THE LOWDOWN ON LOW WHISTLES - storage, how to play, details +5% OFF!

[@kennethgillespie4468]

I ordered an MK pro-Low D tunable whistle last night to step up from my current low D. I can't wait until it arrives from Scotland. I have gotten much good information from your videos. Especially, since I have never had any formal music or instrument instruction. I was musically illiterate up to 2016 when I began to teach myself how to play bagpipes. From there, I added Scottish Small Pipes, Native American Flute, High D whistle, and most recently the Low D whistle, and I can play many of the slow airs that I played on the High D. I identify myself as 74 years old, play bagpipes and Drive a Corvette Sports Car, married almost 49 years and lovin life.

[@tlsings55]

This gives my “50 something” self, hope! 😄🙌🏼

[@williemacon30]

When it comes to the pen whistle family I really think the low whistles have the most beautiful sound ever

[@dumptonpark]

I have watched 6 of your videos and you look like a different person each time 🙂. I am enjoying your vids thanks for sharing some of your knowledge.

[@foofy14]

That whistle looks beautiful!

[@Atomic-Lola]

An old video but still helpful! I just got my first Low D yesterday and I’m having a lot of fun trying it out

[@paulmdevenney]

ok. I was misunderstanding the pipers grip! Thank you another simple, yet invaluable tutorial that has prevented me throwing my bargain basement low D into the bin.

[@sumojack1]

Thank you for your video I have two, Tin whistles, but the instructions you gave on the piper's grip, or partial pipers grip, really helped out on bass Native American flute, which I can now reach easier. Now on to look for a low D whistle.

[@MrGmooney]

good on ya girl,great teacher,and so easy on the ear and optics,give us a shout if you ever come to Galway ,we would love to include you in our music sessions

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Thank you :) sounds like a good excuse to book a holiday ;)

[@soslothful]

Burke Whistles (USA) Low D has a rotatable bottom end which allows one to adjust the holes to a personal, comfortable position.

[@douglasfuqua7082]

Most interesting...(back to my stands of bamboo...). Beautiful playing, btw...

[@Mapmoyle]

Good overview. The MK whistles are made of anodised aluminium with a brass slide in the tuneable ones. The slide needs to be brass as the aluminium would eventually fuse together. Some low D whistles have wider spaced holes than others MKs are medium spacing and are good most people; Chieftains are further apart. Tapered whistles like the Celtic Carbony Winds (carbon fibre) or Shaw (nickel silver) and so are easier to finger for smaller hands. The Carbony Winds require less air pressure to play than most.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Mapmoyle Great tips! Thank you for sharing ☺️

[@soslothful]

Mapmoyle - Are you pleased with your Carbony? They seem wildly high priced.

[@mcwuff3456]

Hallo Stephanie Thank you so much. Now I know what I make wrong with my right hand. Thank you it's "super. When your neighbour's hear the heart of your whistling, you'll play very often. Greetings from Germany😜😜😜❣️

[@ericjam6346]

Great video Stephanie! Your whistle is spotless!! The rag you keep in the chamber is very neat. I don't keep my whistles near as well as you do. I have found that it is necessary to make sure you occasionally lubricate *some* two piece whistles. Every so often I will use cork grease on the tuning slide. This keeps the whistle from seizing or freezing in place. The Burke Viper Low D and the Reyburn Low D whistles are two examples of whistles that can freeze up on you. I do this with my MK Low D too. (Don't have the Viper anymore) BTW. LOVE THE ACOUSTICS IN YOUR KITCHEN! I think your whistling sounds superb in there with an all natural sound!.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Yes, I do use a spot of grease from time to time - I had one form MKwhistles when I bought the pro, and with with my Susato Kildare...but it smells of menthol :D haha

[@soslothful]

Flute swabs, from Musician's Friend (USA) are great for smaller whistles, say Bb, C, D.

