Introduction: Whistling With Your Fingers
This is my first instructable. (rate please :)) I'm going to teach you how to whistle loudly with your fingers! Then you will be able to whistle at baseball games, concerts, weddings, etc. or its just fun to piss off your friends. I will try to go in as much detail as I can. This is one of those things that you will get eventually if you try hard enough. Some people will get it immediately and some people will never get it. If you want more info there's probably a ton of it on the internet, I just didn't bother to check.
-Be aware that you are blowing air forcefully. It shouldn't take a lot of air to do the whistle when you've got it down, but when starting out never over-do it. At first you might feel dizzy, but I had a friend who kept trying and he eventually passed out. You should know when to you need to stop-
Step 1: Lips
The actual whistling sound isn't made with the lips. I see some people try it and they squeeze their lips together like a normal whistle. If you do that you'll just end up spitting all over the place. Lips stay relaxed, and curl over your teeth, so when you put your fingers in your mouth, they will not touch the teeth at all. Also, your lips should be wet.
Step 2: Fingers
There are different ways of doing this, the way I learned was to make a circle using your thumb and index finger. But there are other ways that might be easier for you.
Step 3: Tongue
The tongue is probably the hardest concept to describe. If you can roll your tongue into a tube, thats a good start. Basically, you want to curl the tip of your tongue up to the roof of your mouth. Your fingers will touch the underside tip of your tongue with all the arteries.
Step 4: Placement
Once you have the "thumb-index" circle, curl your tongue up to the roof of your mouth and just put your fingers in your mouth. your fingers should touch the bottom-middle part of your tongue. Then, close and kind of squeeze your lips your lips around your fingers to get a good seal. (your lips should be covering your teeth.)
Step 5: The Whistle
The whistle is created by the location of the tongue, placement of the fingers, and lip shape. Once your fingers are in your mouth as described in step 4, blow a fast, constant stream of air. Some people say that you should blow slightly downwards. What you should hear is a loud clear whistle. If not you should hear a whistle-y wind noise.
1. If you get the wind noise, then experiment with lip shape. The lips direct the airflow. (but they don't make the noise!!)
2. If you got a spit mess, start over at step 2.
Experiment with how high your fingers are on your tongue, you can get some pretty neat sounds.
Once you get it down, depending on your air speed and lung capacity this whistle can get extremely loud!!! I hope that I've gone in depth enough. Questions and comments welcome. Rate please!
39 Comments
Question 4 years ago on Step 3
where should i place my fingers
6 years ago
it isn't a very good whistle beclouds some people cant whistle at all so how does this help
7 years ago on Introduction
Instructions unclear, neighbours cat dead.
Reply 7 years ago
awesome, thanks for laugh
7 years ago on Introduction
Nice. I had to practice with ear plugs in because some whistles were so loud they left me with ringing ears.
7 years ago on Introduction
its too hard but i will keep trying it
7 years ago on Step 5
made a slight whistling amongst the air
8 years ago
Thanks man it actually worked. I had to push outwards on the corner of my lips with the outside of my fingers to get my whistle tight enough but it worked. Thanks
8 years ago on Introduction
This was actually extremely helpful!
I doubted it at first but I've managed to get a louder whistle than without my fingers.
5/5, still referencing
8 years ago
So frustrated...awesome instructable
14 years ago on Introduction
Not bad, I have been doing this for years. I am 52 now and I can whistle with any two finger combo with any hand, I can also do it with one finger. It all has to do with where you put your finger(s) to your tongue, I usally use the tip of my tongue.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
I see that it's easier with your fingers on the tip of you tongue. Thanks for your comment!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
That's pretty neat! I just figured out how to do it with one, I never even thought about that trying that before. Do you know what makes the whistle? Where does the air pass through to make it?
9 years ago on Introduction
What I discovered following these instructions is that I can make a sound with the fingers on my right hand, but not my left! Perhaps people who have tried it did not think of it, but most people are not anatomically symmetrical. Fingers on one hand might work better than others. I've just about got it but I'll wait until I'm in a less public place to practice.
Good directions - it takes practice and don't let negative comments be discouraging!
13 years ago on Introduction
I have absolutely not the slightest clue how to do this. I've tried over and over and over and over and over.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Follow the instructions. You'll get it if you try over and over some more. It will feel right when you've got the right position.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I'm in my fifties now and for the firs time in my life I could get it right. Thanks norsehorse.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
me too and i cant get it
10 years ago on Introduction
I have always wanted to do this, read the instructions once and within 30 seconds was whistling loudly! thanks man, it worked for me. I've been holding my tongue in the wrong place the whole time...
14 years ago on Step 2
I think it is kinda confusing and you gotta make it more easier to follow"