Last night at our session we had a newcomer come. He just happened to bring along an array of Low whistles. The lowest whistle he had was an Overton Bb. Now, I have really small hands, but I was able to manage this whistle. My question : How much more of a stretch in Overtons low low A? Is there any other maker besides overton, that goes that low?
Thanks
Just curious…what was the breath requirement on that low Bb? Could you play a dance tune?
Curious Cat
Overtons in general seem to play slower than say chieftains…even in low d. The breath requirments weren’t to bad honestly (seemed very little considering the diameter of the whistle) but for some reason it plays a little slow. The sound though…100% sexy makes a low d sound like nothing
If you go to www.tonyhinnigan.com and scroll down on the whistle page to #11, he plays a Kerry pro low A and you are able to watch also.
Notice that he doesn’t use his ring fingers at all!
In this picture (sorry Tommy 
) you get a pretty good idea of the size differences in the different Overtons. Bass A on the left next to Tenor C and then Tenor D.
I have not tried to play it fast because I do not play fast typically. It sure does make my Low C and D easier to play though.
Only thing is…the next longest one is a c right? Not a Bb
Well after I replenish funds in my pay pal, could I rent that A.
I belive I read in another thread that he has one coming from Colin
Goldie? That should make the whole set? 
Sometimes there are not enough faces for saying everything here . There is not a smiley face with green eyes of envy? 
Too cool. It did give me some idea of the spacing…I WANT …No I am begaining to convince myself that I NEED one 
Things to consider when playing these larger whistles:
1- Try to avoid using your finger tips if all possible. Some whistles you can get away with playing with the finger tips. Many are very talented in this. But, consider that these bass whistles also have much much “larger” hole sizes/hole spacing/bigger sound. Challenging to say the least.
2- There is an aweful lot of flexibility that comes from appying the, “Pipers Grip”. Some players use the very “tips” of there fingers on the bass whistle, and then some like myself tend to use the very “middle pads” of the fingers(personal choice). At any rate, they are cool whistles to have around! They are not used much in “TRAD” (used mostly in solo’s & harmonies w/ other whistles) but tend to find there way into other musical styles.
–Talbert St. Claire
Yeah, I would definately be using the bass a for harmony
That is a fair Question. I am a reative newbie with low whistles. My first was a Howard about a year ago and the first week I squeeked and squaked it till I put some corn Huskers lotion on my hands and the softer skin sealed the holes better. I got up to playing fast tunes with it and developing a lite touch to cover the holes. The death grip will not seal the holes any better than a well placed lite touch. I found that putting the thumbs in the same place all the time gave the fingers a refferance point of where there were at. I then tried an Overton and my wife liked so now I can play in the house when it gets cold in the garage. I play whistle and she sings in our church praise band, and the vocals like low whistles better. So now to play in all the keys they sing in I have the Overton low d for six months, Chieftain Low C one month, and the Overton Low bass Bb less than twenty four hours. I watched Matt play it last night at the first session I have been to, and the tune did move like a dance tune.
his hands are smaller than mine but he had no problem. I have been playing the Bb and tried The Balldesmond polka 1 from the Mel Bay Irlands best tin whistle tunes volume 1. In answer to your question the Overton Bb can play it and all that a person wants to but it must be done with diaphragm breathing. Not any of that shallow stuff from the top of the lungs. However they seem to be more suited for music other than faster tunes. I have played my Overton Low D solo and it filled the church without a mic.
You are right, they can be played fairly fast . I had to concentrate a little more than I am used to (but keep in mind it was the first time I had played the Bb) I didn’t have to concentrate nearly as much when I played his Chieftain C but then I am used to my chieftain Low D. Still though…It didn’t feel that the Bb took any noticibly more air than my low d.
OH! So it was YOU! 
You little Bass Bb theif! 
Thank you very much. I have been called worse. 
I might have sniped it but I am no theif. My pay pal is MT! 
I lost it fair and square the first time it came up FS by about 15 minutes! 
Where were you back then? How do you ever find time to give all your whistles the attention they deserve? Now just where is that smiley face for bantering. 
Happy Holidays
Well spotted! As a cello player, an instrument which can involve wide stretches, I always eschewed tension-inducing stretching, preferring to change position instead. When I started to play the quenacho, long before I ever owned a low whistle, I elected to use my 4th (rather than 3rd) fingers to avoid tension (as you obviously can’t change position on an ethnic flute, and there are no keys to help you). When low whistles entered my life (for the “Titanic” sessions) I simply used my quenacho technique on them. Phil Hardy doesn’t think much of it but, hey, what does he know? For the record, I use 3rd finger down to G and, below that, 4th finger.
May seem a bit odd to most of you but it works for me!