hi i cant reach the last hole i have smallish hands but really want to play the low whistles i have a birthday coming up and wondering are a g much easier to handle sizw wise rather than a d i have been lent a d whistle to try which is a howard i find my friends a whistle lovely to play it is a cheiftan so didnt want to get the same as him any suggestions which brands i should look at for smaller hands i looked at tony dixon in devon has anyone played these and what do you think
All low D whistles have nearly the same fingerhole spacing.
The only low D that has really close spacing is the Susato low D with keys.
The keys allow your fingers to be comfortably close together.
Remember and use your finger pads The soft bit in between your first and second finger joints. If you hold it right, finger/hand size is not a problem. I've seen and head wee 12 year old girls with tiny hands play the low whistle fine
As far as size goes, a G would be an easier low whistle to start with.
Michael Burke's Low D Viper has a rotating bottom hole that might be a help if you're struggling with fingering. Burke makes stunning whistles in my opinion. I have one of his high D's and am thinking of splashing out on a low D.
As for the piper's grip, some players don't use the piper's grip for all fingers. I use standard grip for the top hand and only use piper's grip for holes 4 & 5, so that the ring finger on the bottom hand uses the normal finger tip to close off the bottom hole. I'm not saying that this is the definitive or correct way to play, but it helps some players.
thanks all i will keep trying sometimes i achive nice clear notes so i know its possible and in time my fingers will stretch my spare room is slowly being filled with whistles/ flutes recorders and music scores and this is just an reason to buy another whistle to add to the collection
Not the same thing, tapered bore etc, but there are tenor recorders designed for smaller hands, so would seem possible to do the same thing with whistles.
I bought one of those Vipers, but the machining is so fine I didn't even know that it was adjustable. One day I took it out of the pouch and the hole was gone! Fortunately after a few hours of consternation, I found the hole opposite where it should have been. I realized then that it was adjustable!
I play a Burke Viper low D, and I have Burkes in several other keys.
The low D and the low F have the rotating bottom, which I actually don't like. I asked Micheal if he could make me a low D with a one-piece non-rotating bottom; he said he could not.
I don't like that feature because sometimes when I'm playing the bottom inadvertently becomes slighty rotated and I end up with fuzzy notes or clams, until I realise what's happened.
What I did was to put a bit of tape on the tenon so that it's fairly difficult to rotate that bottom. The low F's bottom was very loose and needed the same treatment.
I WANT all the holes to be in a straight line. They're like that on every other whistle I play.
But if you have difficulty sealing the holes, try learning the "piper's grip" as people have suggested.
With that grip, the MIDDLE pads of the index and middle fingers of each hand seal their holes, while the END pad of the ring fingers of each hand seals their holes. The fingers are held fairly straight or flat, but not tense.
You'll find that it's far more comfortable that trying to arch the fingers and using each finger's end pad: flat fingers stretch farther than curved fingers. Try it and you'll see.
I have a Reyburn low D (an excellent choice, by the way) with the lowest hole offset. Even with that, my hands cramped up at first until I discovered a more comfortable angle to hold my fingers in relation to the whistle, i.e., not totally perpendicular to the whistle. Try angling your fingertips to a more comfortable downward position and see if it takes the strain off the ligaments. A slight adjustment can make all the difference.
Monkey Flute, I play a D overton and have small hands. Though I can reach the low D ok I actually play the bottom hole with my pinky. It sounds tricky but after a week or two it is remarkably easy. Makes the bottom stretch about the same as a penny whistle. It is no problem switching between styles either. I play all wide bore whistle with my pinky and narrow bore ( d, c, Bb, A) normally. It is easy for pipers as we are used to using our pinky anyway. I would be interested if any non-pipers play this way, I've only ever seen one other person playing like this, which surprises me as there is no strain on the fingers whatsoever.
I agree with Bogman on this question. I play the cello, an instrument which can require wide stretches in the left hand. I have always preferred to shift position rather than try the tension-inducing stretches which some other players go for.
The first low flute I ever played was the quenacho, so I immediately went for using the 4th fingers on both hands to avoid tension. When I started playing low whistles, I automatically used the same technique. My cut-off point is a G whistle. I use the 3rd fingers on anything down to that, but switch to 4th fingers on an F sharp whistle or lower. Bogman is right, in that switching between styles is no problem. The 4th finger style also makes playing super-low whistles (down to A or G) much less daunting. It also helps in playing cross-blown flutes. Whilst it is no problem to play a D flute with 3rd fingers, playing a C or lower is simply easier with the 4th finger style.
hi firstly thanks for all the replies i have recieved a book today the low whistle book by stefan hannigan i will try using my pinkie instead i play silver flute ( c) s so am use to using my little finger on the last key
learning low whistle but findind d too big
learning low whistle but findind d too big
hi i cant reach the last hole i have smallish hands but really want to play the low whistles i have a birthday coming up and wondering are a g much easier to handle sizw wise rather than a d i have been lent a d whistle to try which is a howard i find my friends a whistle lovely to play it is a cheiftan so didnt want to get the same as him any suggestions which brands i should look at for smaller hands i looked at tony dixon in devon has anyone played these and what do you think
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by monkey flute
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
All low D whistles have nearly the same fingerhole spacing.
