low notes

[kaizersoza]

hi guys,

another quick question for ya all, i have come across some sheet music songs particularly the irish washerwoman song, where the notes go below the low D note, i understand with the high notes that you just have to blow a bit harder to get to the 2nd octave, but these lower than D notes are throwing me, i have tried to blow softer but that don't work so, is the song in a different key than D? there must be a way to achieve them, i looked in my Bill Ochs book but there is nothing in there to explain how to get them, i appreciate that being a newbie i should only be playing simple tunes, but i really like the tune and it is a bit of a challenge for me also i am trying to learn to read music and your answers would be a great help

thanx in advance

kaizer

[DrPhill]

i have come across some sheet music songs particularly the irish washerwoman song, where the notes go below the low D note, i understand with the high notes that you just have to blow a bit harder to get to the 2nd octave, but these lower than D notes are throwing me, i have tried to blow softer but that don't work

Have you tried sucking?

Seriously, what you need is called 'folding', where you move the note (or phrase) up (or down) an octave (or other suitable interval). I am not qualified to go into details, but I have stumbled across this several times and received help from other chiffers. I am sure one of them will be along shortly, but while waiting you could do worse than try a search on 'folding'.

[walrii]

This will open another whole can of worms, but you can also transpose the tune up to G and play it on your D whistle. The notes that drop below the tonic (D) in the original key will now drop below the new tonic (G) in the transposed piece. Playing in G, you have notes on the whistle below the tonic. To transpose the tune, move each note up four lines/spaces then take the C# off the key signature. If you have the tune in ABC, there are web sites that will transpose the ABCs for you.

[R Small]

Irish Washerwoman is usually played in the key of G, with the second section played up an octave. Then it falls comfortably in the range of a D whistle. By the way, a technique for extending the range of a whistle downwards (below low D) is to partly close off the end hole (bell) with the right pinky finger. If you get it just right you can get a pretty decent low C#. It helps to have long fingers to do this.

[kaizersoza]

ooof mind boggling, i think i'll avoid all tunes that go below D, that should cure it for now, i will have a look online and see if there are tutorials for folding, thanx for the input guys great advice as always

kaizer

[benhall.1]

ooof mind boggling, i think i'll avoid all tunes that go below D, that should cure it for now, i will have a look online and see if there are tutorials for folding, thanx for the input guys great advice as always

kaizer

Don't stress about it. It's much easier than it seems, and it will just 'click' one day. But basically, if a note goes below the bottom D, just put it up an octave, and leave the rest of the notes where they are. That's the simplest form of 'folding' and it will work at least 90% of the time, if not more.

[cboody]

I certainly wouldn't fold Irish Washerwomen, but then I never fold the laundry Seriously, learn the tune in G so you can play it with others. That is, as someone has already commented, the usual key. No folding required (but some high notes in the B part)

[kaizersoza]

ok thanx guys will learn it in G, thanx for all the good advice, i need it and will probably be picking your brains a lot more in the future

[Five and a Zack]

Recorder players use a transposition of fingerings to enable a tune to be played on C and F recorders. The D and G whistles are equivalent to the two recorder pitches. Learn to associate the fingerings as follows:
D whistle D E #F G A   B C #C D
G whistle A B #C D E #F G #G A

Learning this set of two fingerings will allow you to play tunes in two keys on all of your whistles and also is the secret to why some tunes fit better on G whistles than D and vice versa. It can help you to play the notes lower than D since the Low G whistle plays down to the G below Middle C.

If a tune has only a few low notes it often works as said in other posts to simply play the note up an octave e.g. Middle C substituted with C1 .

Some tunes work better when the B section is very high if you play them down the octave. If you are playing a high D whistle the volume goes up as you move to the upper octave and so does the chance of missing notes. Down the octave can help to tame the tune, throttle it back and help the whistle player to be a bit more relaxed.

Another possibility is to simply make a substitution of a note that harmonizes with the low note e.g. Replace Middle C with the E above it. This lets you work around the lower note and usually makes little difference to the tune.

[hoopy mike]

The D and G whistles are equivalent to the two recorder pitches. Learn to associate the fingerings as follows:
D whistle D E #F G A   B C #C D
G whistle A B #C D E #F G #G A

That might be useful if it wasn't incorrect The lowest note on a G whistle is a G, not an A. Also, sharps follow the associated note in most musical notation, so it's F#, not #F.

Some tunes work better when the B section is very high if you play them down the octave. If you are playing a high D whistle the volume goes up as you move to the upper octave and so does the chance of missing notes. Down the octave can help to tame the tune, throttle it back and help the whistle player to be a bit more relaxed.

Strangly enough, I use the opposite approach if the whistle needs to be heard, especially when playing with a group, i.e. put the A section up an octave and leave the B section where it is.

[robert schuler]

Transposing to G and shuffeling around octaves within the key of D, is all part of the fun of learning a new tune and playing the whistle. It just proves how such a simple looking instrument can be so complex... Bob.

[Five and a Zack]

Sorry Hoopy Mick but you need to read my post carefully. The equivalent note on a G whistle to the lowest note on the D whistle is an A fingering but the G whistle extends downwards to G below Middle C as the next paragraph said.

Guitarists have the # sign following the chord name in the way you use it but in music notation I.e. the dots the sharp, flat and natural signs always come before the note which is why I always place it before. I prefer to write my guitar chords the same way.

[hoopy mike]

Sorry Hoopy Mick but you need to read my post carefully. The equivalent note on a G whistle to the lowest note on the D whistle is an A fingering but the G whistle extends downwards to G below Middle C as the next paragraph said.

Oh ok, but in that case an A whistle will be even better, as you can avoid half-holing to get the G#. And I'm Mike, not Mick by the way. Maybe we both need glasses

Guitarists have the # sign following the chord name in the way you use it but in music notation I.e. the dots the sharp, flat and natural signs always come before the note...

True, but I think that most musicians will write F# and say "F sharp" rather than "sharp F", not just guitarists.

Each to their own...

[jiminos]

i'm with Mike on this one.... been playing guitar and writing for guitar and other instruments for around 40 years.... never referred to that note half a step down from G as #F.... it's always been F#.... and Bb... and C#.... and Eb... etc...

i think i, also, did not get what you are saying about the whistles D and G and A equals C and carry moonbeams home in a jar.....



but... then.. i dont get most stuff here...

be well,

jim

[hoopy mike]

i think i, also, did not get what you are saying about the whistles D and G and A equals C and carry moonbeams home in a jar.....

I think I get that bit now. If I understand correctly, if you want to play a tune in the key of D that goes below D, pick up a whistle in a lower key and transpose, so if you grab a low G whistle, to play a D, fingering is: x x o o o o and so on. My counter suggestion is to pick up a low A whistle and play a D thus: x x x o o o