I’m used to a flute I can play in whichever octave I like at pretty much whatever volume I choose, and went from there to a low whistle which I can play at pretty much the same volume in both octaves. However, on my high D, which is an aluminium dixon, I have trouble paying quietly. It’s bad enough in the first octave, which just sounds a bit rough if I try to get it to whisper, but (for me) downright impossible in the second, which just squawks down to the lower note.
Is this something I can overcome with practice - I’m used to tightening my mouth to change pitch, which works with a flute, but with a whistle I’m just forcing air through harder to go up, which I can’t do - or just the way the instrument is? because if it is, I am going to have to get something quieter and less shrill to practice on, or my neighbours, who are lovely, will grow to hate me. Not to mention my children…
Right, you don’t have the same control with a whistle that you have with a flute. Some whistle demonstrate more even volume between octaves but by and large the second octave will be considerably louder than the first. It’s just the nature of the beast. Protecting the ears becomes a concern if you play a lot in closed spaces. As you have noted, low whistles do provide a nice alternative to the high whistle with no down side. You do have a few options for quiet high whistle play.
You can acquire a quiet whistle from any of several makers who offer them.
You can incorporate a mute to reduce the cross-section of the windway, blade or window. A search will give you the available options we’ve discussed before - they are all free and easy to use. I use a short cross-section of a narrow road bike inner tube to cover some of the window, rubber bands can do the same - it works. Of course a couple makers incorporate mutes in their designs too.
Another option is to practice using the whisper method. For whisper method you don’t blow into the windway but across the voicing window. You can only hear one octave with the whisper method but you get past that quickly. It’s quite quiet. It has helped keep peace in my home for many years.
Thank you! I was thinking that would probably be the case… I’d considered muting, or even buying a quiet whistle; I just wanted to check if I was doing something wrong that needed sorting out!
the whispering sounds interesting, though I’m having a little trouble working out how to do it - I’m trying by wedging the whistle below my bottom lip, which gets a really really quiet hint of a tune, which is good. I did try quietening it before by covering part of the window, but it’s such a little gap I found it quite difficult to make a useful difference. I’ll find an elastic band and try again.
Another thing you can try is to simply blow very softly, and fold everything into the 1st octave.
Most whistles will play very quietly in the 1st octave with bare minimum of breath pressure. The overall pitch will drop around 1/4 tone flat, but the whistle should stay pretty much in tune with itself. You may be able to play up to the 2nd D without increasing breath or volume.
Now when you go to play a note in the 2nd octave (above D), simply play it down in the 1st octave instead. This folding is a good skill to have anyway, and your ear may adjust quickly to imagining the octaves.
It’s similar to the “whisper blowing” trick, but easier on the breath, more realistic, and quiet enough for all but the most dire situations. And no muss or fuss - tape, putty, paper clip, etc.
Thank you, (and that picture is very useful). The folding I can do quite happily; I like the whisper blowing just because I can blow relatively hard and still not make a big noise, which means I can concentrate more on what my fingers are doing (which for me is what I need!)
