I recently got interested in the Whistle. I already play classical flute (transverse flute), but I always loved Irish Music (Traditional Acadian music is heavily based on or influenced by Irish Music). The Irish Whistle being a great complement to my instrument arsenal, the choice was obvious.
I’m now waiting for my Feadóg Whistle to get here (cheap and I know it requires some breath control, as a flautist it’s not going to be hard for me—I just want to learn for now ). In the mean time, I browse the internet a lot for Whistle videos. I noticed that some players play with the Whistle straight in the middle on their lips, some play with the Whistle on the side like a pipe. My question is: Is there a technical difference between the two playing style or is it just the player’s preference?.. If it’s just a preference, how do you play and why? (got to keep the discussion going )
I used to play out of the side of my mouth when I first started because I thought it looked cooler. Long ago I started playing strait in front and it noticably improved my intonation. I believe that playing the whistle straigt in front of you is the least disruptive of your air flow and creates a better embouchure. The differences were small but noticable to me.
This isn’t to say that playing to the side is bad, it depends on the sound you want to get out of your whistle.
I play with the whistle in the middle of my lips as well. But I’ve seen many videos with people playing with the whistle on a side too. I think it’s matter of personal preferences..
I play both ways. This may sound strange, but when I play to the side, I feel like I can hear myself better, like it aids me to not have equal input to both ears. However, I do squeak less if I play it straight.
No, I agree. In a large session, particularly if the whistle you’re playing isn’t particularly loud, playing to the side definitely helps you hear better.
One mistake I’ve seen a lot of flautists make is thinking that the breath control on a whistle is going to be easy. Then they start trying to play it, and can’t make themselves use as little air as a whistle requires, and they can’t play it because the breath control is too fine compared to what they’re used to.
Just a bit of a warning that it might not be as easy as expected
Me, I play it in the middle of my lips, unless I’m playing while I’m smoking a cigarette. Then it’s whistle on one side, cigarette on the other.
The trick is to blow very little, at least on cheapos like the Feadog. Some beginners think they sound better on a “high end” whistle because they often require more air and are thus more forgiving of poor breath control, or seem to be, at any rate.
The angle (how high or low you hold the whistle) matters more than the direction (straight in front of you, or sideways) when it comes to tone and intonation, at least in my experience.
Soprano whistles I play to the side. I can hear the other band members better if I play this way. Also, it makes an awkward mic placement easier to work.
Low whistles I play in the center in order to use the “piper’s grip”.
I never understood why that was done except for its tie to flute position. The only time I’ve had to play at the side is when my upper lip gives out toward the end of a full day and night of playing on St Pat’s.
I like to play jigs to the side and airs in the middle (I play high D and C). Makes no sense to me either. I’ll have to try to smoke a cigarette during a jig now. He he.
Left, right or center… depends on the mood, the room, the nearness of the ear of the person closest to me, the position of tab if needed, soreness of lip, totally depends … mostly center or right.
). In the mean time, I browse the internet a lot for Whistle videos. I noticed that some players play with the Whistle straight in the middle on their lips, some play with the Whistle on the side like a pipe. My question is: Is there a technical difference between the two playing style or is it just the player’s preference?.. If it’s just a preference, how do you play and why? (got to keep the discussion going 
