Grip on Low Whistle

Hi, friends. In this lesson we talk about our grip. The grip is how we cover the holes as we hold the whistle.

Please check out the videos linked to the right.

Proper and consistent hole coverage are key to our playing well. If we do not cover the holes completely or consistently, then we will play squeaks and squawks more than we play notes.

Once our hands feel comfortable on the whistle we can work on developing our playing, ornaments, and tone.

There are a lot of opinions on proper hole coverage with low whistles. At the end of the day, cover the holes in a way that works for you and enables you to play quickly and consistently.

Few people have large enough hands to use the finger pads at the tips of their fingers to cover the holes on a low whistle. Most players use what is called either a modified Piper’s Grip, or a Piper’s grip. Find what works best for you by experimenting as you play.

I introduce the Piper’s grip in one of the videos, and refer to the modified Piper’s grip in the other. Basically, with the Piper’s grip you place your fingers flat on the whistle, and use the middle pads of your fingers to cover the holes. You will likely need to place your hands at a slight angle, which will cause the holes to be covered with different parts of your finger.

The key is to use a fleshy bit of your finger so you can adequately cover the holes.

The modified Piper’s grip uses the Piper’s grip for the lower hand on the whistle, and at least one or two top of the finger pads on the top hand.

Experiment and decide which works best for you.