[@luckybarrel7829]

You can wrap a rubber band on the fipple/ labium whatever it is called and that should muffle the sound so you can practice without hurting your neighbours ears. If you want no sound at all just to practice fingering, use a piece of paper to block the fipple/ labium.

[@silverpairaducks]

I made my own case it's a artist tube wrapped in fake alligator. I put guitar stap locks on ..so I can use a guitar strap. I was gonna make a cleaning cloth out of Christmas socks and parachord. I got a tony dixon for Christmas. The one with both head joint.

[@ithil6357]

Thank you for your videos. I constantly watch you (although not strong in English). But the videos are wonderful, like your smile))) I try to learn how to play the whistle along with your releases. Thank you and good luck to you

[@mheermance]

I have big hands, and even I can't manage the finger stretch, so the piper's grip seems mandatory for a low D whistle. On a low G I find the traditional penny whistle grip works.

[@blagodatskix]

Hi Stephanie! Thank you very much for every new video! Thanks to them, I again had a desire to play on the whistle and make more effort in playing on this instrument than it was before. Literally a couple of days ago I bought a low whistle and I just had a problem with the bottom notes, thank you very much for the explanation :) And, to be honest, I do not know where to offer a melody, for this I am writing here. What about Lullaby of the Giants by Bear McCreary? It seems to me that it will fit just for low whistle) I apologize for the grammatical errors. English is not my native language.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Kate Blagodatskikh I don't know the song but I will certainly take a look. Good luck with your low whistle playing 😊

[@blagodatskix]

CutiePie Thank you very much 😊

[@DavidClavijoOfficial]

Hi Stephanie!!! I found it!!! Heartfelt thanks 🙏🏻

[@electricharmonyac7354]

You really picked a perfect screen name;-) thankyou for the video

[@alessandromanzieri2286]

In your opinion is better the pro or the kelpie model of the mk brand?

[@beowulf4100]

Love the paintings in the back kido

[@davidmorse849]

As a piper, I'm thinking of buying a low D or A whistle. But I'd really like to keep the same fingering as the bagpipe chanter. Any suggestions?

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

As far as I know, the way you got the notes on the bagpipe chanter is a little different to whistle...though not too dissimilar. What note does your chanter play if you cover all the holes?

[@Astromarty]

Stephanie can you please do Ireland's Call for all of us Irish Rugby fans. Thank you. Martin

[@caerphoto]

Handy timing on this - been looking at getting myself a low D soon! The "mellowness" sounds like it'll be a good complement to my Clarke 'regular' D, which I really like the sound of. Also, have you done a tutorial on Fields of Athenry? It's a lovely tune, and I made my own tab for it but it's got a few awkward bits and I'm no good at ornaments. It'd be great to see someone do it justice :)

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

I haven't heard it as far as I'm aware but I'll take a look. If you want to share your tabs please feel free - I'm sure others would like to play too :)

[@caerphoto]

My "Fields of Athenry" one is here: andyf.me/whistletab/#s16 although it's not really "mine" - I just transcribed it from an image I found on Google into a more easily-accessible format, same as the others on there.

[@ellissouza419]

Queria só saber onde comprar uma flauta dessa.

[@Vincent_Van_Vinci]

Stephenie,i am a beginner... Playing for about 5 months... Should i pick up the low whistle already??? Or when is the right time to pick a low whistle??? And can you show how to perform a vibrato in a whistle in your upcoming vedios???

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

bikramjeet dhar I got my low whistle at about 5 months in, if you want one, go for it! 😊 I have made a video featuring vibrato: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2rFapKdp8-Bl6s

[@Vincent_Van_Vinci]

CutiePi which one is better clark or mk pro??

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

bikramjeet dhar Clarke don't make a low whistle, but MKpro is £250, Clarke is £15...the MKpro is better.

