I’ve been putting off buying a whistle for several years now. I played clarinet for 6 years, got burned out on it, and then realised that I need music as a creative outlet. I’ve tried the guitar since my dad had an abundance of them, but it is far from satisfying. So here I am, trying to choose the best whistle for my needs. Unfortunately, it’s been tough trying to wade through all the information out there , so I thought I’d pick your brains.
I’m in college and live in a dorm room, so I need a whistle that won’t break the bank and won’t have my neighbors wanting to break me! I’ve always been shy about my playing anyway, as it is more of a personal and private thing for me.
Any suggestions for a lower-end, quiet whistle suitable for a beginner? I would also like one that does not have an extremely breathy tone and can be played generally in tune with itself once I get the hang of it. (Yes, I have read all the posts about tuning and am fully aware that a whistle is only as good as the person playing it.)
Oh, and please forgive the long posts… longwindedness is my bad habit, but very hard to break.
I would suggest a Dixon. They are at the lower end, usually have good intonation, and are not very breathy. You might like a Hoover also, plus they have more back pressure which you might like being a fomer Clarinet player.
The Oak is quiet, inexpensive (about $10), not breathy, and the tube they use is more in tune with even intonation than some of the other cheap whistles. It does require some breath control, since the low breath required means it shifts octaves fairly easily, especially on the e and d, but the breath control you’ll learn from this is well worth the effort, in my opinion. Almost any quiet whistle will have this challenge, though.
I have some more expensive whistles but frequently play my Oak, both because it’s quieter and because I love the sound of it.
I third the Dixon. Very pleasing whistle, glad I bought it. However, above all I still prefer Walton’s whistles. Nickel C is what I have (first whistle), and as soon as I can find one somewhere, I’ll get a Nickel D.
if you’re really looking for quiet, you should consider a flute. i play both and i’ve yet to wake up the house playing a flute, the whistle however, that’s not an after midnight crowd pleaser.
Well, that is not the way it should be. Usually a Flute is a lot louder, even my softest Fltue is louder than most Whsitles I have ever played. The thing is Whsitle is higher pitched so it goes through walls better. Of course you might want to consider Low Whistle if you want really quiet.
I actually do want a low whistle, but I think it’s a little ambitious for me to start out on one. I have small hands too, so it may be too difficult for me to cover all the holes. Does anyone know how the spacing of holes on a low whistle compares to a Bb clarinet?
It’s not like I’m going to be playing in the middle of the night, my roommate would kill me. I just want to be able to play in my room without being much louder than a tv or stereo might be through the walls. I could also always go sit in my car…
Compared to a Clarinet the spacing is actually pretty similar, but the Whistle is harder to play. Consider one of the “in between” or Alto keys ie F, G, A, and Bb I think Daniel Bingamon (Jubilee) makes CPVC whistles in those keys which cost around $22, I would reccomend him for a low priced Low Whistle I have a High D by him which is nice (not my favorite, but it is up there). Of course if you want to play Irish Traditional Music with other people a D whistle is essential. If you don’t want to play with other people, why not get something lower? A D whistle is a C instrument, a C Whistle is a Bb Instrument and so on and so forth you might want to know that being a clarinet player.
I don’t know what your budget is, but if you can manage the cost, the Laughing whistles are really quiet, both the soprano, and the Low D (if you can find one), and the tone of both is quite pure.
Funny thing is, at least for me, the flute sounds quieter when you’re the pilot. I can usually tell how loud a whistle is when I’m playing it. I haven’t learned this on a Flute yet, which is not surprising as I am still just trying to play a decent and in pitch note through 2 octaves.
I’m terrible, but I sometimes get OK notes. I was playing a tune called “Multiple Gs in the Lower Octave” and my brother was watching CSI Miami. He likes the show, whereas I watch it so I can make fun of the atrocious acting of the wrinkled red haired (bad dye job) dude. Well, I could hear the emotionless cliche laden dialog, yet my brother seated to my right asked in a very loud voice “Could you maybe do that somewhere else?” He didn’t mind the tune as he doesn’t complain about when I play “Cran Roll Cran Roll” on a whistle. On the rare occasion I get the tone right on a Flute, it sounds sweet, but the volume is definitely higher than my whistles.
Oh! In answer to the original thread question. Try a Mack Hoover whistle.
Well, yes, the amount of time a player has been playing makes a difference. I did not want to insult Mutepointe, by saying it was a “beginner’s problem” as I did not know how long they have been playing so I just said. Of course if I played my Casey Burns Pratten followed by my Alba Whistle the Fltue will be way louder and the Alba is my loudest Whsitle.
“The flute sounds quieter when you’re the pilot.” means this:
I’ve played one or two notes with good tone on my Schultz Rosewood Flute (my Tipple seems to be more friendly to my inexperienced embouchure). Yet I can’t seem to tell how truly pervasive and powerful the tone of a well played note on a flute is when I’m the one playing the note. It’s like I’m standing behind it or something. Yet others in the room, with eyes a-goggle, will attest to the power.
That may be why Mutepointe thinks his flute is quiet. We should ask if his pets are hiding.
Listening to clips does not help. It simply reminds me how different each whistle sounds and plays, and I want to try them out myself! This is possibly worse than my other addiction…
But thanks for all the advice! I’m really considering a Hoover whitecap since it’s quiet, sounds good, and can be put on just about any 1/2" whistle. In the future (aka when I stop eating so much and use my food money), I will absolutely want to play around a little more, get a low whistle, etc. Besides, I could stand to lose 15-20 lbs… it could be sort of a diet… for a good cause… yes, I will continue to rationalize this…
About a year ago, with a little knowledge and a lot of luck, I purchased a Hoover Whitecap D. Since that time I have tried several more expensive D whistles, each with its own unique voice and personality. But I don’t like any of them better than my whitecap.
Given your requirements, I think a Hoover is a good bet. You can play in the car and your ears don’t ring afterward. The low volume makes it a great practice whistle. But be warned. It is still a high pitched whistle and is likely to be heard through walls. Mine still will carry throughout the house unless I use a piece of tape to cover part of the window.
As you are starting out you might get a Generation Bb to add to the D you buy. They are very cheap (£4.00 in the UK) and it’s nice to have something with a lower and more mellow tone to compliment the high D. It’s a favourite of many.
BTW clarinet fingering is much easier than a low whistle, not the embouchure though
, so I thought I’d pick your brains.
