playing sideways

[gallant_murray]

What's the advantage of playing sideways, holding the whislte in the corner of the mouth rather than in the front? When playing with a loud group, I've held the whistle in the corner of my mouth so I could hear myself better, but I've often seen people do this while playing alone. Do any of you just play this way normally?

[mutepointe]

boy, i sure want to hear the answer to this from someone who is experienced. i play to the side myself most of the time, this seems to prevent some screechers but there are times that to hit a high note solid, the whistle for me has to be straight in front of me. watch me be doing something wrong.

[piedwhistler]

I wonder if as mute says, it can avoid screeching. Maybe filling your cheek with air cushions the note a bit? I have found that high notes are often easier to get out when I let some air in my cheeks...

[Tommy]

When the whistle is held in the middle, unknowing on lookers ask- Is that like a recorder you are playing. If the whistle is held off to one side then they ask if it is like a piccolo. If a whistler asks another whistler why they are holding it to the side. The reply will be something like how long have you been a noobie. If you ask me why I will tell you because I saw a good player doing it. I don't know what it does for the sound except to make one ear ring louder than the other. Maybe that is why they hold it to one side, so they will always have one good ear left?

[kkrell]

Or it's easier to hold without it slipping through your fingers, since you can help hold with your thumb. Also more familiar sometimes for flute players.

Kevin Krell

[jaime!]

i play to the side on one-piece whistles
but tunable whistles, i just turn the body of the whistle clockwise a little bit so it's not lined up evenly with the headpiece, and then i play 'em straight!
for me it just had to do with comfort, i suppose!

or maybe it had to do with the lenth of the fipple part.
on cheap whistles (sweettones, feadogs) i'd stick it a little to the side because the beak thing was so long.
but on my dixon (which has a stubby little thing which i find much more comfortable as i'm not so inclined to nibble!) i like it in the middle of my lips. and it's not comfortable really any other way.

[Jetboy]

I wonder if as mute says, it can avoid screeching. Maybe filling your cheek with air cushions the note a bit? I have found that high notes are often easier to get out when I let some air in my cheeks...

Wow! you must have some serious backpressure to blow out your cheeks whilst blowing a whistle!.

A semi-pro who taught me used to play to the side occasionally, as I do if I want to hear the note better. Everyone has one ear more responsive or sensitive than the other and holding the whistle to that side will help pick out the nuances of the note/tone. Also, when playing with other musicians you can hear yorself better.

[fearfaoin]

I've never played from the side of my mouth, so as to avoid looking
like Kenny G </troll>

Actually, if you play in front, it is easier to do things with your
embouchure, since you will have independent musculature on either
side of the mouthpiece.

[Wormdiet]

I sometimes play out of the corner for a pretty weak reason: I find that if I am switching from flute to whistle frequently, it takes my lips a bit of time to adjust back to the flute. Playing whistle out of the corner of the mouth seems to lessen this problem.

[fearfaoin]

I sometimes play out of the corner for a pretty weak reason: I find that if I am switching from flute to whistle frequently, it takes my lips a bit of time to adjust back to the flute. Playing whistle out of the corner of the mouth seems to lessen this problem.

This is not a bad point. It does take a while for the embouchure to
re-adjust. I had the same problem switching between basson and
clarinet/sax.

[shadeclan]

Or it's easier to hold without it slipping through your fingers, since you can help hold with your thumb. Also more familiar sometimes for flute players.

I sometimes play out of the corner for a pretty weak reason: I find that if I am switching from flute to whistle frequently, it takes my lips a bit of time to adjust back to the flute. Playing whistle out of the corner of the mouth seems to lessen this problem.

It seems, in my humble and unknowledgable opinion, that people who play the flute are more likely to play their whistle sideways because it is more familiar to them.

Now sombody will have to do a poll to see how many flute players play their whistle sideways, compared to non-flute players.

[Innocent Bystander]

Today I found myself playing out of the corner of the mouth, for a very good reason.

I have a (few) homemade Low D(s). It (they) need piper's grip, and the bottom (D) hole is covered by the little finger. My hands are small.

I've had a painful wrist for a few weeks that I thought was RSI from using the computer mouse. But it's from stretching to get the right-hand fingering on the low D.

If I hold the whistle to the right, my arm doesn't have to stretch so far and my hand can make the fingerings without making the wrist ache.

Holding it that way, it's more comfortable to put the mouthpiece in the right side of my mouth.

Lookit me, Ma! I'm a sideways whistler, for real!

[Ballyshannon]

What's the advantage of playing sideways, holding the whislte in the corner of the mouth rather than in the front? When playing with a loud group, I've held the whistle in the corner of my mouth so I could hear myself better, but I've often seen people do this while playing alone. Do any of you just play this way normally?

If you mean angling the whistle to one side or the other, I do it to hear myself better in sessions. I'd imagine with others, as mentioned here, it's a matter of comfort or just the way they naturally do it. But I don't "hold" a whistle with or in my mouth, but instead just rest the mouthpiece on the lower lip and blow into it more like a flute. This is how Colin and Brigitte Goldie suggested playing my Overton and it's now the way I play all whistles. Makes a huge difference in control and getting more out of the instrument, especially on the high end.

[Dameon]

The only advantage I find in playing from one side of the mouth is it gives the middle of my lips a bit of a rest.

[mahanpots]

I've begun to play my Shaw low d out of the corner of my mouth because I can hold it more like I hold my flute, resting the whistle on the joint below my left pointer finger (L1?). If I play it straight, my grip changes and my left hand aches. Playing it to the side keeps my hand from aching.

Michael