I just bought a low d whistle (Tony Dixon low d with duo tunable whistle and flute heads, DX022) and I was wondering if you are supposed to cover the same holes to get the same notes (just one octave lower) as the soprano d pennywhistle. For example, when I play a d scale on the soprano d whistle it sounds good but when I play what I think is a d scale on the low d it sounds terrible and out of tune. Then when I play a scale on the low d starting with covering just the top three holes it sounds good. Did I get a defective low d whistle? I thought you were supposed to cover the same holes to get the same notes for low and soprano d whistles. Am I just wrong about this?
Thanks in advance to anyone with more experience who might be able to help me out.
The low-D has the same fingering as the high-D... You probably are not completely covering the holes with your right hand (VERY common when moving to the low whistle).
I second the "not covering holes properly" theory. I got a low D Burke a few months ago, and for the first month or so I constantly had to re-set my fingers to get good coverage. It seems that you can get a decently in tune B through G while still leaving some little gaps, but the same gaps absolutely wreck the Ds and Es.
Low whistles are far more difficult to control than a soprano whistle, fingering is the same, but as stated, covering the holes is more of a challenge, and the breath support is much different. I was playing a Bflat whiste recently in a performance, and even the difference between that and a D whistle was enough that I had to really concentrate to get it to sound right.
Just keep working, it will come.
The wedge is for the top end and most whistles are "close enough" anyway. I tune mine based on where I'll be playing the most. At church, I'm in the second octave a lot, so I tune to the higher G, in other situations, I tune to the lower octave G.
No you are not wrong. But as intimated above, there are other considerations such as accuracy, temperature, air pressure, humidity, that have a larger effect on pitch than is noticeable on soprano whistles. Don't despair!
I have a dixon too and find that the tuning varies a lot depending on how close your mouth is to the fipple - especially on the low notes. You could try adding some more fingers, or moving the bottom of the whistle closer or further from your body.
How do you find the flute attachment - struggle to get more than an octave out of mine...
yes- same fingering basically- except some whistles require different fingerings for some of the notes such as F nat, C nat, G# etc- some of these work the same on my low D as on my high D and some don't-different whistle maker, etc-
also-breathing seems ot be really important- if I don't use enough air on my low D I tend to be flat etc on some notes-
and also the covering the holes bit as mentioned above
A Dixon should be in tune. I played one a few weeks ago and it played well.
People above have already brought up the important things:
1) though most (but not all) people use the same fingers to cover the same holes when they switch from high D to low D, most use a different part of the finger to make the seal on the holes. It's called "piper's grip" and it involves flattening the fingers out somewhat and using the middle pads of the fingers, rather than the end pads which is what you're probably used to.
Each finger has three fleshy pads, on the joint nearest to the knuckle, the mid-joint, and the end-joint. On high whistles most people use the end-joint pad but it's much more comfortable when playing large whistles to use the middle-joint pads and somewhat straight fingers. Anyhow you can Google "pipers grip" and see demonstrations of it.
2) on some Low D's how far the mouthpiece is held in the mouth changes the tuning. On my Burke Low D the tuning is best with the mouthpiece far into the mouth. If I play with the very end of the mouthpiece between my lips B in the low register goes flat.
As a piper, I've always used "piper's grip" on the low hand of Low D whistles and it feels the most natural and comfortable way to me. But I've had to relearn my upper hand and get used to using the same lower-hand grip on my upper hand. It's been a long process to get a good consistent seal on the holes, but I need to do it because my upper hand is tense/strained if I try to use the endjoint pads (as I've done all my life on the Highland pipes upper hand).
Now there are a few people who do use different fingers when they play Low D whistles, using the index, middle, and pinkie/little finger on the lower hand (not using the ring finger at all, and often keeping that finger on the whistle as an anchor finger). This way that lower-hand stretch to reach that E hole is reduced.
soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
Hi,
I just bought a low d whistle (Tony Dixon low d with duo tunable whistle and flute heads, DX022) and I was wondering if you are supposed to cover the same holes to get the same notes (just one octave lower) as the soprano d pennywhistle. For example, when I play a d scale on the soprano d whistle it sounds good but when I play what I think is a d scale on the low d it sounds terrible and out of tune. Then when I play a scale on the low d starting with covering just the top three holes it sounds good. Did I get a defective low d whistle? I thought you were supposed to cover the same holes to get the same notes for low and soprano d whistles. Am I just wrong about this?
