I have a tin whistle (high D) and I have a flute. I am 54 years old and want to make music now. I can play tunes on the tin whistle and think its the funnest instrument I have ever played. I do love the sound of the flute and respect its ability and versatility. It requires a level of dedication that I’m not sure I want to make at this stage of my life. I am looking to transition into the low D whistle. I have already read many low d whistle vs. flute threads and it seems that the flute usually wins out about 3 to 1. In short, “put in the work on the flute and it will pay off” seems to win the day.
So, I am going to taylor my question based on the arguments against low d whistles vs the flute:
Is there a low D whistle that truly has comfortable spacing for medium sized hands that is loud enough to play in sessions and that wont make me hyperventilate from excessive air requirements?
Frankly, I don’t see why a (low) whistle wouldn’t require so much dedication as a flute. Different kind of dedication, sure, but all the same required to become skilled. In my opinion it’s different to be able to play tunes than to actually know the instrument and be proficient in it.
What comes to low whistles, in my experience, regardless of the minor spacing differences between different low D whistles, I would say that if you can play one comfortably then you can play another. The air requirements are a different story; whistles by different makers have different qualities in that sense, as well as different whistles by a certain maker can have different qualities in the same sense. Some makers can make you a whistle matching your desired criteria regarding things like that.
I’ve tried multiple, but personally own only one low D, so someone else with a longer experience with different low D’s can probably list you the best known qualities and air requiements of different whistles, but I’d say that go with your gut and learn any low whistle, and if you’re not fully pleased, then sell it forward and buy another. The best picture is constructed by experience.
Thought I might suggest also trying out an ‘in between’ size like a Bb whistle or a low A whistle. Going from a high D whistle to a low D whistle will be pretty drastic and the finger spacing might seem really daunting. But if you practice on a Bb whistle for a while then the low D won’t be such a drastic change.
I had gotten a low G that seemed just impossible for me to play when i first got it- couldn’t make the stretches. I put it aside and started playing a Bb for a couple months instead, along with my standard high whistles. The next time i picked up the low G whistle I was definitely able to make the finger stretches better. I’m convinced the hours of practice on the Bb helped. I’m just saying this in case you do get a Low D and wind up thinking you’ll ‘never’ be able to play it when you first pick it up. Don’t give up right away! I’m older than you too.
I, for one, prefer the tone of the low whistle to the tone of a flute, as does my wife. I think you can be happy with only playing low whistle, and, personally, I enjoy the fact that there are so many different makers who make instruments with varying tone qualities. My collection spans multiple makers, and while I have a “go-to” whistle for most of my playing, I often pick up other whistles, or play different keys for variety.
I’m with you on the dedication issue. I’ve got a couple of flutes and I’ve never been able to pick them up and play them the way I can play my whistles. At the end of the day, if my wife doesn’t even like the sound of the flutes, I don’t have a lot of motivation to pour in the practice time it would take to master them. The only thing that keeps me coming back is the (theoretical) ability to softly play high notes, while also being able to play louder low notes. Also, I have the feeling that I might eventually be able to tailor the flute tone to something more to my liking.
As for finger stretch, there are makers, like Dixon, who make them with less of a stretch, due to the conical bore, but if you learn to use a piper’s grip, I don’t think you’d have any issues. A drawback to the closer hole spacing, generally, is a tiny sixth hole, which makes half-holing nearly impossible.
I must admit, I find the low D whistle a far harder instrument to become and remain good on than a D flute. Flute is relatively easy. Low whistle is hard.
