Could I play it? Need advice

skywatcher · Post by **skywatcher** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 1:38 pm

Hi!
I want an Overton. I need to feed my WHoA.
I currently have a Chieftain low F that I can
play well and a Ralph Cook low D that I can
just play. I LOVE the sound of the D
but I know no one that has an Overton D that I could try. I have small hands, and I don't
know if the Overton spacing and size of the holes are much different than my Cook whistle. I don't want to order one, and then
not be able to play it.
I do use piper fingering.
Could I play an Overton D?
Thanks!
skywatcher

"Watchin' the sky, ready to fly!"

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 2:10 pm

I've never played a Ralph Cook low D, but I do own a "big hole" Overton low D.
I only have an 8cm 3-finger stretch, but I can still manage the Overton just fine... and the standard model Overton low D is an easier reach than mine.
I can't play fast tunes very well on it, but I can't play fast tunes very well on any low D.

ThorntonRose · Post by **ThorntonRose** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 2:49 pm

If you can't play it, you can sell it. Lots of people wait in line for an Overton.

~ Thornton

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 4:08 pm

Skywatcher.

A year or so ago we had a survey of Low-D hole spacing. Overton ended up with the closest spacing of the holes for a low D. Especially the right hand where a lot of small hands folks have problems.

Like another person posted, If you get an Overton, you can probably resell it easily.

Good luck and ...

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 7:16 pm

By my calculations the Howard low D
right hand spacing is slightly better,
but the Overton spacing is very
good. The lightness of the whistle
helps, too.

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 10:40 pm

I have both a Cook and a standard sized Overton in low D. I also have smallish hands and can play either as well as I can be expected to with my near-total dearth of talent.

If you can play the Cook, you can play the Overton - lung power is actually more of a challenge in the upper register.

skywatcher · Post by **skywatcher** » Wed Feb 20, 2002 11:36 pm

On 2002-02-07 14:38, skywatcher wrote:
Hi!
I want an Overton. I need to feed my WHoA.
I currently have a Chieftain low F that I can
play well and a Ralph Cook low D that I can
just play. I LOVE the sound of the D
but I know no one that has an Overton D that I could try. I have small hands, and I don't
know if the Overton spacing and size of the holes are much different than my Cook whistle. I don't want to order one, and then
not be able to play it.
I do use piper fingering.
Could I play an Overton D?
Thanks!
skywatcher

"Watchin' the sky, ready to fly!"

pixyy · Post by **pixyy** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 3:58 am

I once tried to play the Cook Low D.
don't remember much about the finger stretch, but it definitely won't be a problem. And IMO the Overton Low D is infinitely better!

Jeroen
Overton Advocate

christina · Post by **christina** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 5:35 am

i've just ordered an overton low d from the whistle shop,but i'm a bit disappointed becoz my hands are too samll for it.i have to stretch,or i can say 'tear' my hands and fingers,to reach the notes D,E the sound is very gd but the problem is that the whistle is enormorous!today i practice very hard...trying to reach the D note andit is terrible,

can anyone pls tell me :any remedies i can make??i think the holes are prettybig (well, to me at least,i suppose u all have bigger hands than me coz i'm 16 only,and usually asians are samller,am i right)...i don't want to give it up(never ever).do u think i czm stick sth to the hole to makeit smaller,becoz if i cannot fill the hole completely,thesound is never accurate.can someone pls help me?actually does colinmake special whistlesfor smalll hand people????like..czn he make the holes closer????

Jens_Hoppe · Post by **Jens_Hoppe** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 6:46 am

Hmm, your hands might very well be too small for a low D whistle (not everyone can play these monsters you know!), in which case I'd recommend you try your hand(s) at a smaller low whistle, for instance a low F or G.

However, low whistles take some getting used to; I remember the first time I tried a low D (some years back, in a shop in Glasgow), and there was no way I could manage that stretch (I bought it anyway

). However, for me it's been a matter of getting used to it; these days low Ds present no problem to me.

But it might be an idea to start "softly"; get comfortable on a Bb, then try a low F, get comfortable on that, etc. Has the added benefit that you get to buy more whistles.

Jens

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 7:05 am

If you're having trouble with the low D, why not try getting one of the tutorials? Or look for a teacher? I have very small hands, but can handle a low D. My right hand does just fine, but a highly proficient flute/whistler/uillean pipe player says I need to change my left hand if I intend to get up to speed.

Its not the first time I've had to go back and unlearn/relearn something, and its best to do it quickly rather than a year down the road.

christina · Post by **christina** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 4:40 am

it's not that i don't want to get a tutor.,..there is no tutor available in our country.well i've just contacted one player who seems to be a professional(he says he plays around the world) ...haha...by the way...i now play the low D whistle everyday and the onlyproblem is the D note.it doesn't always sound right.i have the play slowly when it comes to the D note.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: christina on 2002-02-22 05:42 ]</font>

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 8:25 am

Are you using piper's grip? That
should help. Most people do.
Also if you hold up your right hand,
put the fingers of your left hand
between two fingers of your right
hand, and stretch them apart, then
do it to another two fingers... and
so on. Not too hard, but a good stretch.

Also some people play a low D with the
pinky of their right hand. Again
using piper's grip. Do keep at it.