Beginner Question

[Cynth]

My tutorial book says to put the whistle between your lips only as far as necessary to seal the opening, about 1/4". Your teeth should be well behind that very front part of your lips. Teeth and lips are in the places they are naturally. No tucking lips under teeth or teeth under lips (?) . No biting on mouthpiece with teeth. Your lips should seal around the opening and be slightly firm but relaxed. As Congrats says, your lips are not supporting the whistle, your hands do that. And be sure you keep those hands relaxed.

I tell you, you just can't beat advice like that! Cynth, you did a good job!

I can't improve on that advice, Gwen, but in the very unlikely possibility that you remain unable to control your whistle adequately after all that, let me know.

I'm working on a whistle-holding head-harness right now. By means of a series of adjustable straps which go round the head, a whistle-holding attachment fits up snugly to the mouth. The whistle body is inserted through a slot in the front of that. All models come with a quick-release device so that you can eat and drink normally between tunes, or even switch to flute without having to take the whole darned contraption off your head.

Optional attachments will include "Vermont-style" hearing protection flaps, a discrete halogen headlight to facilitate reading tune sheets in dark pubs, and--a feature older whistlers will surely appreciate--flip-down reading glasses in your choice of strengths.

I appreciate the reading glasses option. But be sure to warn people that they should rinse their mouths out after eating or drinking or stuff will accumulate in their whistles. Even if it's just coffee, rinse your mouth. I am speaking from experience here.

Maybe you don't have to start from scratch. You could drink through a straw maybe.

[Lambchop]

Hi Lambchop, can't wait for it to make it out of beta. What kind woods will the brace be made of?

Wood wasn't flexible enough. It gave a stiff effect to the music. The whistle holder will be form-fitting neoprene, like that used in diving suits. It has enough body to support the whistle, but without being stiff.

Perhaps you could include a series of clips above the ears to hold extra whistles and a cup-holder for the Guiness?

We had considered a pen clip, but I have to say whistle holders sound like a much better idea!

Cup-holder, hmmm? I was thinking of a camel-back pack that would fit between the shoulder blades. It would have a straw that came up through the left side of the facepiece.

Cynth, that gas mask was my inspiration! On the drawing board right now is a rotating disk that is much like that canister. It will have ports for four whistles. They'll rotate into position as needed.

Of course, Little Pasture Head-Huggers will come in more festive colors! We've had requests for a black leather [of bovine origin] model for "special occasion" wear, but that's a bit on the dark side, I think. Perhaps a nice Celtic green would be good for a start.

[dfernandez77]

I'm not sure why, but my son just suggested a toilet paper holder on the back.

[Lambchop]

I'm not sure why, but my son just suggested a toilet paper holder on the back.

We are not cognizant of the conditions in mens' rooms . . .

[Mitch]

One of your posts on a different thread inspies this one:

The brace should have dual peizo jawbone pickups! Owners of the new improved Little Pasture Head-Huggers need never be dissapointed by their recordings again. What a useful little unit this is.

[Cynth]

We've had requests for a black leather [of bovine origin] model for "special occasion" wear, but that's a bit on the dark side, I think.

Well, I'll tell you, when I was searching for my picture I came across some things I did not know existed and which took me some time to figure out what the heck they were for. I think you can assume the black leather option is already taken care of and enough said on that topic most definitely as we do not even want to know take my word for it .

[Lambchop]

Cynth, we're appointing you "Director of Design Research." The pay is minimal, but you'll get a great education from it.

As for you, Mitch, I can see you've got a creative side to you! In fact, you sound like an engineer! Maybe even an electrician! Little Pasture has been looking for just such a person! We think you're IT!

Just one thing . . . what exactly is a "brace?" I notice you're from Down Under, so it could be I've been misunderstanding . . .

[Mitch]

Cynth, we're appointing you "Director of Design Research." The pay is minimal, but you'll get a great education from it.

As for you, Mitch, I can see you've got a creative side to you! In fact, you sound like an engineer! Maybe even an electrician! Little Pasture has been looking for just such a person! We think you're IT!

Just one thing . . . what exactly is a "brace?" I notice you're from Down Under, so it could be I've been misunderstanding . . .

Yahoo! I got the job!

Hmm - a brace is something that holds something-else onto another thing. The party of the first part being the Little Pasture Head-Hugger(tm), the party of the third part being the whistle, and the party of the third part being the lucky Little Pasture Head-Hugger(tm) owner's head! And it rhymes with face! And the party of the fourth part being a result of the first three

Erm ... Being "IT" should I start skulking around The Black Lagoon? What's the call from marketing?

[Cynth]

Yahoo! I got the job!

