Low D Whistle: Grip Revisited (Piper's Grip Adopted)

I've been playing my Low D whistle for a month now. As a saxophone player, I imagined I could play with a modified piper's grip, using more of my fingertips.
I've made the change after encouragement from a friend who is an expert. I tried out a more traditional piper's grip.
This transformed my playing. I can play faster, cover the holes more consistently, and use ornaments better.
In this video I show the piper's grip and I encourage you to join me.
#lowwhistle
#Pipersgrip
#irishwhistle

[@TinWhistleTV]

Thank you for the video, hope you are doing well.

[@LowDWhistle]

You are welcome. I am doing well, and loving my whistle journey.

[@TinWhistleTV]

@@LowDWhistle great to hear good sir

[@noacastillo9608]

Thanks for the info! Very helpful advice. I just got my Chieftain Low D and feeling awkward holding the whistle. I play the tenor recorder and I'm also originally a saxophone player. I'm used to covering holes on the tenor recorder, but I wasn't used to covering the larger holes on the low D whistle.

[@LowDWhistle]

Always nice to have another sax / recorder player on board. I personally like the Piper's grip. I know folks who prefer other grips. it all means you can feel free to experiment and find how you are most comfortable covering the holes. Enjoy, and keep me posted on progress.

[@LowDWhistle]

Also, how do you like the Chieftain?

[@BB-pn2qv]

I think I missed this!

[@LowDWhistle]

Ah - glad you found it.

[@antonvf9619]

I considere it a miracle I found this community, I too am going to play (anytime mr postman!!!) a howard low d and I'm a former professional classical musician (trained on several extra instrument that my main one) this community is just what i needed! Scott many thanks for creating this channel i know it demands a lot of time and efforts. I'm arriving two months after you started, (the challenge of catching up? hmmmmm will think about it) and i cant see by the date of the videos how long you practice between a lesson and the next (a day a week?) best wishes to you, friend!

[@LowDWhistle]

Thank you for saying. I am enjoying the journey, and am thrilled to have folks like yourself join me. You are not behind. You will soon catch up, and I know you will have great things to add. Look through some of the old videos and watch any that you think would help. Feel free at any time to ask or add. I'm thrilled to have you along for the ride.

[@antonvf9619]

@@LowDWhistle Scott thank you, I'm currently watching all the videos to "get in the spirit" then I'll go back and sort of "play along" with each video. this is going to be fun! you should open a discussion for this community to meet on the session, it would be fun to be able to link to all the tunes they have

[@pollyon]

yes, excellent point, i have this issue too, where i leak air when it feels like a shouldn't be, i may have to make the same adjustment, thanks for the confirmation on a hunch i was having

[@LowDWhistle]

I imagine you are experiencing the same issue. Try it for a few days and let me know how it goes.

[@BB-pn2qv]

FULL piper?! Hmmm I’ll need to try this looks kinda difficult to adjust to.

[@LowDWhistle]

Yes, I think it is a challenge to adjust to it. However, for me with my thin and shorter fingers it made playing easier. I'm not convinced a use a proper full Piper's Group, but I come reasonably close. It helped me find slightly meatier areas of my fingers. Ha, ha

[@LowDWhistle]

If it helps great, if not stay with what you're doing.

[@Tremendouz]

Interesting. I don't remember seeing this kind of piper's grip being used by whistle players for the bottom hand. Usually the bottom hole would be sealed by the fingertip (or first finger pad) while the middle and index fingers use the mid finger pad. Basically, you place the tip of the ring finger to cover the hole and then let the other fingers fall naturally onto the other holes. I wonder if this grip taught to you by your friend is something uilleann pipers use because the pipes have 4 holes for the bottom hand instead of 3 so their pinky has to be able to reach the bore of the pipes. While I'm using the piper's grip I described above, the pinky doesn't even touch the whistle.

[@LowDWhistle]

I had also found many folks recommending that modified piper’s grip. I am fairly sure I could have achieved the same result by moving my lower finger in just a bit. I have spent a good bit of time reading forums, watching folks play low whistle, and reading descriptions. You are right that my friend is a piper. I probably didn’t pull it off well enough, but I wanted folks to know they had options. I’ll be interested to try a low whistle with chimney holes some day, but I’m really enjoying my current style. We’ll see where I end up as my playing improves. As a sax player I think I needed a bigger change. Thanks for the input.