[@stevewolfe3214]

Hi Stephanie and Bikramjeet dhar. Somewhat inspired from this video, I did my research and I bought a TB012D Dixon Low D (plastic) tuneable $95 USD (the one you can get the flute head) and a few days later DX107G Dixon Low G (metal) tuneable $105 USD. Both whistles arrived about the same time.. I still have a long way to go, but I got an urge to hear lower sounds. I took to the Low G whistle like a duck to water. It fits my hands without a piper's grip and the whistle sounds great. The Low D whistle - not quite as much. I am still struggling a bit with the Low D note with my piper's grip on the right hand. And the high register is breathier than I'd like so I now suspect I would have been happier with their metal low D. Yet since I can't quite play it properly.. I'll see how the low D goes before trying again. But I don't regret buying either whistle and the price barrier to entry is much lower than one Mk Pro. -- edited: The plastic was said to have a mellower sound. Also I was very concerned about weight. Lastly I thought much on the the notion: should I get a low whistle with a low D key .. and most of the written advice has been - probably a person shouldn't get the whistle with a key. I didn't realize until today that I have been playing the whistle for about 6 months

[@fergusneilmichaeldollabill4185]

Dont ask. Get one and try playing it

[@rudyslifeandmusic8366]

I’m very frustrated with covering holes and consistency of notes. I attached two rubber bands for the upper and lower thumbs for better grip. Sometimes I’ll loop out a little part of the band to secure my thumb. I’m getting help to make thumb sleeve supports to attach the instrument to me. Have you ever thought of a saxophone neck support to hold the whistle? It’s not heavy, I just want to stop the squeaks and fuzzy notes, especially if I only have a few fingers holding the low whistle. I might even try this with my smaller whistles for better consistency in finger position/sound

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Sounds like fun. I don't personally find it a problem, but I'm sure others do. It was a little slippery at first, bit I think it's often just a case of getting used to it 😊

[@rudyslifeandmusic8366]

Thanks for the info and reply. Your advice has helped me keep my Low D instead of selling it out of frustration

[@rudyslifeandmusic8366]

And as a result I made my first song. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmaxgYxoorqgf9k

[@asasteinsaphir2256]

@@rudyslifeandmusic8366 you can also use a piece of adhesive on the backside, to support your thumb. Some recordplayers use this for larger flutes. It won't show as much as rubber bands.

[@thoreaubailey4836]

and on that note (no pun intended) is the shearwater tenor a good low whistle? even if the MK Pro is better?

[@edwincancelii2917]

Since you have a European accent, where are you from? I love those low whistles. Beautiful green color low whistle. The large gap sounds somewhat like 428 A; kind of like a quarter tone. And I personally love it.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

I'm from Wales 😊

[@edwincancelii2917]

Awesome accent.

[@soslothful]

@@CutiepieTinWhistle When I see liner notes written in Welch I always wonder, "What do the Welch have against vowels?" Example, this word, "cwrw".

[@tilja9385]

I actually started wit ha low whistle ^^" on the webside it says, you're code is "invalide, expired or reached it's usage limit" or is it just for the low whistles? (I wanted to by a susato in Bb)

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

I'm not sure, I'll check it out. Bear with me!

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

OK - should be GOOD TO GO :)

[@tilja9385]

Yes! Thank you :)

[@WhatNow4140]

Cutie Pie, I am trying to determine just how much air would be required to play a low D whistle. Would it be equal to say an Alto Recorder ? I have COPD and my air is limited. I play a Chinese Dizi transverse flute now without too much trouble. I was thinking of getting a low D.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

If you play transverse flute and Dizi you shouldn't have much problem with a low D :) It may be worth making a conscious effort to look for low whistles that are well known for requiring less air though, as that will definitely make it easier to get on with when it arrives. Shearwater low whistles use more air than MK and Chris Wall...but that's about as far as my experience goes with brands. Chieftains need a lot of air too. Ask on forums, websites and whistle groups on Facebook for advice though and you'll get plenty of it with regard to easy-blowers :)

[@WhatNow4140]

Thank you for your fast responce. Ok, will do.

