I use a Colin Low D whistle. Recently I v been practicing James Brown’s March, from the album Fused by Michael Mcgoldrick. There are two overblow points of high D when the tues goes the fourth time, if u heard this tune u can never miss that. I tried a lot of times but it seems I can never make it sound as clear and powerful as Mr Mcgoldrick did in the album. So I wonder if it is because of my fingers, or my breath? Suggestions and advices would be much appreciated.
It’s hard to say without knowing what fingering you are using…short, and slighty smart answer, is that he is Michael McGoldrick and that is why he can do it…I’ve not tried to learn the tune, may give it a go and see…If you know how to do it and are only concerned that it doesn’t sound like MM, then it would just be a matter of practice to get the sound you like but I suspect you will still come up a little short up against MM 
Indeed, U r quite righ about that. Wish someday I can meet Mr Mcgoldrick and ask him in person.
I think the notes you are saying “high D” are “high E” actually.
How about to try the third octave “E” fingering?
Good luck!
Thank u for ur advice. Yes, it is high E~ I don’t know “the third octave “E” fingering” , but I figured out that I can let the third and the fourth hole open and other holes pressed in the mean time, to make the overblow high E happen. It is the best way I find now.
Third octave E on my Goldie Overton is 12-45-, and on piccolo is 12-4–, your whistle may vary
I use a Colin Goldie, mine is 12–56 , anyway, that’s what I got from experiment. I mean I let the “-” holes open. I tried ur way, but it doesn’t make sense on my whistle.
Thank u anyway.
I dont know the tune or the album, and in truth its been years since I sold my low whistle, but Id point out that on a commercially-recorded album, its a mistake to assume that everything you hear is exactly as it was recorded live in the studio. Pretty much anything can be adjusted in post-production.
Someone on this forum once told a tale of tracking down Davy Spillane (Paddy Keenan?) and asking him how he set up his pipes to get a particularly rich sound on a particular recording. Oh,he said laughing. That wasnt the pipes, that was the graphic equaliser.`
I thought about this before, but the third octave E do exist, right? Actually I d prefer to believe that I just need to work harder to get there~ lol
Perhaps you should listen to this tune “James Brown’s March”, put aside this octave thing, the tune itself is quite joyful and amusing.
On my Goldie Low D I play third E 12-45-. Playing well depends on practice . . . obviously . . . but also what “strength” of Goldie Low D you have. McGoldrick plays soft blowers to my knowledge which means he will get a decent note but at the expenses of a LOT of air. A medium blower requires much less air but a LOT of pressure and it will never be as clear. I wonder what kind of Goldie Low D you have. If you intend to be playing into the upper second/lower third octave a lot (like I do) then a whistle more geared to it would be a Reviol or Ian Lambe or, like me, you could ask Colin to make you a whistle that doesn’t use much air but will play the third octave much more easily . . . as Colin is doing for me. The trade off is a more sensitive first octave that has strong notes but you can’t lean into them. That doesn’t bother me. I like playing first octave notes that occasionally break into the second octave.
P.S. To help you get the E, whatever strength of Goldie you have, make sure you’re blowing from the diaphragm not from the throat or upper chest. Much more power. And make sure your mouth cavity is as small as possible and that the fipple isn’t in your mouth but just balanced on your lower lip.