Wanderer wrote:When I'm playing, I generally tuck metal whistles that aren't in use either under my arm (since that's warm enough to take a temperature from), or under my leg so that I'm sitting on the whistle. Under the leg is more convenient, but doesn't keep the whistle as warm.
Good for wood instruments, too. That's what oboists do (Yes, I"m sorry -- I don't know much else but the oboe world). I just finished a (too) long Christmas concert where I played english horn on only three pieces, but they were important solos. The eh warmed up in about 3 minutes on my lap, under a lightweight (think baby) blanket. If it'll warm up an english horn that quickly it should be even quicker for a teeny tiny ol' whistle!
edited to add:
Especially in winter here everything gets cooled quickly with loading/unloading.
Sheepskin carrying bag. And a heating pad on a wooden whistle is probably not a good idea. I imagine you'd want it body temperature for best playability.
lisdoonvarna wrote:The problem I see with the non electric heating items is that they have to be warmed up before I leave home which with travel and set up time can be two hours before the performance starts so the preheated stuff may be all cooled down by the end of the show. Especially in winter here everything gets cooled quickly with loading/unloading.
That's the problem I had when I tried a hot water bottle. Even in Georgia's mild winter it cooled off too quickly.
I'm liking the heating pad with a towel idea the best so far though I'd like something a bit smaller and classy looking.
That's why I use the towel; it makes it look a little better. My pad is an old Sears model that's just about the right size for a half dozen whistles of assorted sizes. I did learn to turn it off while we're playing; the PA was picking up intermittent noises from it!
I would be willing to bet that the local sporting good shops , in your area , carry a variety of handwarmers and heated socks for the hunters and fishermen. I had a pair of battery powered hunting socks that you could tuck a number of whistles into. Nice thing was that , being battery powered , you could turn the heat on and off and they were totally portable. Hope this helps in your situation.
Have a Great Day and Fun Whistling !!
Coming to you live from "The Black Hole of Whistledom"
Tell us something.: I'm not new here. I have been registered here for many years. I am not a spammer, though being from Hawaii, I do enjoy eating spam. Now the site is requiring at least 100 characters in this box. It would have been nice to know that bit of information before I hit submit the first time!
LOL ....a thermos is a grand idea....Bring a thermos of hot water with you. Hold the whistle at a slant fipple towards the sky and poor the hot water through the top hole it will run out the bottom AND the metal whistle will now be warmed up and ready to play. Just give it a few shakes to get any remaining water out. Just an idea....OH YEAH and don't do that with the wooden whistles !!! lol
Between sets, I have been known to tuck the head end of a whistle...well...let's just say down my shirt and leave it at that. Mae West had it right. We ladies have built-in whistle warmers.
Redwolf
...agus déanfaidh mé do mholadh ar an gcruit a Dhia, a Dhia liom!
Kingfisher wrote:I would be willing to bet that the local sporting good shops , in your area , carry a variety of handwarmers and heated socks for the hunters and fishermen. I had a pair of battery powered hunting socks that you could tuck a number of whistles into. Nice thing was that , being battery powered , you could turn the heat on and off and they were totally portable. Hope this helps in your situation.
Have a Great Day and Fun Whistling !!
You can also get iron-based chemical handwarmers that look like tea bags filled with black dirt. Open them, and they warm up, and stay warm for like 8 hours. I use these a lot when camping.
This is a creative group. They say fiddlers are characters. Whistlers are just as much I've decided. I play both so imagine what my poor wife has to contend with.
Warming whistles down the blouse- the image provided by Redwolf -has made it a little less cold here in Minnesoata this morning. Thank you so much.
I'm also reluctant though to have to keep buying batteries or chemical packs for gigs. I'm thinking the heating pad or maybe rigging up something with that tape we can buy up here in the north that plugs in and wraps around pipes to keep them from freezing.
Patrick
You need to charge enough so you can hire a comely maiden "assistant" and she can use an appropriate part of her "stage uniform" to keep the whistles warm, and hand them to you as needed. That way the whole thing (including the maiden) is tax deductable!
lisdoonvarna wrote:This is a creative group. They say fiddlers are characters. Whistlers are just as much I've decided. I play both so imagine what my poor wife has to contend with.
Warming whistles down the blouse- the image provided by Redwolf -has made it a little less cold here in Minnesoata this morning. Thank you so much.
I'm also reluctant though to have to keep buying batteries or chemical packs for gigs. I'm thinking the heating pad or maybe rigging up something with that tape we can buy up here in the north that plugs in and wraps around pipes to keep them from freezing.
Patrick
Those chemical packs are like 97 cents for 4 last time I bought 'em..a quarter a gig
Wanderer has a good Idea those packs he's talking about are if I am not mistaken all natural not manmade chemical they are also odorless.
If you were to put one inside a whistle bag or case it would keep them warm for hours. I also use them when fishing and football games etc.
a one anda two anda three. I would like you to meet my whistle instructer Charles.
[A bad day of Whistlin is better than
any day at work!!!]