Hmm - a brace is something that holds something-else onto another thing. The party of the first part being the Little Pasture Head-Hugger(tm), the party of the third part being the whistle, and the party of the third part being the lucky Little Pasture Head-Hugger(tm) owner's head! And it rhymes with face! And the party of the fourth part being a result of the first three

Erm ... Being "IT" should I start skulking around The Black Lagoon? What's the call from marketing?

Yes....uh, why don't you do that. I'm sure we want a brace what the heck is he talking about, Lamby? and the dual piezo jawbone pickups, now that does sound good. We do need to be careful though not to end up with something that does not look session-friendly. You know, I've kind of forgotten what the problem is that the Head-Hugger is going to solve .

[Lambchop]

Yahoo! I got the job!

Hmm - a brace is something that holds something-else onto another thing. The party of the first part being the Little Pasture Head-Hugger(tm), the party of the third part being the whistle, and the party of the third part being the lucky Little Pasture Head-Hugger(tm) owner's head! And it rhymes with face! And the party of the fourth part being a result of the first three

Erm ... Being "IT" should I start skulking around The Black Lagoon? What's the call from marketing?

Yes....uh, why don't you do that. I'm sure we want a brace what the heck is he talking about, Lamby? and the dual piezo jawbone pickups, now that does sound good. We do need to be careful though not to end up with something that does not look session-friendly. You know, I've kind of forgotten what the problem is that the Head-Hugger is going to solve .

Ah ha! I see! The Head-Hugger can be called a "whistle brace." It's a brace for a whistle, to keep it from falling off your face, that being the problem it was supposed to solve.

From the looks of Mitch's explanation, he can double as the corporate lawyer!

[anniemcu]

My tutorial book says to put the whistle between your lips only as far as necessary to seal the opening, about 1/4". Your teeth should be well behind that very front part of your lips. Teeth and lips are in the places they are naturally. No tucking lips under teeth or teeth under lips (?) . No biting on mouthpiece with teeth. Your lips should seal around the opening and be slightly firm but relaxed. As Congrats says, your lips are not supporting the whistle, your hands do that. And be sure you keep those hands relaxed.

I tell you, you just can't beat advice like that! Cynth, you did a good job!

I can't improve on that advice, Gwen, but in the very unlikely possibility that you remain unable to control your whistle adequately after all that, let me know.

I'm working on a whistle-holding head-harness right now. By means of a series of adjustable straps which go round the head, a whistle-holding attachment fits up snugly to the mouth. The whistle body is inserted through a slot in the front of that. All models come with a quick-release device so that you can eat and drink normally between tunes, or even switch to flute without having to take the whole darned contraption off your head.

Optional attachments will include "Vermont-style" hearing protection flaps, a discrete halogen headlight to facilitate reading tune sheets in dark pubs, and--a feature older whistlers will surely appreciate--flip-down reading glasses in your choice of strengths.

Say lamby... I could sub-contract on an optional whistle case for up to four to attach at the back, in helmet-quiver style. That should help counter the forward pull of the contraption.

[Cynth]

Dudette! Helmet-quiver style ! Start cutting out those cases post-haste! I'm sure our brace expert can figure out what part of the party the quiver would be. Oooooh, it's giving me shivers, the idea of whistle quivers.

[Lambchop]

Say lamby... I could sub-contract on an optional whistle case for up to four to attach at the back, in helmet-quiver style. That should help counter the forward pull of the contraption.

Hmmm, can you put the toilet-paper holder on the bottom of that?

Ooooo! No! Wait! How about a built-in pouch for a packet of baby wipes? One of the packs that is about 3 x 6. They're flat! It could go right on top of the whistles.

Oh, and we're replacing one of the side-mounted whistle holders with a slot for a tube of cork grease.

[Ann]

This head hugger whistle brace sounds phenominal and count me as one of your regular customers. However, for me it is missing one small detail. I'd love a model with mechanical phalanges, that could finger the tune I'm playing. All I'd have to do is worry about blowing into the whistle correctly and I'd get a perfect tune every time. I suppose it would work like a mechanical piano, you just insert the tune into the appropiate slot and the phalanges would do the rest.

[Lambchop]

This head hugger whistle brace sounds phenominal and count me as one of your regular customers. However, for me it is missing one small detail. I'd love a model with mechanical phalanges, that could finger the tune I'm playing. All I'd have to do is worry about blowing into the whistle correctly and I'd get a perfect tune every time. I suppose it would work like a mechanical piano, you just insert the tune into the appropiate slot and the phalanges would do the rest.

Umm, but . . . that . . . wouldn't . . . be . . . traditional.