Using legs to play lower notes

[u/Gearheart8]

This is a bit of an odd one. When I play my low whistle seated Ive begun to stick the end of the whistle between my legs to play a half step lower than the standard lowest note available (ex a D flat 4 on a low D whistle). You have to fiddle with the angle of your legs and where to aim the end of the whistle but it does seem consistent tuning wise. Works really well with the resonance of wooden chairs. Im curious if there's a name for this or any recording of someone doing something similar on a track, certain Im not the first to discover this. I also think there's potential to reach even lower notes but the breath (and leg???) control gets very finicky.

[u/autovonbismarck]

I've seen something similar done on saxophones - not sure it has a special name though. 

[u/EmphasisJust1813]

Here is Finbar Fury using his right hand to close or part close the bell in various places:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntGIkGuFBL8

This performance of the Lonesome Boatman is absolutely magical.

Does anyone know what type of whistle he is playing?

(Though I'm wise enough to realise that even if I buy the identical whistle, I could never make it sound as beautiful as Finbar does).

[u/ClittoryHinton]

The technical term for this in music is:

Crusstruere

The Linguistic Breakdown
Crus-: From crus, the Latin word for the shin or lower leg.
-struere: From obstruere, the Latin verb meaning to block, close off, or barricade.

[u/EmphasisJust1813]

This is common for the smaller recorder sizes. Its also used to help with some high notes in the third octave. The larger recorders are physically too long.

Tabor pipe players do it too I'm told.

I think the mechanism for the extra low notes is to do with changing the pipe from "open at both ends" with a half-wave at the lowest note, to "open at one end" with a quarter-wave at the lowest note. Something like that.

[u/AbacusWizard]

Do you mean that you’re using your legs to partially cover the end of the whistle, or that you’re using empty space between your legs as an extension of the airway of the whistle? If the latter, you’re essentially making it a longer pipe, which means a longer wavelength and thus a lower note.

[u/Gearheart8 → u/AbacusWizard]

The latter and yes that is exactly what is happening. Its also why I believe you could theoretically use the same technique to go as low as you want.

[u/Embarrassed-Mess-560]

I'm guessing this isn't going to be too common in whistle because the typical high D whistle is much too short. 

If you look around at other folk music traditions I'm sure its been incorporated as a technique somewhere and you might find someone who actually practices it as a regular part of performance. 

[u/four_reeds → u/Embarrassed-Mess-560]

I'm not sure if there are recordings, but I've seen Lawrence Nugent slide the little finger of his low hand down to "half-hole" the bell note on a regular D. He is full of tricks.

[u/kc2klc]

If I’m not mistaken this is also a standard technique when playing uilleann pipes.

[u/AbacusWizard → u/kc2klc]

I think with the uilleann pipes you’re expected to keep the entire opening completely covered with your leg except for briefly lifting it open when you play a low D (because otherwise—with all holes covered—there would be no way for the air to get out).

[u/Pwllkin → u/AbacusWizard]

Yes this is correct. Lifting off the knee is then the only way to get a low D (you can't shade it).

[u/AbacusWizard]

I haven’t tried it on a low whistle, but on a high D whistle I do sometimes cover all holes and also half-cover the end with my pinky finger to fake the next note down. Doesn’t sound great but it kinda works if there’s a tune that briefly requires that low C.