After using the pinky as a balance finger for a few days, I’m going back to the ring finger. While it was possible for the pinky to reach the whistle, it caused discomfort and a tendinitis flareup. The way my crooked fingers are, the mobility of them greatly increases and the tension decreases when the pinkies are up and out of the way.
As far as the pinky-on being the proper way, maybe it is. But according to The Clarke Tin Whistle by Bill Ochs when referring to the little finger method, it works best if that finger is relatively long compared to the ring finger. (Page 15) On the same page he says to use the method that is most comfortable for you.
At least this thread got me to check and correct a few things.
I tried the Pinky hold and it was really hard after reading MT’s post.
I tried tying my ring finger and my pinky with a rubber band so the pinky goes flat to the whistle, and it still rise like that when you drink a tea cup.
since i posted those photos, i forced myself allways to use the pinky, on the whole scale (all notes?, sorry my english) even on the larger parks whistle in C, and even if i just can reach the side on that whistle with my pinky …
it is still uncomfortable, but easier with the time …
cramps become less …
sound is ok mostly now …
i can do it …
but if i “dont think and just play” i use the ringfinger or more and more no finger at all at C#, but ringfinger feels natural
ill give it some more time and than ill may say: “i tried and did it the standard way first, now ill let it just happen its natural way”?
when i`m over all this ill get my first low whistle
For What It’s Worth and Your Mileage May Vary. I forgot that not everyone who posts here understands ISFAM (Internet Short Form Acronym Gibberish).
I’m also not trying to convince anyone that keeping their pinky down constantly is right for them. That is my opinion and I see a lot of great players that have their own methods. I find that it enhances both my agility and accuracy. As previously stated YMMV.
Update:
as i wrote before, i did force myself, for a while, to use always the pinkyfinger (standardtechnique)
in the weeks before:
Because it was still uncomfortable to use the pinky, on the larger whistles, i tryed even to moove my right hands thumb more to the leftside, so that the pinky, even if not on top of the whistle, but at the side, would be in the opposite position of the thumb.
So i was able to hold the whistle between thumb and pinky real good, but the other fingers didnt “meet their wholes” correctly anymore.
So i tried to “adjust” the finger position again… and tried and tried … it was a long journy which me and my fingers did …
later i did loosen my “rules” a bit and sometimes used the pinky and sometimes not, but always the pinky, not the ringfinger (standardtechnique) (ok sometimes i did use the ringfinger, but dont tell anyone )
in the last week:
In the last days i just concentraterd in learnung a new tune (a real difficult one for me, johnny mickeys polka)
and i didnt forced myself anymore to use always the pinkyfinger, not when practised tunes i already know and not while lerarning the new one
so i just did let go and find my fingers their natural way …
and it looks like, somteomes i use the pinky, somtimes the ringfinger and somtimes i “become brave” and use no finger
today:
i think that must be enough now, it was probably good to force myself for a while to use the standardtechnique
but from here on i will let my fingers decide and i think that is the natural way so many of you did recoment
maybe i sould come back to this thread in some month or so to update again, we will see
anyway thank you all for helping me in this case - i learned a lot
