Whistling Low: Gravel Walk

Whistle
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It’s hard to believe that I’ve been posting here for almost a year and a half. I look back at my ability when I started posting, and am amazed at how much progress I’ve made. I have to give thanks to the many fine players here who inspired me to improve myself.

In any case, now that the mushiness is past me, let me get to the point. :slight_smile: I make no great secret of ‘bucking the trend’ about some things…Pipers fingering for low whistles being one of them. I hold my low whistle a lot more like a flute player holds a flute (using fingertip pads, rather than finger joint), and use my pinkie on the lowest hole. In any case, the reason for the nostalgic moment is because I remember shortly after I started posting here, someone (I don’t remember who) took me to task on my fingering technique, strongly implying that I wouldn’t ever be able to play ‘up to speed’ that way. The tune I played in retort (Playford’s Dancing Master) was pretty lame but was really the best I could do at the time, since I’d never attempted to play more than slow airs on the low whistle before.

Oh what a difference 18 months can make! :slight_smile: Here’s Gravel Walk, played at a fairly good clip, on my Cheiftain low D, fingertip style. I hope that my example can help to remind us all that there’s certainly room for individual expression in this medium. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed playing it!

http://www.tinwhistler.com/music/mp3/gravel_walk_low.mp3

Greg

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Hi Greg,

I can certainly tell that your playing has come along well over those 18 months. I think a number of us here feel that way about our own playing, and it’s certainly due, in part, to the existence of this community and the inspiration gained from it (and lots of practice!).

As for using the pinky on the low whistles, some may remember that I too used to propound using this technique and indeed I used it myself for some time and therefore I know that it can be employed perfectly well. Having said that, I abandoned using the pinky and I’m now very settled with piper fingering, and wouldn’t choose to go back to using the pinky, but I agree with you entirely Greg: always there’s room for individual expression.

Mick