Is there really a 3rd octave?

[Alexander]

I put a part of a match lengthwise in the windway of my (Clare) high D and I blow easily the 3rd octave... when nobody is at home

[brewerpaul]

There are some tunes in the Bill Ochs tutorial that go into the third octave.

Jason

Mainly for instructional purposes, and completeness. I've yet to hear a GOOD sounding third octave. That third D is as high as I ever go.

[Wanderer]

We usually play a number of Breton tunes an octave up from written, which usually puts them mostly in the 2nd octave and in the lower part of the third octave. We play them a little fast, and the crowd always goes wild for them.

[regor]

Earplugs! What is it with these musicians earplugs? How can you play music if you have ear plugs on?!

Musician earplugs aren't met to block the sound, but rather to reduce the volume of the sound in a equal level accross the spectrum. Mine cuts the sound by 15db, with is the most frequently used sound reduction level. Drummers usually use 25db earplugs.

[anniemcu]

The only one I know is an American Civil War-era fife tune, now popular among oldtime fiddle players, called "Quince Dillon's High D Tune". I guess you can guess the high octave note. You don't want to stand near the fifer when this one gets played!

Also 'Morgan Magan'

[falkbeer]

How do you play that high? not that I want to, I doubt my ears could take it!! are there really tunes/songs that go that high??

Not unless you wanna develop tinnitus!

[Ostekjeks]

I haven't yet managed to play higher than a E in the third octave. You say that you play tunes in the third octave. Is that possible? How high do you go? My whistles can't go higher that second-octave D.

[Dave Parkhurst]

There is, in fact, a third octave. It's really useful for calling dogs...
Dave

[Chiffed]

On high D whistle I generally don't go above the E, but on Bb and lower whistles the notes up to A can be useful. Gets to be a bit of a finger-twister, and I don't think it's suitable for all whistles. An O'Brien Bb is really sweet up there, but the Gen Bb just sounds like the emergency pop-off valve on an air compressor. One low d loves to go high, but the other just cacks out. Jeremiah McDade does jazz on an Overton low D, and seems to spend most of his time in the stratosphere.

[Dale]

That Cathal McConnell tutorial with the CD has a nice piece of advice: He recommends playing only short notes in the upper register of the whistle--even the top half of the 2nd octave. He recognizes it can be a bit harsh to the listeners' ears. A kind of musical act of mercy.

[bjs]

An O'Brien Bb is really sweet up there

I can get Bb and C but not D on mine. How do you get it?

I like those Bill Ochs tunes for outdoor playing but have yet to find the right whistle for them. Used to `play' them on my first whistle a sweetone but not accurate in the third octave.

[bjs]

That was one of the points that really amazed me about my Susatos, the low end of the 3rd octave was VERY tight and easy to hit...

You get third octave d e f g easily? Then I want a Susato!

[Chiffed]

An O'Brien Bb is really sweet up there

I can get Bb and C but not D on mine. How do you get it?

Bb oxx xxx
C xxo xxo
D xox xox
Eb xox ooo
F xxx xxx
G xxx xxo (shade the last hole)

These are different on my other whistles, but are fairly stable on the O'Brien.

[I.D.10-t]

An O'Brien Bb is really sweet up there

I can get Bb and C but not D on mine. How do you get it?

Bb oxx xxx
C xxo xxo
D xox xox
Eb xox ooo
F xxx xxx
G xxx xxo (shade the last hole)

These are different on my other whistles, but are fairly stable on the O'Brien.

Looks similar to the third octave fingering chart for the fife.
http://www.beafifer.com/fingering.htm

Two things to remember about the fife is that some of them have a relatively small bore that helps them produce a clear third octave at the expense of the bottom “D”. Another thing to keep in mind is that the embouchure on a fife or a flute is more flexible. Whistlers have little choice but to blow harder to hit the high notes, the fife player can blow a note but reduce the airflow much like the toothpick tweak for silencing a whistle.

“D4” should be possible on a good fife (and from what I have heard, it is painful). The highest I ever go is the high “B” when practicing this tune (#1). Sometimes the note is even pleasant to listen to.

One thing to keep in mind about fifers is that most of them are use to performing around musket and cannon fire. They are going to be deaf any way.

[Chiffed]

Two things to remember about the fife is that some of them have a relatively small bore that helps them produce a clear third octave at the expense of the bottom “D”. Another thing to keep in mind is that the embouchure on a fife or a flute is more flexible. Whistlers have little choice but to blow harder to hit the high notes, the fife player can blow a note but reduce the airflow much like the toothpick tweak for silencing a whistle.

“D4” should be possible on a good fife (and from what I have heard, it is painful). The highest I ever go is the high “B” when practicing this tune (#1). Sometimes the note is even pleasant to listen to.

One thing to keep in mind about fifers is that most of them are use to performing around musket and cannon fire. They are going to be deaf any way.

The length-to-bore ratio for the O'Brien Bb is pretty high; this might make it more fifey. I'd also consider the mouthpiece design pretty efficient, though not as efficient as a perfect fife embouchure.

Now everybody go listen to the piccolo part from Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever. The high stuff can really rock.