nuts. Tried a friend’s low D whistle, lovely tone but I nearly fainted – took more air than a bass recorder. Discovered Doug’s flutes on eBay and the rest is history. Actually, given how much I like the flute, I might give the piccolo/fife a go at some point.
I loved playing the fife till I realized - and so did my family - that it is NOT a parlor instrument. I switched over to the flute - Irish D keyless - and had a bonanza! BUT, I find the whistles, high and low, are fun to play a tune on FIRST till I get the feel of it. There is still much to say about the low whistles - the Bb is something else - for breath control and familiarity with tunes. I have concluded - when talking to Self - that my first instrument being a clarinet causes me to enjoy the position (straight blown as opposed to lateral) of the whistle/s.
And I think the sound of and love for the fife (since 12 years old) fits nicely with the high end whistles without offending the family “at rest”.
BillG
Well, Aaron, it seems you’ve morphed into an evolved species, the flautist!
I, on the other end of the evolutionary journey, have just touched on the flute, which still feels strange to me! I find the piper’s grip on low whistles so much more relaxed, and holding it down and close to my body is easy also.
I have found, however, that I find the flute has a better low end, much stronger than the Low D whistle. More expressive, I’m not sure, though. I have some very expressive Low D’s and Eb, and in the right hands, wonderful also. Expressiveness is probably more generated by the player than the instrument, just as tone is.
I am gravitating to the flute for the strong low end, and different tonal quality, but I won’t give up the Low Whistle! It has a unique tone, that you just can’t get on a flute.
The first time I heard the Low Whistle that it grabbed me was on Barry Phillips cd ‘Cello’, which is a basically solo cello album, but with some added backup, all in the Celtic style. Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh was playing lead Low D (Overton) whistle on ‘Inisheer’, and I’ve never been the same since! I said to myself, so that’s what a Low Whistle sounds like! Fantastic! Of course, she’s a great flute player, also, and I’m sure her style and technique are blended together from whistle to flute.
So, I don’t know if there is any hope for you, Aaron, but you might be able to get some of your previous facility on the Low Whistle back if you practice! 
I’ve come to terms with my GHB piper cum flautist identity. Just curious as to other folks’ experience, especially in terms of hands. When I’ve seen Hanz Araki play lower pitch whistles he keeps his left hand “flute posture”. But Crawford goes from a regular grip on his flute to pipers’ grip on low whistle.
I agree it’s got to be a matter of practice. But the powerful bottom end of the flute leaves a low whistle wanting.
Thanks for all of your input.
Cheers,
Aaron
Wow, I just tried that on the Low D whistle-the standard flute grip on top, it actually hurts my hand! It seems the angle that the hand needs to contort to is the problem. If you turn it sideways, as with flute, it feels much better and natural.
I suppose also, everyone has different flexibilities in their hands, at 51 years old, and some arthritis, mine are not bad, but not what they once were, either. So for some it works, and others not. Piper’s grip on low whistle feels strange at first too, but after time, it becomes natural and easy for most.
How much does the comfort level have to do with the make of the whistle? I’m not a fluter, so I don’t know about going from LW to flute and back. I’m a piper first, so the piper’s grip is what I prefer. I’ve noticed that when fluters take to pipes and keep their top hand fingers crooked as on the flute, they have problems playing clear and fast.
But I bought my first LD twelve years ago, and now have three. It wasn’t until I got a hold of a Burke LD last year that I felt really comfortable playing LD. It’s the only LD I play these days.
Hello John,
I think it depends on your hands and fingers-everone is a little different, so comfort is an individual thing.
I found that my hands could play most Low D’s comfortably after a little period of adjustment-when I was playing Low D’s for a while, almost exclusively, switching back and forth to different makes for me was no problem, using piper’s grip is the least stressful of grips for me.
But many have issues with different Low Ds, and makers have been trying to accomodate more people by varying hole spacing and placement (ergonomic placement) and even making the lowest hole rotatable like Michael Burke’s-I have a Composite Pro Low D that I think is great-but I don’t rotate that lowest hole, as I don’t need to for comfort.
Now I’m beginning flute, and since I have adopted the classic flute grip on my top hand, it’s easier for me to hold it steady and get a consistent tone. I still find the piper’s grip most comfortable on the low hand.
There again, the flutes, like the whistles vary too for comfort-hole size and spacing, and some makers split the sections so the upper and lower tone holes can be moved independently for comfort. Not everyone needs these options, but it’s nice the makers try to accomodate more people that way, because like many things, one size does not fit all!
Casey Burns’ flutes are made with either the ergonomic hole placement or inline depending on your needs and preferences. I want to try his Folk Flute in the near future-from all I’ve heard, it’s a winner. I don’t have any experience with the ergonomic tone holes as yet and don’t know if I would order it that way-all I have played have been in line. But according to Casey’s website, the ergonomic holes aren’t just for special needs, they’re for better ergonomics for your hands, and everyone could benefit from them.
Comfort should probably be one of our top priorities, because RSI (repetetive stress injury) is not fun once you have it! I would say, if you have found a Low D whistle like the Burke that works for you for comfort, then stick with that and be happy you found it!
Thanks, Barry. When I get the washers together I’ll have to give Casey a call. There is a fluter here who just got one of his keyless ergonomic models based on Pratten in mopane. Very nice instrument!
It isn’t the hole spacing or size so much at the amount of air it takes to blow the whistle, how easily the low notes sound and how true the upper register is that put me off the other two LD whistles I have. In comparison the Burke is a breeze to blow.