Cannot get sound out of whistle....help! Options

[Chi-Ann's Mom]

OK, so I bought a plastic whistle to get started with. I am thinking this was a mistake as I cannot for the life of me get any sound out of the darned thing. Can someone please instruct me as to how to blow this thing, or should I just purchase a metal whistle. And.....where would you recommend the purchase and what exact kind of whistle is the best one for a beginner? Thank you so much for any advice you can give to me.
Audrey

[Journey]

Audrey, give it to an 8 yo old and they can show you You just have to fiddle with it and keep trying. Act like you are blowing over the top of a coke bottle, don't clamp down on it with your lips. Roll you tongue behind it and blow softly ..I know not much help but it's hard to explain (almost as hard to learn!).

[PSmitty]

Hah! Lots of luck to you. It took me forever to get any noise out of mine. Good thing I don't actually NEED a whistle! Karen's advice is what worked for me. She just worded it better than I can. (everything I typed sounded dirty )

[Cynthia P]

My plastic whistle was broken(not really...it was me); I tried an aluminum whistle and actually got a sound; takes a while but once you get going...

Just blow softly; isn't there a web site for showing how to blow it? I just don't remember where the link is

Cynthia

[Chi-Ann's Mom]

Well, after reading your posts I did a search for instruction and found this one. I found it very humorous and tried per the instruction, did get a little tweet, my girl is thinking I am nuts, but I keep trying! Here is what I found!!!!
http://www.tagalongprairie.com/whistle.shtml

[Brad]

It took me a couple of months to ever get a sound. Another month to change tones, but once you've got it, you can sing with it. Stupid whistles!

[DebnKirk]

I did a Google search for use sheepdog whistle and found a lot of helpful links. I practiced in the car for six months before even thinking of trying it out on my dog. Even then I have to keep remembering not to use too much air - your whistle will launch itself out of your mouth leaving you sputtering!

Well, after reading your posts I did a search for instruction and found this one. I found it very humorous and tried per the instruction, did get a little tweet, my girl is thinking I am nuts, but I keep trying! Here is what I found!!!!
http://www.tagalongprairie.com/whistle.shtml

[Lewis Moon]

I tried working on it in the car...I tried following the instructions on the net...all no go. I defaulted back to the thumb and middle finger in the mouth, which I am quite good at. I was a camp councilor for several summers...

[Chi-Ann's Mom]

Ok, I have taken in all of your advice, and I have blown and I have blown, all I now get it the sound of saliva. I know that sounds so gross, but I have blown so much the inside of the whistle is totally wet. I will not give up, no matter how long this might take me!@

[Gloria Atwater]

For what it's worth ... I own 4 whistles made of horn and various metals, and I STILL cannot get a toot out of those plastic things.

Go get one of those tin Montana Lite whistles for fifteen bucks or whatever they are. They aren't the best thing out there but they're easier to learn on than the plastic ones. Good luck!
Cheers ~

Gloria

[Sue R]

Ok, I have taken in all of your advice, and I have blown and I have blown, all I now get it the sound of saliva. I know that sounds so gross, but I have blown so much the inside of the whistle is totally wet. I will not give up, no matter how long this might take me!@

Sometimes the problem is trying too hard - stick it in your mouth and give it a low-key try. Try whistling along with music, not really caring at first whether you are making any sort of tune or not. I find that, when I don't get all tense about it, I do much better. And I am extremely whistle-challenged.

Plus, some people just don't do well with a particular kind of whistle, others can blow anything comfortably.

Best wishes!

[Gloria Atwater]

Just as Sue said! Not everyone can blow every kind of whistle. I personally think plastic is of the devil.
Cheers ~

Gloria

[Chi-Ann's Mom]

I am beginning to believe that the plastic one is a definite "throw away", literally! I will have to look into getting me a "real" whistle. I am soooooooo frustrated, as you all can imagine since you have all been there. My dogs look at me like I have bone bonkers everytime I put the darn think in my mouth!
Audrey

[Journey]

But wait, you have not reached the stage where you blow bubbles out of it Keep trying!

