Practicing troubles

[eddieV3]

Hi to all

I'm having a hard time practicing due to noise levels. I started taking the whistle seriously about a year ago now! and
most of the time I practce/play its just a faint blow, just enough to hear the notes.
I get because I want to be able to play in the comfort of my house where it is warm and have internet connection for learning purposes.

In the summer Its not a problem as I live in Surrey and lots of beautifull countryside around where I could play.
Winter is a different story!
I just wish Family would give me the house to myself for once(Jesus) I have only just purchased a MK low D which is loud and I am just dying to blow the s*%t out of it.

I may have to try and find a playing partner who would have a place to practice, as I dont want to give up atall,I love ITM and the Whistle but cant keep playing/practising the way I am at the moment
I should go and sit in on a local session that I know takes place once a month and just listen away.
I would also like to get a clip on here for people to give me their opinions.

Sorry folk's but my rant is over now.

Good luck to all

[brewerpaul]

Just talk to your family. I'm sure you could all agree on a half hour or so when you can wail away on your whistles. No need for them to clear out, but family members need to accommodate each other's needs.

[mickey66]

I have the same problem but I live in an apartment so I don't have an answer for you.....wish I did! I mostly play when I'm by myself......


www.tuxedomusic.com

[Whistle Free or Die]

I feel your pain, eddieV3 but the whistling must go on.

Homes are full of sounds. Some good and some....not so good. Its all part of life.
Yes, talk to your family and explain how important this is to you.

Part of being in a family is give and take. And you should never have to " faintly blow your whistle".
Have fun and let that MK rip every now and then ( at appropriate times of course).

And yes, a whistle buddy is a great idea. I wish I had one.

Susan

[MarkP]

blutac

[y-nought]

When my wife is asleep (she works nights and needs the house to be quiet during the day), I practice in the car outside. I have spent several hours out there. It's a pretty good way to work on tone, because the sound reflects and I can really hear when I overblow.

If you are in a car and pushing some serious volume....you may want to wear earplugs.

[Whistler Bard]

Been there, done that! (Unfortunately)
I'm picking up the whistle again, and I mainly practice when my wife's not home. Some days a week she gets out later, and I can whistle around (yes, I live in an apartment!) And St. Patrick's Day is around the corner, I GOTTA PRACTICE!

Good luck in solving the problem man, I guess the car is a good option, but I understand the internet part when you are learning new stuff!

Cheers!

[MTGuru]

Yep ... When the sound of the whistle (or any wind instrument) just rubs someone the wrong way, there's not much you can do to convince them otherwise. It's a visceral, lizard-brain, primal instinct reaction, the cerebellum conjuring phylogenetic memories of screaming pteradactyls swooping down to devour you. Or something like that.

I once had an excellent clarinet student who dearly wanted to play the flute but couldn't, because the merest sound of the flute drove her mother into fits like nails on a blackboard.

Beyond your whistle buddy idea, I made a few other basic suggestions here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=80142&p=1003789

Here's another: Try playing under a heavy blanket or duvet. I'm serious. Create your own little sound booth. Sitting in a chair, there's enough room under there for even a low whistle. Overheating is not such a problem in winter. Just lift the cover for fresh air now and then. You may be able to cut the external volume by 10 to 20 dB. Which, in combination with a closed door room, may just be enough to take the edge off and allow you to wail. As Whistler Bard suggested, you can wear earplugs yourself to protect your own ears - and block out the hideous screams of your family.

Hey, if it works for bagpipes, it can work for whistle ...

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=80668

[janmarie]

Making something part of who you are and fitting it into your life takes time. Stick with playing though! Eventually your family will understand it is important to you. Being considerate of their airspace goes a long way but it is also your space. The car is a great idea, bathrooms and closets also work . There are great discussions here on how to make your whistle quieter too if you worry about irritating your family. The high D can definitely do that. At first my family complained "do you have to do that?" even when I found corners of time and space out of their way. Nobody asks anymore. They're just used to it. Keep playing, low D's are awesome!

[hoopy mike]

blutac

I tried that once, but it took my wife a week to get it out of her ears.

[Steve Bliven]

blutac

I tried that once, but it took my wife a week to get it out of her ears.

And the problem is .... ?

Best wishes.

Steve

[Kypfer]

I went to the extent of making a specifically quiet practice whistle, with a relatively small window, which seems to work. My neighbour in the flat downstairs simply doesn't hear it ... I asked her

There are also muting options that have been designed for recorders, eg http://www.dolmetsch.com/lesson0.htm#tostifle that may well work on a whistle, I've tried some of them on my recorder, they do work, even into the second octave, if adjusted carefully. I've not tried one with a whistle.

Good luck.

[Anyanka]

Eddie, whereabouts in Surrey are you, and what's your away-from-home situation? If you're at school/college/work, is there a room where you can shut the door behind you during lunchbreak, for example?

I'm lucky - if Mr Husband doesn't want to hear me play, he takes his mandolin upstairs and shuts the bedroom door. The daughters have iPods with headphones to block out the various musical instruments.

[eddieV3]

Eddie, whereabouts in Surrey are you, and what's your away-from-home situation? If you're at school/college/work, is there a room where you can shut the door behind you during lunchbreak, for example?

I'm lucky - if Mr Husband doesn't want to hear me play, he takes his mandolin upstairs and shuts the bedroom door. The daughters have iPods with headphones to block out the various musical instruments.

Hi Anyanka

I live in the Merton area at present, althought I will be moving to the Mole Valley district in the near future. I work in the building trade and wouldn't want to take whistles into work due to high risk of being damaged or theft.(Especially my big glossy Red one) In warmer weathers I use the country side, a nice quiet bench I know of overlooking the Surrey hills and not a soul to disturb me.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

[eddieV3]

Hi all

A big Thanks to all who have took time to post, There have been some great suggestions and comments.

Thanks