Holding my low D without my thumbs aching?

[jeremiah]

I successfully made a low d whistle out of PVP pipe, and I'm happy with the results.

I've got the "pipers hold" or whatever down with my fingers, and that's coming along.

The only problem I have now is that my thumbs ache after just a few minutes of playing. I can't quite figure out how to hold it properly to do the pipers hold on top and have my thumbs comfortable underneath.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

[MusicalADD]

Could it be that you're applying too much pressure with your fingers and thumbs? Mind you, I'm no expert, and I'm just guessing.

Even with the piper's grip on a larger whistle, I still think that the fingers should be fairly relaxed. I find that if I'm not paying attention, my fingers sometimes clamp down with more pressure than is appropriate, especially if I'm on a low whistle and I'm having a hard time getting the holes covered cleanly with no air leaking out.

I think you need to get in the habit of playing with relaxed fingers and thumbs, otherwise you'll never be able to build up speed and your hands will get tired quickly.

[Feadoggie]

The only problem I have now is that my thumbs ache after just a few minutes of playing. I can't quite figure out how to hold it properly to do the pipers hold on top and have my thumbs comfortable underneath. Any suggestions?

Patience and practice.

[Guinness]

Make a thumb rest, or two. You will have much more endurance and speed and less tension.

[lalit]

My first couple of weeks playing the low D, I struggled with aching thumbs, too. Your hands are probably tensing up, even if you are not conscious of it. My solution was to practice for only a few minutes at a time, several times a day, consciously relaxing my hands with every note I played. If I felt pain, I stopped and came back to it later. After not too long, some good muscle memory kicked in, and there was no more pain.

[ahogrelius]

My first couple of weeks playing the low D, I struggled with aching thumbs, too. Your hands are probably tensing up, even if you are not conscious of it. My solution was to practice for only a few minutes at a time, several times a day, consciously relaxing my hands with every note I played. If I felt pain, I stopped and came back to it later. After not too long, some good muscle memory kicked in, and there was no more pain.

Very sound advice indeed! With some weeks of practice in the described way you will ''grow into" the instrument. I did even get similar problems when I changed my low D from a Alu Dixon to a Chieftain. Now after some weeks I don't want to play on the Dixon anymore as I only get squeeks and squaks out of it. My hands and fingers have grown too used to my Chieftain where the holes are a bit more widely spaced and now my fingers no longer match the holes on the Dixon...

The 3 month old Tunable Dixon Aluminum low D (DX102) is available BTW, £50 (£85 new) + shipping if anyone's interested...

Cheers,
Anders

[devondancer]

Someone, I believe it was MTGuru, suggested a piece of string and a hook (like the strap for a sax). I use a picture hook on a piece of string, hook the hook onto the bottom of the whistle and wear the string round my neck. Obviously you need to make sure the string is the right length or you may be hanged by your own whistle - an embarrassing death. Anyway, this takes away all the worry about dropping the whistle and therefore your hands, including your thumbs, are much more relaxed. It does look a bit weird - you could probably make something that looked better!

[narrowdog]

Hi
I think this thread you're thinking ofhttp://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... ht=#740822
FWIW I had the same problem when I started playing the Low D but once I relaxed it all disappeared

Cheers

[pancelticpiper]

I was having this problem. MT Guru's idea prompted me to go to a "normal" music store and buy a bass sax neck strap. It has a plastic clip that I can clip to the bottom of the whistle. I love it, as I can play for long periods tension-free.
By the way, when I feel my hands tense up I play with my thumbs off so as to remind my hands what playing relaxed feels like. After a while I can put my thumbs back on the whistle and remain relaxed.

[Ronbo]

I just use a short strip of thick double-sided tape, and stick it right above where my right thumb would normally go. It is cheap, and lets you hold the whistle with minimum effort. Plus when you get tired of it you can just peel it off.

[blackhawk]

Jeremiah, check your private messages!

[jeremiah]

Thanks for all the good advice! It's nice to know this is normal. I've been playing short periods at a time. Still teaching myself where the holes are and trying to relax my thumbs. I'll keep the other ideas in mind as they may come in handy!

Thanks again,

[Pat Cannady]

SOME discomfort is normal in the early learning stages of any instrument. Modifying an instrument just because your muscles are not used to it is not going to make you a better player of that instrument; instead of adjusting your initial approach that isn't working, you are in effect giving in to your own weakness and inexperience.

I'm not saying you should just press on through the discomfort until it becomes disabling injury. Learn to hold the whistle lightly but firmly enough that it won't slip out of your hands. I've never heard of "death grip" being a problem on the low whistle, but the solution is the same as with the UP chanter: relax. Play slowly. Don't try to play faster than you are able. Don't fling your fingers high off the whistle. Forget about emulating this or that hot shot whistle player for the time being. Just get comfortable holding and playing the instrument at the same time. It takes a little while.

[Pat Cannady]

And another thing...try experimenting with fingerings by leaving one or two fingers on the whistle most of the time. Keeping the ring and pinky fingers of the bottom hand down on upper hand notes can help a great deal. For instance I often finger B like this

xoo oox with my bottom hand pinky resting on the side of the whistle body

C sharp can be played like this on a number of whistles

oox xoo

ooo oox

In order for "piper's grip" to work, you have to approach the instrument in a manner similar to a piper's approach to the chanter and that includes more than just using the flats of your fingers to cover certain tone holes.

Don't fling your fingers around, keep them closer to the instrument, relax your wrists and thumbs. Playing whistle fast is all about economy of motion and not forcing anything.

[tubafor]

You do have to listen to your hands most carefully to discover if it's just going to take getting used to (as any new instrument does), or if there's an issue with your thumbs and you need to accommodate it.

In my case, I have a nerve issue in my left thumb that makes it very difficult to hold a whistle lower than a soprano C without a thumbrest. Some say that thumbrests are for wimps and to tough it out, but if the issue is actually physical and not just learning something new, all the toughing it out in the world won't help. Listen to your body, and take the appropriate action.