Feadoggie wrote:I can find no instance where what he is doing with the bottom hand is effecting the dynamics or pitch of the whistle when I try to do the same. Any body else?
On the Overton low G whistle closing the bottom end will raise the pitch of F# and E (C# and B in D whistle terminology). Since F# in the second octave is especially flat it may be a useful trick, especially as it is such a prominent note in the piece. You can also get a nice finger vibrato on the high E (B on D whistle) with a finger across the bottom end.
I tested this with my Overton low G (alto G, not bass low low G).
Feadoggie wrote:
I can find no instance where what he is doing with the bottom hand is effecting the dynamics or pitch of the whistle when I try to do the same. Any body else?
On the Overton low G whistle closing the bottom end will raise the pitch of F# and E (C# and B in D whistle terminology). Since F# in the second octave is especially flat it may be a useful trick, especially as it is such a prominent note in the piece. You can also get a nice finger vibrato on the high E (B on D whistle) with a finger across the bottom end.
You're both right but I think in this case the movement in question is more visual than anything else.
funny this should come up - I just noticed the other day that xoo oox is noticeably sharper than xoo ooo
on my G whistle closing the end changes the pitch and tone for second octave G, C and C# - though half holing the C as Finbar is doing pitch would seem to be not the important part - closing the end seems to not effect the second octave A or B very much.
“When a Cat adopts you there is nothing to be done about it except put up with it until the wind changes.” T.S. Elliot
Tell us something.: Playing Scottish and Irish music in California for 45 years. These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format.
I think he's just sort of holding the whistle down there, to keep the lower hand out of the way, to show the audience "see? I'm only using one hand!"
BTW from the first time I heard Lonesome Boatman I thought it was clearly derived from Andean kena playing (in melodic style, performance style, and accompaniment style) which was becoming very popular at just the time he wrote that tune.
Here's what I mean (and no, this song wasn't written in 1970!!)
