Hi all, I have been inspired by you lot to take up learning the whistle and have purchased a couple of High D’s and a Low D (Dixon) I have only been playing for five weeks and have learnt several tunes, what a great and accessible instrument. 
However, the Low D is going to take a bit more practice. I have a question regarding the low whistle: is it used in sessions or is the high D prefered amongst you whistling folk?
Hi Mr. Tumnus, I’m glad your whistle playing is going well. I can’t answer your question because I don’t know the first thing about sessions, but someone else will be along who can. Welcome to the forum! 
The Low D is rarely heard in a session. It gets drowned out really easily. So in essence, no it is not heard because the Box
players/Pipers/Fiddlers/Fluters play over it like a hot knife through butter. Especially something on the quiet side, like a Dixon. Although if it is a small session, you can bring it for the slow tunes.
Unseen wrote:
“The Low D is rarely heard in a session. It gets drowned out really easily.”
As a still-novice low whistler (what’s it? three years now?), I can say that’s not all bad. I drag my Burke Viper along to session and noodle happily along with the fast tunes, not fearing a botched note or three. Mostly I hunt for a harmony drone note or “bass runs” around the tune’s key, to flex my ear-learning muscles.
There is one woman who sometimes joins us for the Flying Saucer session in Little Rock who plays a Copeland low D.
She plays well and is very welcome among us.
A couple of things to watch out for where low D whistles are concerned, though:
Low D’s are quite a bit harder for most folks to play than high D whistles. The reach is a real challenge, usually requiring piper’s grip. Sealing the large tone holes on some low D’s is its own art form.
Yes, they are somewhat softer and less projective than their high D cousins. But, trust me, if you play wrong notes on the low D, you may not hear it, but the other musicians certainly will. This isn’t a good way to grow into the respect of the other players. Beware being a psychotic songbird!!!
Finally, playing a low D at speed on dance tunes can be very challenging. All of the other difficulties of playing the low D are magnified when you are flying along in a fast reel or jig.
So my thoughts would be to keep working on the low whistle, but leave it at home, and play a regular old high D in session, and then only on the tunes that you know well enough to comfortably play at speed.
–James
Hello Mr Tumnus and welcome to us lot! Yes C&F can certainly make you get involved in whistles!
I am very fond of the Dixon whistles, they sound nice and are usually quiet enough to practice on without starting every dog in the neighborhood barking.
I have seen a few low Ds at sessions - some even let a low-D take the floor for a few tunes solo or with quiet accompanyment. There are low-Ds around that have keys and some with reduced reach if reaching becomes a problem - however, if you’re coping now - way to go! There’s lots of excelent instruments available with standard reach. Some of them are even quite loud 
Thanks for your good advice. I like Ned o the Hill’s idea of being in the background and learning quitely. I shall also try and avoid having an anti social behavioural order placed on me. (very popular in Britain at present, especially with anyone who is under 25 years old and breathes) 
Several people have suggested learning the flute if I intend to get into sessions in the future (some way off) as it is a louder and a more versatile instrument.
Are they trying to pull this unsuspecting newbie into the dark side? 
Both whistle and flute have their place in the session. Even though they share a common fingering system, they are two very different instruments and require a bit different approach and technique.
Whistle sits an octave above everyone else and is heard very clearly–even soft whistles cut through the session better than you’d think, and can usually be heard much better by the listeners than by the whistler himself.
Flute sits in the same octave with other melody instruments such as the concertina and the fiddle. It tends to blend into the common sound of the session more and doesn’t usually cut through on its own in the way that whistle does.
A well-played whistle can add a nice touch of elegance and grace to a tune, as well as a lovely lilt. A well-played flute also adds some elegance and grace, but what it provides that the whistlle can’t so much is power and lift.
All my own $.02, probably worth exactly what you paid to read it.
–James
Exactly.
IMO, a flute is
a) Easier to finger than a low whistle and
b) Works better in a session for reasons mentioned above and others(volume, tonal flexibility, tuneability).
The difficulty vis a vis a low whistle is that you have to develop the embouchure. This is quite challenging, but in the long run, the benefits far outweigh the costs.
A low whistle definitely has a different timbre and attack then a flute, and for that reason alone is a worthy instument. However, one should not be intimidated from playing the flute based merely on the difficulty of learning it.
Cost - THAT is another issue entirely!
Taking up flute is the best thing I ever did (other than being born).
The flute is a lovely sounding instrument, but I think that whistlers have more fun!
The whistle is easier to carry and use because:
1.) No carrying case needed.
2.) Good whistles are a lot cheaper.
3.) No special care required (wooden whistles excepted).
4.) No need to pucker.
5.) Can be easily converted into a club.
You bought more than one whistle before you knew how to play? You’re much braver than I am - either that, or you have a prematurely developed case of WHoA!
Welcome to the world of whistling!
ive been learning to play the whistle for ever. i learnt to play quite well but gave it up for 3 years, now ive taken it up again and aim to learn as much as i can, but when it comes to reading music im totally dyslexic, 
which is holding me back a lot. i can learnto play tunes which i know but still have to use numbers and not notes, which takes me ages to translate and my computer knowledge is miminalbut im getting there slowly ihave a feadog in d. i like the sound of it, so im sticking with it…
I am a new beginner at whistle living in Hong Kong. I have started my learning for about a month. I found that the sound of my whistle (D feadog) seems strange, it thrills all the time. It is difficult to control.
I am reading the tutorial book and following the guidance stated on the book to practise my finger. I can play a tune now but I can’t properly manage the tongueing, breathing, fingering all together. I have never been learning any music instrument before and therefore it becomes more difficult. Further, no one can teach me as whistle is not popular in Hong Kong I feel helpless.
Could anybody please tell me what I should do. How can I set up a practise schedule? Would it be better if I buy some good tutorial book? Which book is suitable for a complete new beginner in music?
Please help!!! 
Hi Setphanielai, Welcome to C&F!
What book are you using now? I would recommend the Bill Och’s tutorial (Clarke pennywhistle press) it comes with a CD that is very helpful. Also the Grey Larson books are very good - also with CDs.
Hearing this music is most important - there is another thread on this forum dealing with good CDs from whistle artists - I will try to find it for you and edit it in.
Ah found it: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=37143
This thread contains just about every good whistle recording there is!
Best of Luck!
Mitch
Thank you so much Mitch!! You are so generous. I forgot the name of my book and I am not at home at the moment. However, I will buy the books as suggested. Besides, I want to tell you that you are the first one helping me in learning whistle. Many thanks.
Keep contact.
Stephanie
Hi Stephanielai, There are many helpful sharing folks here in C&F. I am certain you will find a lot of support I am just one of many, and learning just like you!
Hi buskit, yeah, I’m finding the process is taking lots of time too. It seems like a series of challenges - each time I get happy with one another one is revealed and it sometimes feels like I’m getting nowhere until I remember how bad my playing was when I started I’ve still got another year I reckon before I would be confident with a set or 2 in public, but I expose myself to sessions anyway - it realy drives me along.
Concerning written music - Others dissagree, but I feel it’s important to pick-up some level of music reading - to me the written tunes reveal the bedrock upon which we build the performance from bricks of technique and experience. For this reason I heartily recommend the use of a good ABC reader - there are many fine sources of tunes on the net and the reader converts it to dots as well as playing it back to you (search the threads - there are a couple of good ones for free download). Of course, hearing others apply the technique is essential to know where you’re going with it