moonlitnarwhal wrote:
1. I find that the high D and C# in the second octave sound awful, particularly when transitioning from lower notes on the scale, and that if I blow harder (adjusting my breath strength carefully) the notes seem to slip into the highest 3rd octave and instead sound even worse, completely out of tune with the given song. I can play these (and other high notes) in the first octave, but is there a trick in coaxing the higher notes in the 2nd octave on this particular whistle? I'm so new at this that I was hoping there might even be a modified fingering style when playing the high notes in the 2nd octave? (For example, I play the high D with my top finger removed and all other holes covered, and the C# as just open holed...).
First, about nomenclature, are you referring to what pipers and (generally) fluteplayers and whistleplayers call "middle D"?
So that we can know which notes you're referring to, common ITM nomenclature would be, over the usual 2-octave gamut, from low to high:
Bottom D
1st octave, or lower octave, E, F#, G, A, B, C, C#
Middle D (or "back D" in piper's terms)
2nd octave, or upper octave, E, F#, G, A, B, C, C#
High D, or 3rd octave DIt's common for the lower octave notes to be written in upper case, upper octave notes to be written in lower case (yes I know it's backwards!)
I have beginners practice octaves, playing slowly, with no tonguing or break in the airstream, and no change in fingering,
D d D d D d D d D d D d D.... (breathe)
E e E e E e E e E e E e E... (breathe)
F# f# F# f# F# f# F# f# F#.... (breathe)
And so forth up to B b B (etc) 2nd octave B being the highest note usually encountered in most ITM tunes.
C natural is a special case, due to different ways of fingering the note, and many players using one fingering for 1st octave C natural, and a different fingering for 2nd octave C natural. Ditto 3rd octave D.
moonlitnarwhal wrote:
2. With all the above in mind, could any of you recommend any beginner tunes that sound appealing in the higher octaves?
By "higher octaves" I guess you mean the 2nd octave. Traditional players generally didn't play in the 3rd octave.
You can take any tune and put it in a different key to put it into a higher range. Dan mentions
Down By The Sally Gardens (not to be confused with the completely different tune
Sally Gardens) which he is playing in the D to e range. The tune can also be played easily in the G to a range.
But at this stage I would have you practice octave exercises and get comfortable with getting around on the whistle first, or perhaps in conjunction with learning tunes
moonlitnarwhal wrote:
3. Finally, I'd welcome any advice you all may have on how best to approach this beautiful instrument - in other words, from your more-experienced perspectives, what are some good beginner techniques or strategies to progress towards playing more confidently
I like exercises. Many players detest them!
In addition to the octave exercise I would have you do this one, slowly at first, with no tonguing or breaks between the notes, each line done on a single breath and continuous airstream
D F# A d f# a f# d A F# D... (breathe)
E G B e g b g e B G E... (breathe)
G B d g b g d B G D G... (breathe)
A C# e a e C# A E A... (breathe)
A Cnatural e a e Cnatural A E A... (breathe)
B d f# b f# d B F# B....
Here's Joannie Madden playing
Down By The Sally Gardenshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LrZa-QcNQAThe reel
Sally Gardenshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1rUGU6m_M8