Getting Started Playing a Low D Whistle 

Thanks for connecting. Yes, the transition to the low D can be a challenge, but the delight of the instrument and the tone is so wonderful. I look forward to you sharing some of your experience as we progress together.

Thank you for the encouragement. I’m looking forward to hearing about your progress with your new whistle.

I appreciate your comment. This is exactly what I’m hoping to accomplish for all of us. It helps hold me accountable and we can all learn together.

That is good to hear. Keep me posted on your progress.

Thanks. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to share the journey. It’s helpful to receive help and encouragement and also to give it.

@@LowDWhistle couldn't agree more, and well said, well, i am along with you now on this journey, march on friend!

@@pollyon how long does the squeek and "where is that hole?" phase last before you can play dawning of the day?

@@antonvf9619 for me it took a couple of days tops to make sure i had no squeaky holes, i spent all my time practicing the very basics, running up the scale and back down is good enough for that, hope this helps

@@pollyonthis helps, this is,day 3 for me, I still have unwanted octave jumps in the lower notes, i think my fingers are not sealing the holes properly. I have my first and second finger wrap a bit around curve of the tube (i have an howard) perhaps that is my mistake, some of my up down scales are sort of ok except for the low d which is either super soft and breathy or doing unwanted overtones. We'll see tomorrow, I play three time a day to my family's sorrow (hey, i could be learning the violin! - already done lol) thanks for the infos, any advice most welcome

Welcome to whistling! I just received a Whistlesmith low D myself. $30 is a great price. The beauty of the Whistlesmith is the reach on the second hand. He has done an amazing job with the hole spacing. It is a quiet whistle. The lower octave seems more quiet than the upper. It has the muted tone of a plastic whistle, but with a nicer tone than many. I think it is good value for the money. If the lower hand reach is not an issue I would recommend a number of other options, but this is a good whistle to own and play.

You are so right. I’ve always wanted to be as honest in my journey as possible. If I don’t honestly share my journey other folks will think they are not up to it.

That transition is indeed a challenge. You’re probably doing this, but I work on that specific transition a number of time until I begin becoming more comfortable. It takes a while. Keep me posted.

Great question. I’ll answer here, but I’ll add a video in the next day or two. I know you’ll enjoy the Howard. It will take some getting accustomed to a few things. The embouchure is quite different. With the sax or clarinet we are accustomed to changing the embouchure to accommodate certain notes as well as their pitch. With the whistle the goal of the mouth is to create a seal around the mouthpiece. Place it just into your lips. This is why some even have the mouthpiece slightly off center. You’re just holding it in your mouth. The instrument will be happy at between 30-45 degrees angle from your body. Then blow gently. You need just a little more air pressure to break into the second octave. Consistent air flow is important, but don’t blow too hard. Enjoy, and please let me know how you are progressing. Look for a video soon. 👍

many thanks! so far i only played (a little...) a high d so im looking forward to discovering the differences, the low d whistle is the instrument i want to play, high d was just a mean of learning that was supposedly easier.@@LowDWhistle I studied the piano the guitar the violin the cello and others and my experience with the high d is: i have no doubt I'll be able to play a tune cleanly soon. on the low d... cliffhanger!!!!

Indeed. As a long time saxophone player I thought I would be able to play without using the piper’s grip. When I got my low D whistle I used a modified piper’s grip (I used my fingertips on the lower fingers of each hand). But my short and thin fingers weren’t happy with that. After talking with a piper friend I finally gave up and tried the piper’s grip. I am so glad I did. Playing has become much easier. So, yes, try whatever you need to try. Keep experimenting until you find what works for you.

I know some people catch it right away, but with smaller hands it gets tough. As a sax / clarinet player it took me a while to get the grip sorted out. I started off following the advice I heard of many that you place the fingertip of your ring finger to cover the bottom hole. I couldn’t consistently do that. I then moved to the more traditional piper’s grip, which means you move your hands in so the middle pad covers the bottom hole. My fingers are also thin, so that enabled me to cover the holes better. I then realized it would be easier to begin with placing my hands on the whistle in a way where the little finger of my bottom hand can stabilize the whistle. My fingers then land on the whistle where they want to. I describe this in a newer video I’ll add a link to. I think it took me a few months to really settle in. Each instrument feels different in my hands and my mind hasn’t been confused by the switching. I have been playing the whistle 8 months now, and I still find I can play the high whistles more freely. I love the tone of the low whistle enough that I focus on it. I hope it all becomes comfortable soon. It can be tough when we are accustomed to picking an instrument up and just playing without having to think about our hands. I’m looking forward to hearing about your progress!

Try this video where I walk through a few grip options: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_QkN_z-_jRM.htmlsi=zZc8WtgaIa43yAke

This video may be more helpful. It was at this point I realized that deciding how to hold he whistle to keep it stable is a better starting point for deciding our grip: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Gp3F1o7-8Xw.htmlsi=tiwNrGYSuVjGrKMZ

@@LowDWhistle That you so much for your advice! I will check out both videos. In fact, yesterday, it felt better with the grips. I realise that if I cover the middle holes (f# and e) further in on my fingers, I will nicely reach the last d hole with my finger tip. And when I played like this is worked 50-70% of times, whereas in the beginning it only worked 10% or so. So I have much hope now! And yes, the sound is amazing on these low flutes... Both me, my neighbours and my cat prefer this lower sound rather than a soprano whistle.

The soprano is delightful, fun, easier to play, but no where near as beautiful in tone. I’m so glad the grip is coming together for you. Enjoy the journey, and please keep me updated.

Hi, James, and congrats on getting started. Many say Wayfaring Stranger is good. From the tunes I’ve shared Be Thou My Vision is a good one. Also, Danny Boy, Spancil Hill, Dawning of the Day, and I think some of the popular Christmas Carols I shared would be good. I have a playlist named Low D Whistle Songs. I have a video where I walk through each, and one where I play the tune. These will get you started. I am in the habit of releasing a new tune each week as well as some skill drills. Try some of these and let me know how you get on. How are you feeling in your playing? Any particular challenges, or are you currently primarily working on trying out more simple tunes?

I really appreciate you asking. I’ve been thinking I need to clean up my playlists and organized videos better. I’ll start with a beginner playlist and add some tunes for those just getting started.

@@LowDWhistle thank you for that consideration

@@LowDWhistle thanks for your response, always begin with amazing grace, oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, any little tune that i can stay in one register.don’t know any “‘Irish, Celtic” tunes, never listened /heard that kind of music, but fell in love with the low d and it lends itself to that music very much.

I do find a lot of folk music lends itself beautifully to the whistle. I am especially fond of playing thoughtful folk tunes on the low D. The tone is so amazing. Please keep me informed on some other tunes you play as they will likely be good options to add to share with the whole group. Enjoy!

It is all of us after a week. 🤭