I have a hard time to figure out how hard I should blow to get the higher octaves on my generation b-flat.
I blow very softly for the normal octaves and have noticed I have to blow much harder to get a good tone for a higher octave.
I thought I only needed to blow SLIGHTLY harder but not so .
How do I get the idea when I get it right???
berti
I play on a generation D. I have found the second octaves to come easily with just a litte more breath.
However, the third ocyaves I couldnt reach for awhile due to the fact I wasnt blowing near hard enough. It took far more breath and control to get a nice solid tone.
This varies from whistle to whistle, and from note to note. Only way to get it right is to experiment and practice. Eventually, you will be able to pick up a new whistle and do it very easily, but in the beginning, its harder.
Take it note by note. Play a series of a note in the lower register, separated by a bit of tougueing. Keep repeating that note, but start blowing harder and harder. Soon the notes will start to crack and sound lousy, but keep going, harder and harder. Eventually, the second octave notes will start coming out nice and clean. Keep blowing harder and they will start to sound lousy again. Somewhere between the lower and higher lousy notes is the perfect second octave. Repeat for other notes.
A further comment on this, it’s a good idea to get used to any new whistle by going up the scale but spending some time on each note giving less pressure and more pressure to see what the limits are. It’s even more useful if you have a tuner on hand to get familiar with the right amount of pressure for tuning.
If you haven’t tried this before, you will be suprised on how much pitch bend you can get out of a whistle by changing the amount of air that you are deliverying to it.
Some whistles have more “backpressure” than others. I like to have a just little bit of backpressure, having it gives me more control. Of course, I grew up playing trumpet where backpressure is everything.
NICELY PUT DANIEL! 