Hi Whistlers!
I work the evening shift and often whistle at home after midnight. I live in a townhouse, so disturbing the neighbors is a concern. My new Sweetheart Low D is quiet enough, but my little Oak High D is just too loud and shrill for the wee hours of the night. I originally wanted to get the Sweetheart High D, but I’ve read that it’s really loud. Can anyone recommend a quiet high whistle? I would prefer a wooden one, but I’m open to other suggestions.
There’s a video of an “Applewood” whistle on the Kerry web site http://www.kerrywhistles.com/movies/ApplewoodHighD_Phil_05..wmv that sounds perfect, but apparently no one know where to get one.
Cheers,
Ryan
Well for brass I would suggest a Sindt or a Burke DAN or DBN, but I would suggest the Sindt over the Burkes if you can find one used as the waiting list is long. For wooden I have heard Weston Whistles are pretty quiet.
When I need a quiet whistle, I use an Alba Q1. It is the softest whistle that i have, and one of my favorites. I highly recommend it.
I do not know of ANY high d whistle that is quiet enough for that situation other than a Hoover Very Narrow Bore brass.
It’s not as bad as all that. I’ve never even heard any noise from my neighbors, so the walls must be pretty soundproof. I just want to be safe. Also I prefer something softer for my own tastes.
Ryan
i usually just mash some putty in the windway, works for me and i play at night with a sleeping baby in the house.
Putty or sticky tac over one side of the fipple window will make it quiet.
Also a bit of tape over the window works.
I’ve seen all the expensive, or fairly expensive whistles mentioned, yet no one’s mentioned the original Clarkes with the wooden fipples. Yes, a bit bit breathy in tone and air requirements, but it’s the quietest whistle I own. I’d say even quieter than my Burke DAN. Just a thought, plus, they’re only like 13$ plus shipping from the Whistle Shop.
-eric
I’d agree with the Clarke Original, especially if you narrow the windway by flattening the top down. The blade and windway in these are fairly adjustable.
If you want to go a bit costlier than a Clarke, my Laughing Whistle is pretty quiet, I played it a lot when we lived in a townhouse, and it is beautiful sounding as well.
Doc Jones might have one or two.
Otherwise, people are right, put a piece of tape or something over part of your windway, and your existing whistle will be quiet enough for practice.
M
Check with Mack Hoover. He makes a narrow bore brass that is quiet. It also requires good breath control. Too much air and it squeaks. Mack makes “white cap” mouth pieces for standard whistle bodies. His white caps have small, medium and large windways. The small the windway, the quieter the whistle.
Something completely different is to play air whistle. Joan Madden does it on one of her cds. I’m not sure how she does it, but I cover the hole one normally blows into with my lower lip. I than blow across the top of the mouthpiece toward the blade. It creates a pitched whooshing sound. It’s wouldn’t be good for practicing ornamentation, but it works.
Mack Hoover
Mack Hoover now makes a beautiful faux wood whistle. Quiet, sweet sounding and nice to look at without the bother and worry of real wood. What’s not to like?
Thanks for the advice!
I’m thinking about a tweaked wooden fipple Clarke from the whistle shop, and may look into the faux wood Hoover.
I’d still appreciate more info on quiet wooden whistles.
Thanks Again!
I got that whistle from Hobgoblin in central London, and they couldn’t remember where they got it from. Phil Hardy thinks it might be a Swayne (?). Perhaps it came from a galaxy yet to be discovered…
It does look like a Swayne except for a couple of things. AFAIK, Swaynes for some time have only been available in boxwood, and have brass rings. I asked Jon about alternate woods, and he said no. Also, I wouldn’t characterize his whistles as quiet.
OTOH, it could be older, and his whistles do vary a bit in sound – this one could’ve been made for someone who requested a quiet whistle.
I wouldn’t mind a Swayne.
Hi Ryan I´m a smallpipes and whistlemaker and I have a few models made out of brass and brass with wooden mouthpiece I can make them sound as I want also. I´ll send you pics later (cause I´m at job)
Marcelo
Marcelo-- could you post those pictures here? We’d all be interested!
There are some on his website on the www link down there