kelpiegirl Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 I have a new plastic whistle. How the heck do I use it? I have tried a myriad of placements, but get no sound! Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Give it to a child, preferably five years or younger, and he/she will show you how it's done in a minute or two. Put it in your mouth with the opening unobstructed by your lips and the holes also unobstructed. Put your tongue against the back of the whistle. Blow gently (almost blowing "over" it) and use your tongue to modulate. That said, it's taken me a long time to get anything out of a whistle, I'm not consistent, and I do my best in the car and am too anxious in the field, where I can't blow anything recognizable. One problem I experience (out of myriads) is trying too hard. Don't try so hard. Best wishes! Edited to add - I never could get a sound out of a plastic whistle, get my best out of the Montana Lite, and am only occasionally successful with the A. I'd like to try a brass whistle but I'm not in the position to spend more money on whistles right now. I wish there was a place (with an antiseptic dip) that you could "test drive" whistles before you bought one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted March 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 One more question I DO put it in so that the hole for the lanyard is on the outside right? Okay, perhaps we need a whistle clinic? Can you just picture this- middle aged women (the men wouldn't EVER admit they couldn't use a WHISTLE), sitting around, drinking coffee, eating Lorna Doone cookies, and going around the room, with everyone trying. It would be TOO funny! Julie Give it to a child, preferably five years or younger, and he/she will show you how it's done in a minute or two. Put it in your mouth with the opening unobstructed by your lips and the holes also unobstructed. Put your tongue against the back of the whistle. Blow gently (almost blowing "over" it) and use your tongue to modulate. That said, it's taken me a long time to get anything out of a whistle, I'm not consistent, and I do my best in the car and am too anxious in the field, where I can't blow anything recognizable. One problem I experience (out of myriads) is trying too hard. Don't try so hard. Best wishes! Edited to add - I never could get a sound out of a plastic whistle, get my best out of the Montana Lite, and am only occasionally successful with the A. I'd like to try a brass whistle but I'm not in the position to spend more money on whistles right now. I wish there was a place (with an antiseptic dip) that you could "test drive" whistles before you bought one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Julie, The open side faces out of your mouth, so the hole for the lanyard would be at the front of your mouth. There is no top or bottom, so the whistle can go in your mouth either way, as long as the open side faces out. Your tongue will actually tocuh the back (closed) part of the whistle and go under it, without blocking the bottom hole. Then just *relax* and blow. Don't try to do a whole lot of mouth/toongue movement--just blow gently like you would a flute or over the top of a soda bottle. It may take a while, but you *will* get a sound. Once you can get a sound out of it, then you can start experimenting with getting different sounds, and ultimately specific, consistent sounds. Take the whistle with you in the car and keep trying. As Sue said, don't try too hard or try to overthink it. Some people hold the whistle with their teeth, others do not. You'll figure out what's most comfortable for you. It took me a day or so driving around blowing before I got sounds. I no longer use a plastic whistle, but they are most excellent for learning because they're cheap--so no bother if you lose them or break them. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockdogranch Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Everyone has given good advice--maybe think of not so much *blowing* to get noise, but breathing down/exhaling through it. Just make sure the hole is not blocked, nor is the open edge--the semicircular edge--that's where the air will come out. When a new student first gets a whistle, we end up with whoever else is here standing around blowing tunes together--makes the dogs crazy and must look pretty silly! Anna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 I JUST posted about this... I had to give it to my 5 yo and then pull her lips apart to figure out what she was doing. Kid'll do just about anything to make noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 17, 2007 Report Share Posted March 17, 2007 The Lorna Doone cookies will set you back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsnrs Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Where did you get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted March 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 My trainer- but you can get one at: www.bordercollies.com at their store- this is where I bought the derek scrimgeour book recently. I HAD purchased it through amazon (the book) but they weren't going to deliver until mid april- I could NOT wait that long Julie Where did you get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Buy a sack of the plastic ones or you're going to have to share your whistle with everyone. It amazes me that people are so quick to want to put my whistle in their mouth. Dudes, would you ask to borrow my knickers, too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo Peep Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Buy a sack of the plastic ones or you're going to have to share your whistle with everyone. It amazes me that people are so quick to want to put my whistle in their mouth. Dudes, would you ask to borrow my knickers, too? LOL- Start with plastic- the easiest. If you have never played a trumpet or anything like that, it's all in the way you hold it in your mouth. I forget who said it, but they're right. Tongue down, touching the bottom teeth (almost) and don't try so hard. You'll spit it out- I DID-. One of my favorite entertainment things is getting "non border collie" people to try & blow the