I'm looking into buying a low d whistle, and was wondering if anyone knew which ones are a bit better for small hands? I've played around on two different ones before, and was able to reach on one but not the other.
I have small hands as well and haven't found a low D whistle I couldn't comfortably play using a pipers-style grip. What sort of issues did you have with the two you previously tried?
I have no ergonomic issues playing my current Copeland low D or the Burke low D I previously owned.
I have many years of experience on an open-holed instrument,
but I can't 'play around' on any low whistle. If I ever buy one,
I'll have to practice doing piper's grip. I suspect it will be the same
for you, baobhanta. When I started on flute, it took a few months
until I could stretch my right hand enough for a 'normal' grip,
but low whistle spacing is even worse.
Well, the Walt Sweet (not Ralph) Onyx has much closer spacing on the lower hand and the ability to rotate the upper and lower hand sections to get the best match for the user.
That said though I do think the learning pipers grip will make any Low D work for most folks. Check out what is said at Chiff and Fipple about all of that.
I have yet to run across a low D I couldn't play in pipers grip. It did take me a while to get used to pipers but it's worth taking the time to learn it.
Eh, my problem with low whistles isn't reach, but the fact my fingers are too skinny to cover the holes properly. I've not been able to figure that one out yet :/
Eat more? If I remember correctly a Copeland low D has somewhat smaller holes than the big bore aluminum whistles like a Goldie or Overton. Michael - if you're still reading this thread can you confirm?
I just think people allow themselves to be defeated far to easily. It can take a while to be able to cover the holes properly on an Overton low D, by properly, I mean an air tight snap shut every time and really, this has nothing to do with your hand or finger size, it's just practice. I've heard skinny 12 year old girls with tiny skinny hands play Overton low Ds with ease.
And sure, there are Low D makers who pander to the self defeatists and make inferior instruments where the holes are to small.
Perhaps I am "self defeatist" (we already knew that), but the two reasons I gave up on low D whistles and decided to stick to high D ones and the pipes was (a) like snowy owl said, I found the holes too big to be easily covered by my small fingers and (b) even using a piper's grip, I found the stretch quite extreme and restricted the movement of fingers on the bottom three holes, as my hands could not physically be relaxed and still hold the instrument and cover all holes.
I owned and played one for about two years. I never got the freedom of movement in those bottom two holes that I had with the pipes, nor the ability to play it without getting sore forearms and wrists from the stretch. The best thing that ever happened was that I drunkenly left it in a pub during Willie Week and never bought another one.
Some people get injuries from getting used to things that really are not good for their bodies. They say that soreness has a purpose. How much time does it have to be taking to get used to something before it is sensible to move on the something else instead ? It gets harder as you get older.
Dunno the answer to that. But footballers get injured all time, should we ban football? Or just ban football for old people? My father-in-law was told to stop playing football when he was forty or he'd be crippled. He carried on til he was 50 and now he's crippled. There's no moral there ... except that he's not allowed to whine about it, of course.
I think it's sensible to allow the individual to decide whether they want to be sensible,
Should we compel Liz Carroll to stop playing the fiddle with a bent wrist so she avoids getting that carpel tunnel thing?
"I think it's sensible to allow the individual to decide whether they want to be sensible" So no pressure on people who decide sore arms are a signal to stop then ?
Yeah, absolutely. It's up to you if you think it's worth it, that's what I'm saying. You set your own standard on where you allow yourself to be defeated. All I'm saying is that most people just don't make enough of an effort at anything really. And so the plethora of mediocrity.
"there are Low D makers who pander to the self defeatists and make inferior instruments where the holes are to small."
Is there a problem with the holes being too small? all it does is decrease the volume as far as I know. If someone want's to play a quiet instrument, let them do it! there's no problem with that. From what it looks like to me, you're saying that we should ban all gadgets or gizmos, or whatever, that make life easier.
I then started learning the freakin' pipes, for feck's sakes. I don't think you can really accuse me of being too easily defeated, Michael. Deciding the low whistle wasn't the right instrument, but others are, is not being defeatist.
Low D whistle for smaller hands
Low D whistle for smaller hands
I'm looking into buying a low d whistle, and was wondering if anyone knew which ones are a bit better for small hands? I've played around on two different ones before, and was able to reach on one but not the other.
Ta!
# Posted on October 17th 2011 by baobhanta
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/index/search?name=small+hands
# Posted on October 17th 2011 by gam
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
You really expect to be able to play an instrument after "playing around" on it for a bit?
# Posted on October 17th 2011 by ...
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I don't think he implied that, llig. I didn't infer it from his post, anyway.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by DaveL35
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
*he (or she)
*his (or her)
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by DaveL35
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I have small hands as well and haven't found a low D whistle I couldn't comfortably play using a pipers-style grip. What sort of issues did you have with the two you previously tried?
