So, I went to a session the other day where in a song about a ship, the whistle player did a cool two-note sound effect in the middle of the song to simulate a boat’s whistle (albeit a lot higher in pitch, but one got the idea). I don’t know how he did it, so I thought I’d ask the group here. It wasn’t a clear whistle note, but sounded like a few sounds together. Along with that sound, I was also wondering what other sound effects one could do with the whistle for fun, or as part of a song. To be clear, I did a few searches on this forum first to see if anyone addressed this topic, and I found none.
You can get a lot of effects by leaking fingers. To start, try playing the first D (all fingers down) then very slowly start leaking the topmost finger. Eventually you’ll get to the second octave D, which is the first harmonic of the first octave D, but in between you should get at least one very high tone. Try leaking other fingers and you can get multiphonic effects (where two or more tones sound together). You can also over and under blow notes to get sound effects. If you want to use them to musical effect, you’ll have to experiment until you find what you want. Leaking (and shading, of course) can also be used to vary the timbre of a note - leaking seems to work more reliably in the second octave, while shading is more effective in the first octave.
It’s not part of what most people do with the whistle, but one of the charms of such simple instruments (recorder as well) is that they offer endless scope for experimentation, and the whistle has a huge expressive range that has no application in the dance music repertoire. In modern music, such effects have been used extensively with the recorder, but the low whistle has similar potential.
You’re probably describing [u]multiphonics[/u]. The easiest technique is to hum into the whistle while you’re playing a note. You get the played note, the hummed note, and a beat note (or notes). With some imagination, you can produce an effect that might pass for a ship’s whistle. For example, finger a 1st octave B and hum a B around a quarter-tone flat in a lower octave. Toot toot!
You can find some fingered multiphonics if you experiment. For example:
A: xxoxxx
B: xoxxxx
C: xoxx@x (@ = half-hole)
Play the 1st octave note then overblow until the note begins to break. You’ll get the base note plus some very shrill upper harmonics. If you are attacked by bats, don’t blame me.
Take two D whistles and finger F# and G respectively (use your top pinky for the F#). Insert in mouth. Play the 2nd octave notes, then overblow both to the next harmonics, C# and D. You get something that resembles a London police whistle. If you play just the C# and flutter tongue it with “Rrrrrr”, you get something like a Acme escargot whistle (with a ball).
Of course, once you allow for multiple whistles, and with a bit of creative hole-taping, the possibilities for harmonies and other mischief are endless.
“M’lud, my client wishes to bring his lordship’s attention to recent discussion on an internet forum encouraging readers to impersonate a police whistle…”
Before I retired from teaching, I remember instructing a student to use both low and high whistles to play the part of the very important ‘bird’ in the musical, A SECRET GARDEN. The composer had notated what she wanted, very precisely. The part was very unique… The resulting sound in the auditorium was amazing.
Cheers.
Byll
Wow! Hard to believe I could actually bring up a new subject.
I am experimenting with the humming and playing a note at the same time, and hubby says he hears something fun so far. I need to turn on a recording device so I can hear it properly next time, and then I’ll know what to play for the part I want. As for the police whistle, that’s going to be a fun experiment.
I really appreciate the ideas so far! When I heard the gentleman play his sound effects at the session I visited, it was right in with the other notes he played, so it would have been impossible for him to pick up another whistle to do the double whistle effect in time, but if one has time, it’s a good option. I’m definitely keeping all of this in mind.
@Byll - As for Secret Garden, I think I know what you mean! I never played that part (hadn’t gotten into the whistle, yet), but I was an actor in a production of it a long time ago. Now I know how the bird’s part was played - thanks!
What about the most famous of all whistle tunes The Lonesome Boatman?
The seagull bits?
There are loads of ways to do it but I like b minor on a high d the best.
Furey uses a G I think these days.
I think I saw Paddy Keenan play it on an f?
Nice. The fellow I’m talking about did something different, though, and nothing so melodic - just a generic, highpitched, twittery…well, I don’t know…ring. If you heard it you would have thought it was a cell phone, and nothing else. Never did figure out how he did it.
Mahler’s cuckoo (from his first symphony) was a perfect fourth. And I remember someone once writing in to one of the music magazines to say they’d finally heard one like that!
Old two-tone police siren: Play a D whistle and Eb whistle together. Finger 1st octave C G C G on each, overblowing the C slightly sharp. Tongue both notes.