[sluj]

another thing I learned from my trumpet-playing brother: don't let your checks puff out. Try to keep them tight; your lips will be slightly puckered.

[amc]

The plastic whistles are indeed the most difficult to blow. There is a reason they only cost $2. Ray Coapman's Corian whistles are probably the easiest to get pure, loud, consistent tones from, but they are not cheap at $30. I use a Coapman buffalo horn whistle myself and absolutely love it. Before that I used and adored an Arnold stainless half-moon but our winters are too cold for a metal whistle.

Amy

[desertranger]

That'a funny. I use the cheap plastic whistles. I read these instructions many times and learned the Zen of the sheepdog whistle. There is a saying that each BC puppie comes fro the womb fully trained and includes a sheepdog whistle. It's just that it takes a year to learn how.

I'm missing teeth, the instructions don't work, so I had to make some changes in to to get a sound. That changes when I have my teeth in. It's a whole different dynamic. however through experimentation I was finally able to get a bleat from it that over several weeks of listening to the radio turned in to a Queens Bohemian Rhapsody accompanied by sheepdog whistle

see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro
Magnifico-o-o-o-o
I'm just a poor boy nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/q/queen/#share

Place the whistle according to the instructions we have all received.

Edit by Desert Ranger
If you could blow without the shepherds whistle, then you can use the shepherds whistle. If you can't blow at all you can use a shepherds whistle.

What this means is you have to take your tongue and put the tip on the bottom of your mouth. You then curl your tongue up and put the middle of your tongue on the back of the whistle. In this way you can force all your breath through that little pin hole on one side of the whistle. As the air exits the open end of the whistle, it should make a noise.
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Even if you get the position right you won't be able to force anything through the hole. Try this. With the whistle in in your pie holesealed between your lips place the tip of your tounge on your bottom teeth at the gum line. You should be able to feel both teeth and your gums. The hard part. Create a pocket between the tip of your tounge at the front, and across the back of the whistle with the mid part of your tounge. Yo don't have to lamp down tight, just a gentle seal around the whistle and the pocket created under the whistle with your tounge. Noe take a breath i through your nose and breathe out gently through your mouth.

Work on it and let me know how you make out.




"Should" is the operant word here. Some trial and error even once you try the proper tongue placement will be necessary. The different sounds will be made by manipulating your tongue and your lips. Holding on to the whistle with your teeth is helpful although holding on to the whistle where you tied the string will work. It doesn't look as cool though, so using your teeth is preferred. If you don't have a perfect bite, you may want to go to th

e dentist first and have yours adjusted. False teeth probably won't work as well as your own teeth, but I haven't tried that yet.

[Brad]

I tried in the beginning with plastic, brass, steel and none made a difference. The plastic one works fine, once you get a sound and relax your mouth and tongue. If you can't get a sound out of plastic, you probably won't get anything out of corian either.

[Chi-Ann's Mom]

Even if you get the position right you won't be able to force anything through the hole. Try this. With the whistle in in your pie holesealed between your lips place the tip of your tounge on your bottom teeth at the gum line. You should be able to feel both teeth and your gums. The hard part. Create a pocket between the tip of your tounge at the front, and across the back of the whistle with the mid part of your tounge. Yo don't have to lamp down tight, just a gentle seal around the whistle and the pocket created under the whistle with your tounge. Noe take a breath i through your nose and breathe out gently through your mouth.

Oh, my gosh, Desertranger.....I got sound doing it just this way. Not loud, but actually a whistle. Thank you all so much. Now there is hope! I will keep practicing and let you know how it goes! WOW, I can actually whistle with this darned thing!

[desertranger]

Good for you Chi-ann. You may have to move the whistle around in your mouth and experiment with the correct position. Breath frm the diaphragm and blow easy. It doesn't take much once you've got the basic technique.