The only low D that has really close spacing is the Susato low D with keys.
The keys allow your fingers to be comfortably close together.
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by Richard D Cook
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
Remember and use your finger pads The soft bit in between your first and second finger joints. If you hold it right, finger/hand size is not a problem. I've seen and head wee 12 year old girls with tiny hands play the low whistle fine
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
heard
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
As far as size goes, a G would be an easier low whistle to start with.
Michael Burke's Low D Viper has a rotating bottom hole that might be a help if you're struggling with fingering. Burke makes stunning whistles in my opinion. I have one of his high D's and am thinking of splashing out on a low D.
As for the piper's grip, some players don't use the piper's grip for all fingers. I use standard grip for the top hand and only use piper's grip for holes 4 & 5, so that the ring finger on the bottom hand uses the normal finger tip to close off the bottom hole. I'm not saying that this is the definitive or correct way to play, but it helps some players.
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by niallt
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
thanks all i will keep trying sometimes i achive nice clear notes so i know its possible and in time my fingers will stretch my spare room is slowly being filled with whistles/ flutes recorders and music scores and this is just an reason to buy another whistle to add to the collection
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by monkey flute
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
Helpful looking page at :-
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/beginners/lowd/lowd.htm
Not the same thing, tapered bore etc, but there are tenor recorders designed for smaller hands, so would seem possible to do the same thing with whistles.
# Posted on March 4th 2008 by TomB-R
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
The adjustable low hole on the Burke low d....
I bought one of those Vipers, but the machining is so fine I didn't even know that it was adjustable. One day I took it out of the pouch and the hole was gone! Fortunately after a few hours of consternation, I found the hole opposite where it should have been. I realized then that it was adjustable!
Great Feature, that.
# Posted on March 5th 2008 by feardearg
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
Punctuation doesn't hurt either.
# Posted on March 5th 2008 by sbhikes
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
I play a Burke Viper low D, and I have Burkes in several other keys.
The low D and the low F have the rotating bottom, which I actually don't like. I asked Micheal if he could make me a low D with a one-piece non-rotating bottom; he said he could not.
I don't like that feature because sometimes when I'm playing the bottom inadvertently becomes slighty rotated and I end up with fuzzy notes or clams, until I realise what's happened.
What I did was to put a bit of tape on the tenon so that it's fairly difficult to rotate that bottom. The low F's bottom was very loose and needed the same treatment.
I WANT all the holes to be in a straight line. They're like that on every other whistle I play.
But if you have difficulty sealing the holes, try learning the "piper's grip" as people have suggested.
With that grip, the MIDDLE pads of the index and middle fingers of each hand seal their holes, while the END pad of the ring fingers of each hand seals their holes. The fingers are held fairly straight or flat, but not tense.
You'll find that it's far more comfortable that trying to arch the fingers and using each finger's end pad: flat fingers stretch farther than curved fingers. Try it and you'll see.
# Posted on March 5th 2008 by Richard D Cook
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
I have a Reyburn low D (an excellent choice, by the way) with the lowest hole offset. Even with that, my hands cramped up at first until I discovered a more comfortable angle to hold my fingers in relation to the whistle, i.e., not totally perpendicular to the whistle. Try angling your fingertips to a more comfortable downward position and see if it takes the strain off the ligaments. A slight adjustment can make all the difference.
# Posted on March 5th 2008 by mjct
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
Monkey Flute, I play a D overton and have small hands. Though I can reach the low D ok I actually play the bottom hole with my pinky. It sounds tricky but after a week or two it is remarkably easy. Makes the bottom stretch about the same as a penny whistle. It is no problem switching between styles either. I play all wide bore whistle with my pinky and narrow bore ( d, c, Bb, A) normally. It is easy for pipers as we are used to using our pinky anyway. I would be interested if any non-pipers play this way, I've only ever seen one other person playing like this, which surprises me as there is no strain on the fingers whatsoever.
# Posted on March 6th 2008 by bogman
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
I agree with Bogman on this question. I play the cello, an instrument which can require wide stretches in the left hand. I have always preferred to shift position rather than try the tension-inducing stretches which some other players go for.
The first low flute I ever played was the quenacho, so I immediately went for using the 4th fingers on both hands to avoid tension. When I started playing low whistles, I automatically used the same technique. My cut-off point is a G whistle. I use the 3rd fingers on anything down to that, but switch to 4th fingers on an F sharp whistle or lower. Bogman is right, in that switching between styles is no problem. The 4th finger style also makes playing super-low whistles (down to A or G) much less daunting. It also helps in playing cross-blown flutes. Whilst it is no problem to play a D flute with 3rd fingers, playing a C or lower is simply easier with the 4th finger style.
# Posted on March 6th 2008 by Chief Wanganui
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
Ditto (bogman) on using the pinky for the bottom hole.
# Posted on March 6th 2008 by mjct
Re: learning low whistle but findind d too big
hi firstly thanks for all the replies i have recieved a book today the low whistle book by stefan hannigan i will try using my pinkie instead i play silver flute ( c) s so am use to using my little finger on the last key
thanks again monkey flute
# Posted on March 6th 2008 by monkey flute