I’ve been playing high whistles for a good few years now, and I want to start on low whistle sometime in the next couple of months.
Naturally, I’ll want to get one in D, but what make of low whistle would be best for a newcomer to lows, but not highs? Or is it a case of finding somewhere that I can try out some different kinds and find the one that’s best for me? (Though finding a place is a lot easier said than done!)
So, any advice?
I can’t suggest any maker, as there are many great out there, but once you get your low whistle… I suggest you use the mirror technique, it helped me out when I started. I would play and not cover some holes properly so some notes would squeake, but by using the mirror, I would know what finger was the problem and could work on correcting it. That’s my suggestion anyway 
A couple of suggestions.
Work your way down slowly - try a Bb first.
Dixon polymer low D is a nice cheap, playable, entry-level option, or maybe buy one of Guido’s.
Add your location to your profile then folks can comment about locally available try out low whistles.
Ok, that was three suggestions.
advice that was given to me when i started on the low road:
lock all your high whistles away, for at least 2 months, do nothing but play on the low - be prepaired to sound truley aweful for the first month…
The reward from this is that you will be (as they put it) bi-lingual and able to swop between the high and low at will, aditionally if you learn a tune on the high, the above technique should guarentee you can just play it on the low without haveing to learn it twice.
Rowney…
Your seemingly simple inquiry is actually so full of possibilities, options, and more questions, that it’s impossible to give a simple answer.
I’ve played Lows for years…and have bought and kept and traded and returned many.
And through all this I’ve found my way, so to speak.
It’d be great, if there was a “store” that had all known Lows, where one could spend a long weekend, and find that ONE. Sigh…but, alas, no such place exists. (If anyone knows of such a place…please let us know!)
If I had an ambitious nephew, who had a pocket full of money, and wanted to take a serious crack at it, I’d tell him to try a Burke. Burkes are as forgiving of novice wildness as any. They also are among the easiest to play…bottom to top. Among many top-notch Lows, thy hold their own, both for beginners and the more experienced.
Just my opinion…I’m no salesman for Mike!
Lows are a joy to play and to listen to, while you play! Great instruments, which have really come into their own in recent times.
Good luck!
This is all good advice, thanks guys. Some good ideas for practice techniques and stuff.
I’ve put my location(s) on now you’ll notice, and I’ve had a look at the different whistles you’ve suggested so far. I think the Burkes are a little out of my price range…I was thinking of spending less than £100 on my first low…so the Tony Dixon ones are a possibilty.
I realise it’s a deceptively simple question I’ve asked but I do appreciate the advice. Any advice anyone can give on shopping online? Because as has been pointed out, I’ll not likely be able to try out the full range of lows I can buy online.
(Of course I’m still after as much general low whistle choosing/playing advice as I can get too. )
Being a beginner myself, I too had fancied a low whistle.
Some of the Youtube clips of low Ds put me off a little, due mainly to the different grip needed. I looked for something between. I bought a Dixon polymer G for which the piper’s grip is not needed (maybe even the F will be like this).
I find that it’s amazing, I love it. For slower tunes, it makes me sound a better player. For while, I don’t need a low D.
There’s a lot to be had from the keys between high and low D.
I’ll second the comment about the B flat. The Generation B flat is cheap and easy to come by and is a nice pitch.
Dave
Here’s a UK online dealer I’ve used before. It’s a bit of a drive from you if you wanted to visit somewhere that stocks a good range of whistles though.
http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/index.asp
My Dixon polymer low D cost a bit less than this a few years ago and came with a flute head as well.
Have you looked into a Susato Low D ? They are unique in that the bottom hole has an extended pad (key) to make the reach easier. I have one and found the reach not bad at all and the sound is good to me.
just an idea…http://www.susato.com/konakart/SelectCat.do?catId=148&prodsFound=23&redir=true&category=-L-%20Series
More good advice thanks. The reason I want a low D specifically is because I’m playing with a group a lot at the moment, and as you all know, most folk tunes (especially celtic ones) are in D or G.
However, playing with others raises another question…are there any low whistles which are particularly good (or bad!) for playing in a group with other instruments? I know my high whistles can get drowned out a bit when I’m playing them in the lower octave with other musicians.
Also, the Susato low whistles? Is the ‘key’ removable? Because I’d rather just get used to using the piper’s grip hand position, afterall you can’t do things like slides with a button!
(And of course, more general advice is v. welcome!)
Yes, definitely learn piper’s grip, don’t even think about not doing it. It’s a must on a low D definitely. I think a low whistle in the first octave will always get drowned by other instruments, even worse than the high whistle. With a flute, the low octave can be very strong, not so with the low whistle because if you blow too hard, you switch octave.
Speaking of low whistles, if I had to suggest one make I’d go with an Overton/Goldie, but there are other good makes.
Of course, a low A whistle will play in D if you want to work your way down gradually…
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe a low A whistle playing in D would actually be playing the same octave as a high D whistle, not a low D.
True, but with the extra range, you’ll get the notes C# B and A below the D.
Hmm, I have no doubt that the Overton/Goldies are really great, but I fear they’re a little out of my price range…
…I’d have to say I’m after one for less than £100 really. Are there any that stand out in that price range? For particularly good tone, volume (for group playing), or any other reason?
(Sorry to keep asking questions, I’m just going through that long and difficult decision making process…it’s all helping though! Plus, extra questions keep occuring to me…)
You probably already know this but, you can get the Susato low D without any keys if you want. The low C seems to only come with keys, but the low D can be had keyless (for $89.90 on their website).
Edit: That’s on the Kildare series only. The Dublin series has at least one key on the low D.
For your price range I will suggest a great Australian maker (Erle Bartlett) and tell you to go for a Syn Low D, you might even have enough left to get a Black Diamond High D too. If you had the extra cash I would suggest the Goldie. Big Whistle Stocks Syn and Black Diamond.
Mick
Are the Syn Low D’s good for being heard over other instruments, like noisy squeezeboxes and such?
It’d be really handy to get a whistle with the right projection and volume for the sound to be noticed more when playing in a group.
(PS - Are you favouring Aussie makers for any particular reason ‘Mick Down Under’? 
)
I have no personal experience with the Syn Low D, but based on my experience with the Black Diamond High D I don’t see why the Syn would not be of the same high standard. I can’t give you a volume estimate of the Low D…Sorry, ask me again in a few more months 
.
I actually favour Colin Goldie’s Low D, I have tried the Howard Low D as well, but didn’t like it at all. Each to there own though. Not much opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ here in Australia 
. In the case of requesting a not so expensive but good quality whistle I do like to put forward the lesser talked about Aussie maker 
. I only have personal experience of Erle’s work, as mentioned above. So I mention him as often as possible, he’s also a very down to earth, no nonsense sort of a bloke to talk to over the phone.
If you want a syn low d in new condition send me a pm. (I’m in the UK) I have one and never really use it - I had a bit of a collection thing going on to find out what I liked. It’s a nice whistle with a more reedy sound but it needs used more so if anybody wants it - say £65 delivered in UK.
cheers
Stephen