My wife complained tonight, amongst the din of music and buzzers and noise-makers, on New Years Eve (go figure), that my Burke DAN was too loud, and suggested that I stop playing my D major scale and arpeggio signature lick over and over and over again.
Personally, I think it is a sweet, quiet whistle, and I’m certain that I’m correct…however…
Is there an in-tune whistle out there that is truly quiet that can be played discreetly amongst non-whistlers, and (gasp) folks who don’t appreciate whistling??? Thanks…whistle is not a valid ground for divorce in California…
The Every Whistle comes equipped with a mute ring that you can adjust to the required level of volume, from nicely loud to whisper soft, but as you mute the whistle, you will have to re-tune it if you are playing with others - easily done.
Last weekend I tried a friend’s very narrow bore tunable Mack Hoover brass D, which is about as quiet a whistle as I’ve ever played and still be barely audible in a small group. A tiny little voice, very sweet and easy-playing, taking almost no air. A completely charming instrument, and maybe what you’re looking for.
Of course, for practice you can also quiet your Burke with a mute - a paper clip in the fipple window, or a bit of blue tack on the blade. Search the forum for “whistle mute” for other ideas.
I agree with all of the above … plus Mack can make almost any type whistle to be very quiet. His whitecap has tamed many an unruly beast. Another 2 whistles also come to mind – Noah Herbison’s Laughing Whistle, should you be lucky enough to find one or Chuck Tilbury’s narrow bore brass that he recently had on tour. Both of these are sweet whistles & quiet.
You can play any whistle very quietly. Place it between your lips as usual, then move the open end of the whistle down a bit ONTO your lower lip. Your lip should seal the windway opening. Now just play. Air will rush OVER the windway, not through and create enough of a sound to be audible, but very quiet.
I don’t know who does the tweak but it is a very quiet whistle. I have one as I have a non-whistling husband, and it’s the only one he doesn’t complain about when I play in the evening. (He’s still not in the same room, but can cope!) Hope that helps.
I got a Parks Whistles Every whistle (just intonation tuning) for Christmas which is adjustable in volume and tuning via his tone ring. It has been hard to put down, learning it’s capabilities and limitations. It is rapidly becoming my favorite D whistle, at least here in the apartment. I haven’t had it out in public yet, but I am sure it will adjust to whatever volume I would need.
Another quiet whistle maker is Mack Hoover, but I believe the Every whistle is quieter than any of the Whitecaps or Blacktops of his that I have.
Both of these are very nice quiet whistles.
My favorite Mack Hoover whistle is my Blacktop fipple on a Generation brass Bb tube. I lost my Blacktop fipple on a Generation brass C tube this last spring.
A few months ago I bought a great 2-piece whistle with the Whitecap mouthpiece from Mack Hoover. It is a wonderful whistle and although Mack’s signature is ususally on the quiet side, he adjusted mine for a bit more volume, especially in the low end. It is a perfect piece, in my opinion. When I really want it quiet for practicing late a night (that occurs very often), I place a small amount of office putty across the windway to cover about half the opening in line with the whistle body. Mack makes some terrific pieces and could not possibly more helpful than he is. Ron
A paper clip, or two, standing verticle in the windway
baffles the air-stream and is also an effective mute.
A bit of cardboard, a stick of it, or a match,
verticle in the windway mutes the whistle, too.
Nobody needs to buy a quiet whistle to
have a quiet whistle.
My wife always seems to have a headache when I play my whistle so I think it’s an uphill battle. They either like the whistle or not.
A hoover white cap is a sweet, softer sounding whistle, but I won’t gaurantee that your wife will like your whistle playing after you buy it!
Personally, I practice when my wife is not around. If she picks up your whistle to toot on it don’t give her any advice about how to play it or you will be wrong again!
).