Hi all.
I have a question about playing a particular phrase. The tune is Sherlock’s, a reel. The second phrase of the tune is: F#DAD F#A A2. I find it extremely difficult to hit those alternating D’s. Is it just a matter of more practice, or is there something like a cran that people play instead?
Thanks for you help.
Arbo
Going by the phrase you posted (I am not sure which tune you mean) FD ~D2 FA A could be an alternative but to be honest, if you can’t hit those Ds your cran will likely be a mess too. Practice until you can do it either way.
Thank you. That is exactly what I am doing!
Not familiar with Sherlocks Reel.
This is an example of how Sean Potts does it. Its in the first part of the first tune - http://source.pipers.ie/Search/SearchResult.aspx?searchTerm=tandragee&startRowIndex=0&pageSize=12&mediaId=4234
Elementary, my dear Arbo! 
Does the xxo xxx “lazy fingering” for A work on your flute? If so, that can make the D-A-D sequence a bit easier.
Your “Sherlock’s” sounds like the opening of The Famous Ballymote.
A simple exercise would be to practice hitting hard bottom D from each note in the first octave:
dDcDBDADGDFDED ~D EDFDGDADBDcDdD
dDD cDD BDD ADD GDD FDD EDD ~D EDD FDD GDD ADD BDD cDD dDD
and practice those until you can do them at a decent speed, clean and without squeaks and then do similar runs going down to crans dD ~D3 cD ~D3 cDBD AD ~D3 and that sort of thing.
Get cuts in place for clear articulation : dD{d}cD{c}BD etc dD{A}D {d}cD{A}D etc
For the situation in the OP learn to deal with different ways like the open (off the knee, pinkie down) triplet (3FED AD FA A