[@fergusneilmichaeldollabill4185]

I have CHRONIC COPD...I do just fine.its actually..really beneficial...to deflate your lungs...then....let em reinflate themselves. It helps bring a lot .up.keep playing

[@thoreaubailey4836]

so which is better? the MK Pro ? or the Shearwater?

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

rory desJarlais the MKpro is definitely the better whistle, but it depends what you're planning to use the whistle for. If you just want to play at home, on your own, there's not as much need to splash out on the MKpro.

[@MrLengvang]

How much is it?

[@soslothful]

You really like red!

[@Sirchaos67]

i'm considering buying a mk pro low d whistle (you pretty much sold it to me with your videos lol) but the only whistle i've ever played is a 6€ tin whistle from a souvenir store in ireland so i don't know if it'll be worth the investment, should i go to a much lower price tag to try one of those low whistles out or just go all in with the mk pro low d? because i don't think there's anything that sounds quite like that particular whistle

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Corpas I stared with a Shearwater low D at £40... Just to try it. Because you might struggle with the finger placement, hold, extra breath, weight etc... If you get on well with it then you can upgrade ☺️ if not, you've not splashed out £250 for no reason. On the other hand, you'll always sell an MKpro... So you wouldn't lose much money. It's a hard whistle to play when it first arrives, but it's so much fun!

[@Sirchaos67]

thanks for the feedback, 40 pounds sounds much easier to get, i might start with that when i get a budget

[@soslothful]

Recently I bought a high D from Goldfinch (Poland) and I'm very well pleased with it. It is a PVC whistle and therefore more affordable than high end metal or wood. It is aesthetically and aurally pleasing and very well worth the $50 USD. I assume their low whistles are of the same quality and would recommend them. My low D is from Michael Burke (USA) expensive but of very excellent quality.

[@aslansapargaliev434]

Very Cool

[@burteastwood5436]

Stephanie, This is such a beautiful and informative video of how to. There is really no need to ask you how you are doing because I can plainly see that you are in good health and in perfect form or should I say perfectly beautiful and as well spoken as always. But, how are you doing and how are you liking your new home and neighborhood? I know that some old combative curmudgeon or other combator might say something or think something negative about my next comment, but I'm going to say it anyway. Seeing you there in your lovely kitchen makes me wish that I was there cooking something for you... Cleaning or just doing something simple to help you... Probably something that you don't want to do or have time to do. As you probably remember me saying... I have lots of experience in that line of expertise... The expertise of doing everything for others. So how does one that has never been married and does not have children get to do everything for others... By being very close to my family and being nice to sweet little old ladies. Without going into further details I think that's a pretty good explanation. As I've said before... I hope you have the best neighbors that anyone could ever have there in your new home. Theoretically and logically they should fall in love with you, and your playing and singing if they are indeed close enough and lucky enough to hear you and see you at times, but there is always the chance that like some people in this world, they will just be jealous of your beauty and talent. So if they are not so nice, rest assured that it is not your fault in anyway. If you have a moment, please tell me about your weather and a little about your new foraging education hobby. I have been trying to identify some of the wild plants growing on my property. I have lots to identify because I only mow the majority of my mowable property once a year. Of coarse I mow around the house more often. I love bushes and trees... They lower my blood pressure I'm sure, unlike crowded rooms and city streets, offices, especially doctors offices, another subject altogether. Thank you for this beautiful video and all that you do! If I don't answer your reply tonight I certainly will tomorrow.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

The weather is on and off here - a day of rain, then a few days of sun - the worst hayfever conditions imaginable :D haha! I've not been able to find anything to identify/forage - plenty of countryside around here but a lot of it privately owned - and I haven't had chance to get out into the woods for a while. Anyway - vacation this week so...maybe I'll find something interesting! As for trees/bushes - they will definitely lower the blood pressure ;) x

[@burteastwood5436]

