Cuts on second octave

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learn2turn
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Tell us something.: I play mostly my Killary Brass High-D and MK Pro low-D. Also like my Dixon Trad high D and my Dixon Polymer Low-D. I have a bunch of other cheap high-Ds and a few whistles in other keys I dabble with once in a while. Also play some guitar and mando, mostly bluegrass and related folkie Americana. Can't sing for squat. Can pick out chords and simple melodies on a keyboard but that's it; can't really play but it's good for understanding theory.
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Cuts on second octave

Post by learn2turn »

I watched a couple tutorials on cuts and they go up to B on the first octave. Obviously you can't cut a C#; I suppose you could substitute a tap. I've tried to figure out how to do cuts on the second octave.

I noticed with a D 0xxxxx if I try to do a cut like 0x0xxx, it goes down not up. And with xxxxxx and cutting the left hand like xx0xxx also doesn't work well. I like the 1st D on the second octave xxxxxx cut to xxx0xx or xxxx0x the best. And going up the scale, I find cutting one finger above the last finger down works best. Like cut E xxxxx0 with xxx0x0 and F xxxx00 with xx0x00.

DId I figure the best way to cut the second octave?

-l2t
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StevieJ
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Re: Cuts on second octave

Post by StevieJ »

If you have found techniques that work best, why ask others? I mean, nothing anyone else says can improve on "best." :)

The whistle you are playing may make a difference. On the ones I use, I have never encountered any difficulty cutting the second octave D with the "G finger" (top hand ring finger).

I don't use a "vented" D (top hand index finger off) all that often, but the cut you describe that goes down is a characteristic sound that I very much like.
tstermitz
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Re: Cuts on second octave

Post by tstermitz »

You can cut a C# like this:
C: OOO XXX (which sometimes sounds better than OOO OOO, anyway)
D: OXX XXX

For a C# roll, use. (Easier with a piper's grip on the left hand):
B: XOO XXX

Rolling the C natural is easy enough on a whistle, and it's even possible on flute (you need to pop the fingers very crisply, which becomes harder as the holes get larger):
C: OXO XXX
D: OXX XXX
A: XXO XXX
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pancelticpiper
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Re: Cuts on second octave

Post by pancelticpiper »

I did a little video that covers Middle D cuts and 2nd octave cuts, when you might want to use a different finger than in the low octave etc.

(Sorry if YouTube puts an advert there! I get no money from my videos.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbE3JyWrJOE
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
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