I have no ergonomic issues playing my current Copeland low D or the Burke low D I previously owned.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by Michael Eskin
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
just duck tape the top and bottom holes but don't flatten them or sharpen them, i have small hands and so needed to cut the reach too
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by boxrox
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I have many years of experience on an open-holed instrument,
but I can't 'play around' on any low whistle. If I ever buy one,
I'll have to practice doing piper's grip. I suspect it will be the same
for you, baobhanta. When I started on flute, it took a few months
until I could stretch my right hand enough for a 'normal' grip,
but low whistle spacing is even worse.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by Hup
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Well, the Walt Sweet (not Ralph) Onyx has much closer spacing on the lower hand and the ability to rotate the upper and lower hand sections to get the best match for the user.
That said though I do think the learning pipers grip will make any Low D work for most folks. Check out what is said at Chiff and Fipple about all of that.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by cboody
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGAXe1p-KN4
If he can manage...
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by gam
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
don't certain makers of low whistles have whistles that are specially made for people with smaller hands?
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by an fidleir
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I have yet to run across a low D I couldn't play in pipers grip. It did take me a while to get used to pipers but it's worth taking the time to learn it.
# Posted on October 19th 2011 by ElaineT
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Eh, my problem with low whistles isn't reach, but the fact my fingers are too skinny to cover the holes properly. I've not been able to figure that one out yet :/
# Posted on October 19th 2011 by snowyowl
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Eat more?
If I remember correctly a Copeland low D has somewhat smaller holes than the big bore aluminum whistles like a Goldie or Overton. Michael - if you're still reading this thread can you confirm?
# Posted on October 19th 2011 by ElaineT
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I think you're right, but even those aren't a problem for me.
# Posted on October 20th 2011 by Michael Eskin
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I just think people allow themselves to be defeated far to easily. It can take a while to be able to cover the holes properly on an Overton low D, by properly, I mean an air tight snap shut every time and really, this has nothing to do with your hand or finger size, it's just practice. I've heard skinny 12 year old girls with tiny skinny hands play Overton low Ds with ease.
And sure, there are Low D makers who pander to the self defeatists and make inferior instruments where the holes are to small.
# Posted on October 20th 2011 by ...
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Perhaps I am "self defeatist" (we already knew that), but the two reasons I gave up on low D whistles and decided to stick to high D ones and the pipes was (a) like snowy owl said, I found the holes too big to be easily covered by my small fingers and (b) even using a piper's grip, I found the stretch quite extreme and restricted the movement of fingers on the bottom three holes, as my hands could not physically be relaxed and still hold the instrument and cover all holes.
# Posted on October 20th 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
You mean your hands could not physically be relaxed when you first tried it. I remember that feeling well.
And I remember trying to get a note out of my mates pipes too.
And the first time I put a fiddle under my chin and tried to scape it.
# Posted on October 20th 2011 by ...
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I owned and played one for about two years. I never got the freedom of movement in those bottom two holes that I had with the pipes, nor the ability to play it without getting sore forearms and wrists from the stretch. The best thing that ever happened was that I drunkenly left it in a pub during Willie Week and never bought another one.
# Posted on October 20th 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I think I was probably playing the fiddle for at least a couple of years before it felt comfortable
# Posted on October 21st 2011 by ...
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Some people get injuries from getting used to things that really are not good for their bodies. They say that soreness has a purpose. How much time does it have to be taking to get used to something before it is sensible to move on the something else instead ? It gets harder as you get older.
# Posted on October 21st 2011 by David50
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Dunno the answer to that. But footballers get injured all time, should we ban football? Or just ban football for old people? My father-in-law was told to stop playing football when he was forty or he'd be crippled. He carried on til he was 50 and now he's crippled. There's no moral there ... except that he's not allowed to whine about it, of course.
I think it's sensible to allow the individual to decide whether they want to be sensible,
Should we compel Liz Carroll to stop playing the fiddle with a bent wrist so she avoids getting that carpel tunnel thing?
# Posted on October 21st 2011 by ...
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
"I think it's sensible to allow the individual to decide whether they want to be sensible" So no pressure on people who decide sore arms are a signal to stop then ?
# Posted on October 21st 2011 by David50
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
Yeah, absolutely. It's up to you if you think it's worth it, that's what I'm saying. You set your own standard on where you allow yourself to be defeated. All I'm saying is that most people just don't make enough of an effort at anything really. And so the plethora of mediocrity.
# Posted on October 21st 2011 by ...
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
"there are Low D makers who pander to the self defeatists and make inferior instruments where the holes are to small."
Is there a problem with the holes being too small? all it does is decrease the volume as far as I know. If someone want's to play a quiet instrument, let them do it! there's no problem with that. From what it looks like to me, you're saying that we should ban all gadgets or gizmos, or whatever, that make life easier.
# Posted on October 29th 2011 by an fidleir
Re: Low D whistle for smaller hands
I then started learning the freakin' pipes, for feck's sakes. I don't think you can really accuse me of being too easily defeated, Michael. Deciding the low whistle wasn't the right instrument, but others are, is not being defeatist.
# Posted on October 29th 2011 by DrSilverSpear