Thanks in advance to anyone with more experience who might be able to help me out.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by bday09
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
The low-D has the same fingering as the high-D... You probably are not completely covering the holes with your right hand (VERY common when moving to the low whistle).
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by plunk111
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
As said by plunk111 - same fingering. But ...
More info would be useful. In what way are you out of tune? Which notes are out of tune, and are they sharp or flat?
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by ethical blend
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
What whistle do you have. My Overton needs to be warmed up to play in tune during the winter.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by shanty
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
I second the "not covering holes properly" theory. I got a low D Burke a few months ago, and for the first month or so I constantly had to re-set my fingers to get good coverage. It seems that you can get a decently in tune B through G while still leaving some little gaps, but the same gaps absolutely wreck the Ds and Es.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by dereksmootz
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
Low whistles are far more difficult to control than a soprano whistle, fingering is the same, but as stated, covering the holes is more of a challenge, and the breath support is much different. I was playing a Bflat whiste recently in a performance, and even the difference between that and a D whistle was enough that I had to really concentrate to get it to sound right.
Just keep working, it will come.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by AlBrown
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
I have a Dixon low D. I think it's not in tune at the bottom end, but I'm not sure.
I wonder why they don't put a wedge in them to compensate for the cylindrical shape.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by sbhikes
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
The wedge is for the top end and most whistles are "close enough" anyway. I tune mine based on where I'll be playing the most. At church, I'm in the second octave a lot, so I tune to the higher G, in other situations, I tune to the lower octave G.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by plunk111
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
Piers Grip is the way forward!!!
see this discussion thread
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/21226
Mikk
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by mikk
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
That should be "Pipers Grip"
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by mikk
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
No you are not wrong. But as intimated above, there are other considerations such as accuracy, temperature, air pressure, humidity, that have a larger effect on pitch than is noticeable on soprano whistles. Don't despair!
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by gam
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
mikk is right on.
Its a challenging transition.
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by zippydw
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
I have a dixon too and find that the tuning varies a lot depending on how close your mouth is to the fipple - especially on the low notes. You could try adding some more fingers, or moving the bottom of the whistle closer or further from your body.
How do you find the flute attachment - struggle to get more than an octave out of mine...
# Posted on January 29th 2010 by farmerboy
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
yes- same fingering basically- except some whistles require different fingerings for some of the notes such as F nat, C nat, G# etc- some of these work the same on my low D as on my high D and some don't-different whistle maker, etc-
also-breathing seems ot be really important- if I don't use enough air on my low D I tend to be flat etc on some notes-
and also the covering the holes bit as mentioned above
# Posted on January 30th 2010 by fiddlinfarmer
Re: soprano d to low d whistle - same fingering?
A Dixon should be in tune. I played one a few weeks ago and it played well.
People above have already brought up the important things:
1) though most (but not all) people use the same fingers to cover the same holes when they switch from high D to low D, most use a different part of the finger to make the seal on the holes. It's called "piper's grip" and it involves flattening the fingers out somewhat and using the middle pads of the fingers, rather than the end pads which is what you're probably used to.
Each finger has three fleshy pads, on the joint nearest to the knuckle, the mid-joint, and the end-joint. On high whistles most people use the end-joint pad but it's much more comfortable when playing large whistles to use the middle-joint pads and somewhat straight fingers. Anyhow you can Google "pipers grip" and see demonstrations of it.
2) on some Low D's how far the mouthpiece is held in the mouth changes the tuning. On my Burke Low D the tuning is best with the mouthpiece far into the mouth. If I play with the very end of the mouthpiece between my lips B in the low register goes flat.
As a piper, I've always used "piper's grip" on the low hand of Low D whistles and it feels the most natural and comfortable way to me. But I've had to relearn my upper hand and get used to using the same lower-hand grip on my upper hand. It's been a long process to get a good consistent seal on the holes, but I need to do it because my upper hand is tense/strained if I try to use the endjoint pads (as I've done all my life on the Highland pipes upper hand).
Now there are a few people who do use different fingers when they play Low D whistles, using the index, middle, and pinkie/little finger on the lower hand (not using the ring finger at all, and often keeping that finger on the whistle as an anchor finger). This way that lower-hand stretch to reach that E hole is reduced.
# Posted on February 2nd 2010 by Richard D Cook