Making whistles

[Whistling Pops]

Can anyone tell me if there is a site on internet that describes how to make a whistle? I need a diagram of the mouthpiece. I can't play yet but I want to try to make a whistle. I think I can use a chromatic tuner to get the whistle in tune. I have recently bought several whistles and have started to try to learn. Any help anyone can give a 56 year old newbie would be greatly appreciated.
Whistling Pops

[Walden]

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6611/makewhis.htm

http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/low-d.htm

[Whistling Pops]

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6611/makewhis.htm

http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/low-d.htm

Walden,

Thanks very much for the link. The info is exactly what I was looking for.

Whistling Pops

[Tommy]

The Jubilee music instrument co. has a very nice picture of the parts of a fipple, with a label to each part.

www.tinwhistles.us

[Whistling Pops]

The Jubilee music instrument co. has a very nice picture of the parts of a fipple, with a label to each part.

www.tinwhistles.us

Thanks Tommy

Whistling Pops

[WhistlinBob]

Whistling pops
I'm on my sixth whistle two aluminum low d's
one copper low d and two pvc high d's after cruising all the web sites I found the best way to make the whistle is to look at other peoples work.you probably make at least twenty fipples before you are satisfied.I found leaving the tube round and not making a ramp the best bet for the windway.
I like the d shape cut of an alba whistle for the windway and use epoxy coated wood for the plug leaving it round and cutting the windway out of the tube.the more you play around with your design the better it will get.I like aluminum the best followed closely by the pvc for sound and ease of making.the plumbing guy at the local hardware or home depot will become you best friend.

[CHIFF FIPPLE]

Whistling pops
I'm on my sixth whistle two aluminum low d's
one copper low d and two pvc high d's after cruising all the web sites I found the best way to make the whistle is to look at other peoples work.you probably make at least twenty fipples before you are satisfied.I found leaving the tube round and not making a ramp the best bet for the windway.
I like the d shape cut of an alba whistle for the windway and use epoxy coated wood for the plug leaving it round and cutting the windway out of the tube.the more you play around with your design the better it will get.I like aluminum the best followed closely by the pvc for sound and ease of making.the plumbing guy at the local hardware or home depot will become you best friend.

Aye you and Phill Hardy

[Tommy]

I have found that the windway floor, or duct no matter how long or short has to be the smoothest part of the fipple. Any scratches on the floor and the air goes crazy along with the tone. The roof can have some roughness or be smooth depending on what tone you prefer. Some
r------r players put scratches in the roof on purpose to control their tone. I have also found that the lower chamfer is very critical, to much chamfer and the whistle quits. I use to make my blade edges as sharp as a knife than found out that slightly dull makes a better tone.

I belive I have found a cure for the bad survice I receive from AOL, I have ordered Road Runner. (comeing soon)

[brewerpaul]

I have also found that the lower chamfer is very critical, to much chamfer and the whistle quits. I use to make my blade edges as sharp as a knife than found out that slightly dull makes a better tone.
(comeing soon)

Right on both counts. Start with very little chamfer and increase it bit by bit. Often, one stroke of the file can make a huge difference (I round my fipple plugs in the lathe, but it's the same idea). More chamfer will favor the low notes as it allows more air to enter the whistle. Too much however, will make the high notes difficult. It's a fine balancing actl

You'll also find that a slightly duller knife edge lasts longer.

[Thomas-Hastay]

At the risk of being labeled "spam:...

You can find many woodwind construction craft manuals at...

http://www.shakuhachi.com/
or direct...
http://www.shakuhachi.com/TOC-CM.html

I recommend Lew Paxton Price and Bart Hopkin.

[seisflutes]

I have a question, since all you whistle makers are in on this thread. I've made a few bamboo high whistles and some bamboo and PVC flutes, and one low Eb whistle with a clarke-originalish type fipple, all nice and playable, no problems except occasional cracking of the bamboo. Now I'm trying to make a PVC low whistle, but having no success. The low note is extremely unresponsive. I have to blow it for several seconds before it starts to make a sound. I've made several attempts, all the have same problem. Help! What's the deal?

-Kelly

[Tommy]

Give us some more details. What size is the window? When you look down the windway from the end can you see the edge of the blade in the middle? Can you still move the fipple plug in and out? Push it in a little and see what it does. Make sure the fipple plug has no leaks except of course across the top in the windway. But if the bottom leakes it will cause strange sounds.

[Tommy]

Blow very softly for the bottom note. If it sounds then you need to adjust the fipple plug in or out. Seal the fipple pulg with bees wax so it seals and can still be moved.

[WhistlinBob]

practice,practice,practice

no seriously tommy is right on the money you will need to fiddle around with the fipple to get the thing to play right.
once you get the whistle sound with an easy blow than worry about the rest.I found that if I file the windway edge than use a coupler for the mouth piece and proper size dowel for the plug the thing plays without hammering or extra cutting .from the end of the pipe make your cut about 2" long by 3/8" wide to where the edge of the blade is.You should be able to get dowel rod to fit in the pipe without sanding. the gap this leaves between the coupler and the dowel is your windway. put a coupler on the pipe look in the windway if you can't see the blade file the plug down until you can.and test it every time you make an adjustment.the smoother the plug is where you file the better. I coat mine with epoxy painted on with a small brush.the top side of the windway I rough up for a better sound. good luck and let us know how you do

[seisflutes]

Tommy wrote

Give us some more details. What size is the window? When you look down the windway from the end can you see the edge of the blade in the middle? Can you still move the fipple plug in and out? Push it in a little and see what it does. Make sure the fipple plug has no leaks except of course across the top in the windway. But if the bottom leakes it will cause strange sounds.

I've been trying to copy my Susato low D's window size and so forth. Yes, the blade edge is in the middle when I look down the windway. I've fiddled with the fipple a lot, and it seems to be in the best place it can be, the only place where it would do anything at all. No leaks.

WhistlinBob wrote

I found that if I file the windway edge than use a coupler for the mouth piece and proper size dowel for the plug the thing plays without hammering or extra cutting .from the end of the pipe make your cut about 2" long by 3/8" wide to where the edge of the blade is.You should be able to get dowel rod to fit in the pipe without sanding. the gap this leaves between the coupler and the dowel is your windway. put a coupler on the pipe look in the windway if you can't see the blade file the plug down until you can.and test it every time you make an adjustment.the smoother the plug is where you file the better. I coat mine with epoxy painted on with a small brush.

This sounds almost exactly like what I've been doing, only the thing does not play! Thanks for your advice though.

-Kelly