Great site here. I’m sold on the value of forums like this. Seems like a good, helpful, cheerful and music-loving bunch o’ people here, too.
I’m relatively new to the whistle, but have been involved in music of one type or another for years. I recently picked up a Howard low D, and also have a Clarke high D. Some things just sound better up there in the atmosphere, although I’m generally sold on the warm 'n fuzzy tone of the low whistle. Gorgeous.
My situation is this. No probs. with fingering/spacing/breath control issues on the Howard at all, and I absolutely adore the tone. But…I lose 90% of the volume on the low D after playing through part of a song. Can’t even get through one entire song before I have to back off soooo much (or pop into the 2nd octave). I can stop and blow it out and everything’s fine again. Should I be having this issue so quickly? If it was gurgling on occasion I’d blame my fingering and just keep practicing but it’s the same no matter if I play through a tune or just test the low D by seeing how much pressure I can apply before kicking up to the 2nd octave. I figured on a quick blow/clean after each tune while playing with others, but is it normal to have this much issue with moisture? Maybe other makers’ whistles are different, I wouldn’t know. Maybe I just salivate a LOT more than I realize.
The low E does the same thing, but to a lesser degree (requires a bit more pressure to force it to the upper octave). I’ve checked the opening, and it looked clean. I cleaned it anyway, just to make sure. Problem still there. Is this typical and I just have to deal with it, or is there something I haven’t tried? Thanks in advance.
It may be partially the maker’s whistle, partially you, and/or partially the humidity where you live.
Many new people tend to play a lot more wet. I know I did. And when I lived in houston (80% to supersaturated humidity any given day) I had a lot more clogging problems than I do now (Dallas, where the humidity has been known to drop below 50%).
A few things to try:
Drink tea…tannins seem to help reduce saliva.
Make a weak soap solution and coat the interior of the windway. This will help the water sheet off rather than bubble up in the windway. I’ve been known to use Jet Dry too, but it leaves my tongue numb. If you don’t like Jet Dry or soap, you can spring for a $2.50 bottle of Duponol, which will have the same effect, but is tasteless as far as I can tell. I got mine here: http://folkharp.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/25_44_73/products_id/152
Sit up straight, and don’t lean forward or look down at the instrument. That’ll keep help saliva from running down into it
Thanks, Wanderer. I’d considered drinking something with caffeine in it but I hadn’t thought about tannin. Good idea. And I like a good cup of tea.
I figured it was mostly me, but I thought it was worth asking about. It’s been fairly dry in this area lately. More so than usual; our springs usually really resemble our summers. Not quite down to below 50% humidity, though. Wow. That’s DRY.
I’ll give the soap solution a go and see how that works. Thanks for the suggestion.
Sit up straight, and don’t lean forward or look down at the instrument. That’ll keep help saliva from running down into it >
It’s not quite THAT wet! Although your advice about posture is good. I think I just have very moist breath. The only other thing that might help the problem, if this IS the problem, is when I take allergy meds. I dry out completely. Of course, I don’t want to drug up just to play! Hopefully the soap or Jet Dry will work.
I did also check to see if there were any slivers of plastic left over from forming the mouthpiece that might be holding moisture in the windway; didn’t find any. The seam on one side of the windway was slightly proud of the surfaces of the top and bottom pieces, but even with that gone (small file took care of it) the issue is still there.
You’ll come to understand that we’re not nice at all. We’re cruel, evil, and seedy. Every last one of us. Except Bloomfield, of course. He’s just seedy.
My skin knows it for sure…I’ve been adjusting ever since moving up here…today it’s 41% according to weather.com
I’ll give the soap solution a go and see how that works. Thanks for the suggestion.
Should help a lot. I ended up going with duponol, because the soap made me want to salivate, and Jet Dry had a flavor and made my tongue numb…and Duponol is actually comparably priced to Jet Dry. In all cases, make sure your whistle is dry before playing
You’ll come to understand that we’re not nice at all. We’re cruel, evil, and seedy. Every last one of us.
I don’t believe a word of it. So far, what I’ve seen from this bunch is much more polite, friendly and helpful than on a lot of other forums. Constant bickering…
Seedy’s ok, though.
And you’d think, as *centric (pick your descriptor) as we musicians/artists are, there’d be more friction and not less.
Whoa…bet you use a lot of lotion, and drink water constantly.
Should help a lot. I ended up going with duponol, because the soap made me want to salivate, and Jet Dry had a flavor and made my tongue numb…and Duponol is actually comparably priced to Jet Dry. In all cases, make sure your whistle is dry before playing >
I’ll pick up a bottle of duponol. I can see me having the same issues you have had with the soap and Jet Dry.
I found by holding my Howard stright out instead of down at an agle to help. You can also try turning the head upside down. Moisture on the windway roof is not as bad as on the bottom. I sometimes see wet falling out this way and it still plays.
Thanks, Tommy. I’ll give that a try. Maybe playing the low D but picturing a pennywhistle in my mind will work. I play those closer to horizontal than vertical.
I’d wondered if the upside down mouthpiece would help as well, but was reluctant to try it unless someone else had had luck. Very interesting that it’s more forgiving of moisture on the top of the windway…
