Is there any one that makes low whistles with one or two pads and levers on the lower holes (e.g like a clarinet)? I was interested in learning about the piper hold, but even using this, I still can’t reach the 3rd hole down with my 4th or 5th finger joints left hand, and I have to clumsily (wouldn’t be any good for playing jigs) and rather awkwardly use my 1st, 2nd and 4th fingers on the right and can’t really get a good seal. My hands are just tto small.
I love low whistles but am very frustrated that although an adult, I havent got big enough hands.
I also posted this on the other list, as I didn’t realise (being a newbie) there was a specific whistle list as well as a general.
You might do an internet search on Jubilee Whistles.
There are keyed whistles there, though how low they
go I don’t know.
One solution is to play a D flute. Some of these
are made for people with small hands, see especially
Casey Burns flutes. These really do work for people
with small hands. Many folks who play flute
do not miss low whistles; of course one must learn
to play the flute.
I’ve never really researched this, and I don’t play low whistle. But I seem to remember that you can buy Susato low whistles with optional keys for at least the one lowest hole. There may be others, too, dunno.
shortest reach in a low d would probably be a ralph sweet resonance model, as far as I know Hobgoblin stock them, you could find the nearest store in the uk and have a go, they have about 8 shops in the Uk, although the price in the US is $ 395 dollars its £ 369 sterling at hobgoblin,
now thats a mark up???, Susato do a few keyed models, alternativly low G/F/E whistle sound very nice too and less stretch.