CutiePie Stephanie, The on/off weather you are having sounds very much like the weather here, but miraculously the weather has stabilized for the next few days. Dry and hot is what we will be experiencing. High 92 and low 73. Yesterday we had a perfect day for the opening of the shrimp season and today was perfect also. It was easy to find some shrimp at a very reasonable price today. Most all of the hayfever causing pollen has stopped by now. But some things are still blooming ... like mimosa and Chinese tallow or locally known as popcorn trees. Some say that the popcorn trees are an invasive species that need to be irraticated, but they do have a good side and the good side being that they have an enormous amount of blossoms that allow the bees to produce lots of honey. They say it is a high moisture content honey, but I really like the flavor and color and when I was in the honey business I never had a problem with high moisture content in my honey. I'm not sure and there is no way to be certain, but I believe that at least half of the twelve 55 gallon drums of honey my bees produced in the second year of my bee keeping were from the Chinese tallow trees in the vacinity. The uses of this tree's seed pods are somewhat interesting... I should look into it's uses further. There is some question as to whether it is a safe edible. I think that it's waxy seed pods are used in some cosmetics. It seems that I've wandered off into the edible plants topic... Since the last time we talk I decided to try eating some pine cambium... the soft inner layer of the bark from a loblolly pine tree. To my surprise it didn't taste like turpentine or pine sol. I think I could eat it if necessary. I'm only going to be trying plants that I'm certain of ... I haven't tried any cattail shoots yet, but I'm sure that they will be ok. There are lots of them here and of course they are easy to identify. My blue berries have ripened up and I've made a couple of pies. Blue berries are wonderful in that they don't need any care. They were planted and that's all I've done to them. And they just keep on producing blue berries.... As many as I care to pick....once a year of coarse. There are lots of mushrooms here, but since I'm not that crazy about them I'll probably not be taking any chances experimenting with which ones are edible. I'll just be trying to identify them. I'd like to say that I feel as if my bee keeping experience was one of the great experiences of my life. I caught all of my bees from the wild and built all of my hives and honey extracting house. My bees were almost like pets to me. I knew most of the time which colonies were less aggressive and which ones were short tempered. I'm so glad that I decided to sell out before the nightmare hurricane Katrina had the chance to destroy it all. Now about your upcoming vacation... will you be just hanging out around your area and relaxing or will you be stressing out by doing some traveling? I know you like adventures and travel, but lets be honest, it is a bit of work and not always as certainly relaxing as a local walk in the country side or just hanging out at home. But home is where your work is so I have a feeling you will be somewhere else part of the time. I forgot to tell you just how charming you were in the last part of this video. I wish that I could be so heart meltingly charming when I'm forgetful and confused. It seems that I'm getting more that way day by day. But today I'm not going to forget to tell you that I love you and all that you do. So anyone reading this other than Stephanie... please remember... It's cool to be nice and to say I love you.

[@thoreaubailey4836]

is the MK Pro worth the extra money?

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

rory desJarlais it depends what you want from your whistle really. It's a beautiful instrument, but I've found it's a little too loud for playing at home. It's definitely worth it if you plan to play with other musicians in a band 😊

[@LittleJoeTheMoonlightCat]

I clean My Whistle after every Use, Like my Recorder.

[@fergusneilmichaeldollabill4185]

I let mine crust up. I get a really folkey sound...real crust sound...Neil.Youngish

[@lonnieke]

It's aluminum it will never rust.

[@fergusneilmichaeldollabill4185]

Technically...its actually corrosion. Rust...is a type of corrosion...so is....grey dust...but its not rust...if you can dig that. I get rust...on my guitar...from the acid. Which is what helps...cause...corrosion. If you can dig that

[@fergusneilmichaeldollabill4185]

Thr acid...on a brass tin whistle causes....green... .corrosion

[@fergusneilmichaeldollabill4185]

If ya can dig that my good man

[@hokooky]

😘😘😘