I read that whistles need to be warm to play well. I know it’s generally wise to warm up before playing and that things generally sound a bit off in 30 or 40 degree F weather, but the implication I got was that keeping whistles “warm” while playing them was a real issue. Could someone clarify what “warm” means? Is it just a matter of playing some scales to warm up, or are whistles happiest playing in a literally warm environment?
warning up with breath 
close all holes and the windway as to not make sound and breath in heavy
Well, last night I was playing at an outdoor wedding and the temperature was only in the mid-sixties (very odd for NJ in August). I ended up keeping the whistle inside my pants (don’t laugh, you’ll do weirder things when you have too 
). It was the only way I could keep it playable even at moderate temps. 
Of course, I did get a “Hey Tim, is that a whistle in your pants or are you just happy to see me?”
Whenever I brave the humidity(here in Florida) to go busking I often find my whistles play quite well. The sun warms them up nicely and they’re at their best after about 5 minutes of playing. I just have to be careful not to let any black delrin fipples or the body of my Howard get too much direct sunlight lest I burn my lips or fingers.
When playing indoors it takes about 10 minutes of playing to hit the “sweet spot”.
Sometimes it’s just me that needs to warm up…loosen the fingers and such.
I hear that throwing your whistle into a roaring fire for a few minutes is a great way to warm it up. Oh wait … that’s supposed to be an accordion or banjo or bodhrán joke … 
Yes, literally warm-ish. Most whistles are probably voiced and tuned for a standard room temperature of around 68F/20C and normal breath temperature around 93F/34C. When colder they play flat, and warmer sharp. It’s the air column that needs to be at the right temperature. So in a cold ambient setting, keeping the whistle itself warm in your hands (or in your pants!) and blowing warm air through the bore and fipple help. Obviously, metal whistles will both warm up and cool off quicker than wooden instruments.
Not only are warm whistles more in tune, you will also have less condensation.
I do play occasionally outdoors in cold or cool weather, often with a cold wind blowing. Let me tell you. A whistle stored in your pack overnight is way too cold to play without a warmup. If you don’t take your time and warm the whistle carefully, you will have major condensation problems within minutes. However, ten minutes inside a warm parka and you can usually play trouble free for over an hour. Pretty much in tune, too.
Didn’t I read somewhere that someone always keeps a heating pad plugged in on stage to warm whistles? Was supposed to allow them to switch instantly without any warmup.
hey man . if they can tell the difference between a whistle and your “weezel” , your in trouble
That’s why it’s a tin weezel!
I’ve tried the heating pad trick. It worked OK, but it was easier to just blow through the whistle a bit to warm it. No extension cord needed.
Something else that I’ve found that makes my whistles go off is burping into them. When you burp beer gas into a whistle you fill it with carbon dioxide. It is denser than air so the sound moves more slowly through it and the whistle goes flat. You have to cover the fipple and blow like mad to clear the gas out. (I told you there were weirder things than keeping a whistle in your pants! )
weirder things
Dang, you’re right! According to this page
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/sound_speed_gas.htm
the speed of sound in CO2 (259 m/s) is 78% less than in air (331 m/s), which would indeed make it go flat. Since frequency is directly proportional to speed for a given wavelength, in pure CO2 the A440 should drop to 344 Hz, around the equivalent of a flattish F natural.
BTW, the nearly 3x speed of sound in helium accounts for the party balloon voice effect. The helium shortens the effective length of the vocal tract, resonating the higher harmonics of the vocal chords.
So … I wonder if anyone has tried this with a whistle. Inhale some helium, then finger a low D and blow. I’d expect a rising glissando effect as the tube fills with more helium that doesn’t escape the fipple window.
[Liability disclaimer: I’m not suggesting anyone try this. But I’m still curious.]
Nicely done MT. In real life I’m a retired chemist.
Trying the party balloon trick could be neat, but you’re likely to get dizzy and spill your beer!
BTW, the things you’re likely to learn on the Internet…sheese! 