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Derek, at the Surrey Shadows Club the other night I was standing next to you as you did one of those piercing 'fingers in the mouth' whistles.

My question is (and I've been trying to find out since boyhood) - how do you do it?

With the music playing all the time it's never easy to have a proper conversation, so you'll have to describe in words what the trick is.

From observation, it seems that the index and third fingers go in the mouth, but where does the tongue go, and is there any other 'magic' that needs to be mastered?

Ray

RayL wrote:Derek, at the Surrey Shadows Club the other night I was standing next to you as you did one of those piercing 'fingers in the mouth' whistles.

My question is (and I've been trying to find out since boyhood) - how do you do it?

With the music playing all the time it's never easy to have a proper conversation, so you'll have to describe in words what the trick is.

From observation, it seems that the index and third fingers go in the mouth, but where does the tongue go, and is there any other 'magic' that needs to be mastered?

Ray

Not another 'That Sound' debate?????

Hi Ray.........You would laugh I have been sat here trying to see how I do it, and I have been killing myself...............First and fourth finger pressed againts the front of the tounge lightly pushing the front of tounge in the air like a saxaphone read with the air passing over it, you have to blow hard to get it to work.........I can't belive I'm writing this...........Is this wind up !!

You could just buy a sheep dog whistle. They only cost a couple of quid.

(Then send me a suitcase full of used fivers and I'll explain how to get a sound out of one )

Bob.

OLDEREK wrote:s...........Is this wind up !!

Derek

Truly no windup! I really would like to learn how to do it. I've whistled using the 'conventional' style since boyhood. (it was something to do on those early morning paper rounds) but it took me ages to work out how to do the 'chirrup' effect (like Roger Whitacker, for example). Some of the A4 Pacifics of my boyhood had that wonderful 'chime' whistle (like the double-stop on a guitar) that the drivers used as they accelerated through Wood Green station after the slow haul up the incline from Kings Cross to Finsbury Park before disappearing under Tunnel Gardens. Whistles can be very evocative! The 'fingers in mouth' whistle is now a challenge - with your advice I'll see if I can master the technique.

Ray