Read this article to understand the basics of whistling and to know the different ways in which you can whistle. Yes, there are more than one ways to do it. Find out all there is to it through this article.
Whistling if done properly can be music to the ears. The process of controlling the air flow through a small hole in the mouth in order to produce a particular sound is called whistling. Whistling could be practiced either by blowing the air out of the mouth or sucking it in. The required turbulence is created with the help of the fingers, tongue, lips, or teeth. The mouth acts as a chamber which helps in enhancing the magnitude of sound. The other means used to whistle are cupped hands and blades of leaves or grass. Regular practice is only what will make you perfect.
First, purse your lips in such a way that it creates a small hole. The tip of the tongue should be placed against the bottom gums or behind the bottom teeth. Initially, the air should be expelled from the mouth in a gentle manner. You should be able to hear the typical sound note while whistling. Adjust the position of the tongue and lips so that the particular whistling sound is heard. Once the basics are learned, it becomes easy to experiment with the strength of the breath and tongue position.
It is possible to whistle in many different ways. Here’s how.
- Pucker Whistling: The pucker is the most common form of whistling. In this form, air is either expelled or sucked through pursed lips to produce turbulence and in turn, draw the whistle.
- Finger Whistling: It is also known as wolf whistling and the technique involves inserting fingers in the mouth to shape its opening. The whistle produced by this method is forceful and the sound is loud.
- Palatal or Roof Whistling: In this type of whistling, the air that is pushed between the roof of the mouth and tongue produces the turbulence.
- Hand Whistling: To whistle in this manner, the hands should be cupped together and the air needs to be blown out of the mouth into the resonant chamber formed by hands.
- Bottom-lip Whistling: The bottom-lip whistling is performed by sucking the air inside the mouth. The turbulence in this type of whistling is created by pinching the bottom lip at the center. The sound produced by this method is piercing and one should practice regularly in order to master this loud whistling technique.
- Teeth Whistling: It is the most difficult form of whistling and requires the whistler to draw air through the central incisors.
- Throat Whistling: The mouth is kept closed for whistling in this manner. In this method of whistling, the air is forced between the tongue and the back of the throat.
Melodic Whistling
It is the musical form of whistling and one can learn how to whistle like a pro, by means of melodic whistling. Pucker whistling is commonly used to produce music in this form. Fred Lowery and Ronnie Ronalde were the famous professional whistlers who practiced melodic whistling. In this form of whistling, the tip of the tongue is placed behind the lower teeth and the position of the tongue body is varied in order to alter the pitch.
The techniques mentioned above, provide a basic understanding of whistling and the ways to improve the way in which you do it. Whistling is taken up seriously by some people as a profession and as a hobby by others. Whistling is a fun activity and one should learn the different methods to derive maximum pleasure from it.
