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I'm choosing a quiet practice whistle for use at home. First I want to stay friends with my neighbors. Second I think it is not so nice to hear me practicing. Any suggestions are welcome.

SonnyBoy3 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 29, 2022 9:09 am I'm choosing a quiet practice whistle for use at home. First I want to stay friends with my neighbors. Second I think it is not so nice to hear me practicing. Any suggestions are welcome.

Make a mute for the whistle of your choice!

Make a mute for the whistle of your choice!

Put a sock in it, in other words

Theres a whistle that has an adjustable part that blocks part of the blade to make the whistle quieter. Can't remember the name, someone else should know what I'm talking about. You can also do a similar thing by putting blu tac or tape over part of the blade. This does mess with tuning but reduces volume.

I'm not sure if they are truly 'quieter' but low whistles feel much less loud, especially in the high end. My phone DB meter says they are virtually the same though. when I was first starting out I had a Clarke sweet tone D, Feadog C, and Gen Bb, and I felt like the Bb was the least annoying to everyone around me. If that was true, I'm not sure.

A random though is low notes carry better through walls. So I'm not sure if low whistles are louder to people in other rooms. But low whistles still aren't truly that 'low' in relation to other low things, so IDK if it actually matters.

I almost exclusively play low whistles so sadly I'm not much help on finding an actually quiet whistle. I'd lie ka quiet high /D because thats a main reason I dont play them. The top end bugs me too much. But even ones called 'small bore' like the carbony and Burke, still seem to be very loud in the high end.

For a memorable quiet whistle, buy, beg, or borrow a Mack Hoover of Any key. Best to try to wheedle Mack into making you one. He is in his 80´s so his production speed is down. Here is a review of one of his telescopics in ´A´ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsTfI68g6do&t=323s
Youtube has other reviews as well.

Bob

For a high D, the Tony Dixon ABS, otherwise, as already suggested, you can quieten a whistle by reducing the airway, I prefer a thin strip of cardboard, about a third the width, pushed into the airway, (easily removed & no damage to mouthpiece).

Narzog wrote: ↑Fri Jul 29, 2022 10:50 am Theres a whistle that has an adjustable part that blocks part of the blade to make the whistle quieter. Can't remember the name, someone else should know what I'm talking about. You can also do a similar thing by putting blu tac or tape over part of the blade. This does mess with tuning but reduces volume.

I'm wondering if you mean the Parks Tone Ring, but I'm on their website and see it, it's a ring located right at the window, but there's no text on the website describing what it does. Marketing Department!!!

I found the following on the "folkfriends.com" site:

The Tone Ring

"The tuning and response of a whistle is a matter of taste. Some players appreciate a only slight change in needed pressure to reach the higher octave, others perhaps find comfort needing more pressure. With the help of the Tone Ring the pressure required to reach the next octave can be regulated.

In the middle position the pressure needed to reach the higher octave is increased and the lower octave sounds stronger and more present.

If you continue to rotate the ring, so that only a small gap of the window is opened below the mouthpiece, the whistle is much quieter. Then, one can practice without disturbing others (Finally, whistle playing all night !!!)".

I have an original version of the Everywhistle, about 10 years old. It definitely gets the thumbs up from me. Easy to play and solid notes. Craftsmanship also ranks high. Looks like he's about to be able to send some out finally after Covid hurting the supply chain and having surgery.

Yes, the parks whistle with tone ring is what I had in mind. Its just the nicer version of putting tape or something, because you can easily just change it off if you dont need to be quiet.

Thanks to all. Parks whistle seems to be a good thing even Folkfriends is here in my country. But unfortunately they are out of stock. Also at Parks aren't they available. At least I found this video on you tube by cutie pie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTFuV1RYgMw the little trick to quieten your own whistle seems to be my way.Thanks again to all of you.

The Shush whistle always comes up in the context of quiet whistles. I have no idea if it's any good.

It does involve buying from the UK so you'll be hit with Brexit advantages (i.e. an import tax bill).

I imagine you can save money by making and installing an insert like that yourself:

For high D, I use Tony Dixon's fixed high D with a coated paper clip stood in the whistle window. Works a treat and very quiet.

Try the search function for "whistle mute" Lots of discussion on the topic in the past.

Best wishes.

Steve

Thank you Steve. Really many many suggestions. Enough stuff to read for the next months.

Mack Hoover's whistle are about the quietest out-of-the-box. I also agree that the Dixon ABS is pretty quiet, but can be made quieter. I have a short piece of folded copper over the blade that makes it quieter, and also makes it easier to hit the upper octave (I think this is what the Shush whistle essentially is). I've also used the copper piece on Clares, Feadogs and other whistles with a molder plastic head, and it's very consistent.

I have a Parks Walkabout with the tone ring. It's a good idea, but the base whistle is a loud whistle so you really need to reduce the windway to make it as quiet as the others I've listed.

Mike