whistle. Some people do it first try- for me, the non- talented, it took awhile. Now, I'm a pro, except........I'm not sure I have the same "notes" being somewhat tone deaf. I truly believe it is an instrument. I'm just using it now with my young dog for the that'll do. Start out soft- no need to hurt the dogs ears, they can hear better than we can and respect the soft whistles. Watch the good trialers. They don't whistle loud. hint hint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Whistles are currently the bane of my life I have been making sounds from my whistle for quite some time now, but could never get the power behind the sound I needed. I have recently found out that is because I have been using it wrongly!! Aaarghh! Months of hard work and frustration going down the pan! I think the main thing with the whistle is try, try and try again. Try to be patient (NOT easy!) and don't try TOO hard or think about it TOO much. Good luck! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northof49 Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Whistles are currently the bane of my life I have been making sounds from my whistle for quite some time now, but could never get the power behind the sound I needed. I have recently found out that is because I have been using it wrongly!! Aaarghh! Months of hard work and frustration going down the pan! That's too funny. Now, you must learn how to play Mary Had A Little Lamb before you claim to be able to use the whistle. I used to practice the darn thing while driving in my car to and from work, etc. That way it was only me that was being forced to listen to all the pathetic tweets and screeches emanating out of my mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pax Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Whistles are currently the bane of my life I have been making sounds from my whistle for quite some time now, but could never get the power behind the sound I needed. I have recently found out that is because I have been using it wrongly!! Aaarghh! Months of hard work and frustration going down the pan! I think the main thing with the whistle is try, try and try again. Try to be patient (NOT easy!) and don't try TOO hard or think about it TOO much. Good luck! LOL! Uh. What were you doing wrong? Maybe I'm doing it too. I still can't play a tune or anything.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Uh. What were you doing wrong? Maybe I'm doing it too. I still can't play a tune or anything.. Well I could make some pathetic sounds out of it - but I kind of curled my tongue up the back of the whistle - very hard to explain LOL! Anyway, I could never get any power behind the sounds and now I have found out that I shouldn't be putting my tongue in that position and it should just lie along the bottom of the whistle. I am very pleased and proud to be able to say that I am now getting more powerful sounds, but can't get the same sound out of the damn thing twice yet ... but I WILL get there, I am very determined!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippin's person Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 I've also found that trying tunes like Mary had a little lamb or three blind mice was helpful--not so much because I could actually get those tunes out but because it made me stop thinking about blowing the whistle while I concentrated on the tune. Of course, I haven't blown the thing in a couple of months, so I've probably forgotten how. Bring on the Lorne Doones.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 I've been whistling for a few years, even if I can't remember under pressure what I want to whistle. At last weekend's trial I was blown away by Alasdair McCrae and his wifes whistles. They don't use a whistle. They use their fingers. So a friend went home, she must have goggled it and found a great web site to teach you how to whistle with your fingers. I tired it but my lips were sunburned so I couldn't keep trying. I might try again cause it sure would be nice to never forget or lose you whistle. I'm including the link cause I think the description would even help to understand what your doing with the whistle. It was really clear to me what I should do, now to just do it! http://www.wikihow.com/Whistle-With-Your-Fingers I think I'm a bit tone deaf too. How would you know this if you can't hear it correctly. I try and try, sometimes good, sometimes not. Seems like I have the opposite of everyone else. To much spit when I walk to the post. most I hear say not enough. I'm thinking about taking an antihistamine before my run but better dry test it here first! Kristen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feas Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 One more questionI DO put it in so that the hole for the lanyard is on the outside right? Okay, perhaps we need a whistle clinic? Can you just picture this- middle aged women (the men wouldn't EVER admit they couldn't use a WHISTLE), sitting around, drinking coffee, eating Lorna Doone cookies, and going around the room, with everyone trying. It would be TOO funny! Julie I resemble this remark. Who needs a whistle when airhorns get everyones attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moss Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 I've been whistling for a few years, even if I can't remember under pressure what I want to whistle. At last weekend's trial I was blown away by Alasdair McCrae and his wifes whistles. They don't use a whistle. They use their fingers. Thanks for the link - I will try that later (although am not filled with confidence that I will be able to achieve anything ). I noticed while watching the 30 Years of One Man & His Dog DVD, that many of the top triallists (in this country at least) use their fingers rather than a whistle. My trainer (Thomas Longton) uses fingers rather than a whistle and I find the sounds he produces much softer than the sometimes harsh tones of the whistle. I suppose if I ever do get to trial level though, my hands would be shaking that much through sheer terror that I wouldn't have a cat in hell's chance of being able to whistle too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.