Sheffield craftsman ‘doubles playability’ of haunting musical instrument with game-changing innovation
A Sheffield instrument maker and Made in Britain-accredited manufacturer has unveiled a patent-pending redesign of the Low D Whistle that significantly reduces the flexibility and finger reach required to play it.
Sound engineer David O'Hagan, who has worked with The Spice Girls and Robbi Williams, has made the instrument much easier to play.
The more compact design reduces the spacing between finger holes, improving airflow efficiency and making the instrument much easier to play for those with smaller hands or reduced dexterity.
This seemingly small change has the potential to radically improve the playability and uptake of the famed instrument, which people will recognise from the Titanic theme tune, Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On.
Master craftsman at Howard Whistles, David, said: “This is a very exciting upgrade to the Low D Whistle. It has been a challenging task to ensure that the easy-reach version of this hauntingly beautiful instrument is able to be played by a far wider range of players without compromising the rich, resonant tone for which they are renowned.
“I’ve reduced the space between the tone holes, meaning that players who perhaps have smaller hands or struggle with full finger extension can much more easily cover the holes. I genuinely think this is a game-changing redesign as it can be produced more cost-effectively than other designs - it has the potential to effectively double the playability of this traditional folk instrument.”
The redesign also marks Howard Whistles' first major innovation since joining Made in Britain, the official non-profit organisation championing British-made goods and manufacturing, and continues a manufacturing tradition first established in 1974 by Brian Howard.
Originally crafted in Kilkenny, Ireland, before being brought to Sheffield, Brian’s precision-engineered Low D Whistles became internationally respected among traditional musicians.
After apprenticing under Howard and training with specialist instrument makers in Brazil and engineers in Switzerland, O'Hagan has combined decades of recording studio experience, during which he has produced music and modified electronics for improved sound. In the early part of his career, he was a sound engineer for artists like the Spice Girls, Robbie Williams and Simply Red. This unusual combination of music production, sound engineering, engineering and hand craftsmanship, has resulted in the innovative refinement of the instrument.
The result is a redesign that has the scope to radically increase the number of people able to play the whistle comfortably, including budding young musicians, less dextrous players, and is more inclusive of people with other limitations.
The patent effectively consists of an innovative way of changing the spacing between the tone holes through the use of acoustic modifiers. The design overcomes previously difficult to manufacture solutions to the problem through the use of inserts that modify the pitch whilst preserving the magical, haunting tones of the Low D Whistle.
Speaking of his decision to join the growing community of manufacturers united under the official Made in Britain accreditation, David said: “I export all around the world, the main markets being the USA, Europe, Canada and Australia and I think the trademark really increases the credibility and international reach of Howard Whistles in the global trade market. I joined Made in Britain to really underline that every instrument we create is entirely hand-crafted in Britain.”