I was wondering how other whistle players out there ‘half hole’. For instance, you can cover the bottom half or top half of the hole. You could also cover half of the hole vertically.
I’ve found all 3 approaches useful, but would like to know what other players are doing.
I never really think about it as I’m doing it…I can think of some tunes (Dusty Windowsill, Autumn Sky aka Tom’s Air) that I half hole vertically, opening the right side (from my perspective). And one lunasa one that I uncover the bottom of the hole.
I use a weird rolling motion that makes people look at me funny, actually. Ask Clarinetwhistler, lol.
I think that it depends on the whistle you’re playing, as to whether or not it will let you half-hole certain notes. How I half-hole? It depends on the whistle and on the note. You have to figure it out for yourself. I’m sure that your fingers are not shaped like mine. JP
Edit:
I’m sorry. I just noticed that this is your’e first post, and I never even said hello and welcome to the board. Well… Hello! Welcome to the board!
[ This Message was edited by: JohnPalmer on 2003-02-10 23:16 ]
John - what whistles do you have that you can’t half hole? I’ve had a bit of trouble on the meg sometiems due to the conical bore - smaller holes - but I think I was still able to do it, except screwy ones like the D note (there is an Eb in Crested Hens).
[ This Message was edited by: avanutria on 2003-02-10 23:24 ]
I’m a bad boy, and I effectively roll the whole whistle under my finger.. HA! try and stop me. (actually, people ofen try and stop me play, let alone half-hole).
For 2nd octave G#, I use xxo xxo. For F nat and 1st octave G#, I make a valiant effort to get it by covering the top half of the hole (which usually sounds like crap). C nat is easier to half-hole, but I usually cross-finger that one anyhow.
[ This Message was edited by: Ridseard on 2003-02-10 23:47 ]
I half hole vertically. I curl the involved finger towards my palm, sort of like I was wiping something off my finger pad using the edge of the hole. This is basically the same motion I use to bend a note upwards, so it comes naturally.
BTW-- doesn’t half-hole sound like a sorta mild insult? A person who is not a complete a**hole…
I also half-hole with the rolling motion described above by several folks.
My one difficulty with half-holing is when you must hit the note squarely when coming down from the next higher note. I can never do it. If I’m playing a whistle that must be half-holed, I’ll redo the melody to avoid this situation when possible.
On a different note
I used to believe effectively half-holding a flute was an impossibility. My Hamilton flute has taught me I was mistaken.
Depends on the note. Usually, if I’m descending into a note, I’ll just lay (or tap, if it’s a short note) the (straightened) finger against the side of the tone hole. I may do the same thing, if I’m ascending (i.e., rock the finger back to partially uncover the hole), or occasionally I’ll “pinch” the hole as you do the octave hole on a recorder (depends on the whistle). I always cover the side of the hole…in fact, it never occurred to me to do it any other way until I bought the Tin Whistle Pocketbook and saw the top half of the hole covered in their whistle tab. Now I’m set in my ways
On 2003-02-11 10:16, avanutria wrote:
Martin, if we meet up I can show you two tunes that are horrid to cross finger. > > A Lunasa one from the first album, and Dusty Windowsill.
Well, I did try to cover myself by saying I hadn’t met the tune yet! I have all 3 Lusagna albums, which tune is it? Not that I can play all their tunes, but I have a couple learnt, if not at their speed!
I couldn’t tell you which whistles I can half-hole on, because I just can’t remember, right now. I think that most will let me. But I do know that my Susato low d will absolutely refuse my playing any F nat.
I just now tried playing a Walton’s C in the key of Eb (actually Db). When I played the Eb, my 6th finger pulled back to half-hole using the tip. For other notes, my other fingers stay on there respective holes, but get raised to about a 45 deg. angle to open the hole. I hope this makes sense. Now, on some notes, I have to half-hole two fingers to get the pitch in tune. Generally I don’t half-hole in public, unless it’s maybe a c nat., g#, or f nat., and the song really needs that note, and whistles in other keys wouldn’t work.
Thanks, to all who replied! I am about to go and try the ‘rolling the whistle’ technique. I’ve never heard of doing it that way, so it intrigues me.
I’ve found that how I half hole depends on what comes before and after the note. (It’s not a consistent thing, just whatever feels right and gets the results at the moment.) But I’ve always believed that the more ways I know how to do something, the better off I’ll be in the long run…so off to whistling now!
Aldon
A Lunasa one from the first album, and Dusty Windowsill.
But you can cran - so I’m still licked! LOL