Inability to whistle??

[KillianHawkeye]

Okay, one of the guys in my D&D group is unable to whistle, which he demonstrated somewhat hilariously last Sunday. Now, I've been able to whistle for as long as I can remember. I don't remember anybody ever teaching me, so I was either taught at an extremely young age, or it was just something that I was able to figure out naturally.

So, this kinda blows my mind a little. How does somebody not know how to whistle?

Is it a matter of being untrained, or could somebody really be physically incapable of whistling?

What does the playground think?

[Elemental]

From my own experience of not being able to whistle until I was eighteen, I'm just going to say that it doesn't come very easily to some people.
I still can't whistle reliably.

[Yora]

I say it's probably training.

I learned snipping my fingers quite late and even now I can really only do it well with my left hand even though I am right handed.

It's not something that you can do by just following a set of instructions, it's something your body does almost entirely by itself without any active coordination by yourself. It's not like typing on a keyboard for example, where you direct where each finger is going to be at what time.
You just need to do it badly often enough and with time your brain associates certain muscle movements with tones and then you just think how you want the tone to change and the muscles will do all the work to get that result.

Or for example, the Vulcan greeting is actually very easy and does not require any special muscle training. It's just that the brain never really uses the muscle groups in that kind of coordination. Do it a couple of times with help from the other hand, and your brain will "map" the idea of that finger position to a set of muscle actions. Even if you don't do it for years, it then just requires a thought and instantly works, even though you never used that combinations of muscles for anything else.

This is an old German skid of a "professional whistler". (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG6HsQoyZ28) The host is not impressed, but "you can't criticise a professional artists work as an amateur"! :smallbiggrin:

[Feytalist]

My choir performed a couple of songs where whistling was required, so we got some whistling training so that we could do it reliably and accurately. Think "Bridge Over the River Kwai".

So yeah, it can be taught.

[ThePhantasm]

I'm in my mid-twenties and still can't whistle. Not that it really bothers me.

[Whiffet]

I finally figured out whistling about a year ago. I still can't do it consistently, but if I can get started I can go for a while.

[factotum]

From my own experience of not being able to whistle until I was eighteen, I'm just going to say that it doesn't come very easily to some people.
I still can't whistle reliably.

Exactly the same here...I was utterly unable to whistle when I was young, and even now I've learned the trick of it, I can't do it very well or for very long.

[Maxios]

I can't whistle.

[Mikhailangelo]

Just confirming that I too can't whistle.

[Liriel]

Count me in as another non-whistler. My friends think it is hilarious too - they're all (obviously) whistlers.

However, none of them can do that whistle I've seen in movies where someone sticks their fingers in their mouth and gets a really super loud whistle.

[Joran]

My wife can't whistle. A lot of it is lack of practice or attempts to really try. I think when I was learning to whistle, it took me a day or so of trying it before I got to being a capable whistler.

The problem is that I can't snap my fingers at all (either hand) nor do the Vulcan salute (which is terrible for me since I'm a Star Trek fan).

[Knaight]

I didn't whistle or snap until I was a teenager - at which point, I figured it out by dedicating a few ours of free time to it, and just doing the whistling and snapping motions over and over until I got it down. It took a few hours (that were also used doing more productive stuff), and I still take a while to get used to whistling before I can do it half decently.

[Jarian]

So, this kinda blows my mind a little. How does somebody not know how to whistle?

Quite easily and to great frustration.


Is it a matter of being untrained, or could somebody really be physically incapable of whistling?

What does the playground think?

Both. I've never been able to whistle no matter how hard I tried and no matter how many different ways I've been told to do it. It's such a minor trick, but it's really annoying when you can't do it.

[Othesemo]

I learned how to whistle when I was about eight. It's definitely a matter of practice, not just an inability to do it.

[Spiryt]

I couldn't whistle at all until I bought a dog and then it came naturally from some reason. :smallbiggrin: Right now I can at least produce reasonably loud whistle with some variety of tone etc.

Can't even figure how to snap my fingers though, for the record, not that I care.

[Starwulf]

Okay, one of the guys in my D&D group is unable to whistle, which he demonstrated somewhat hilariously last Sunday. Now, I've been able to whistle for as long as I can remember. I don't remember anybody ever teaching me, so I was either taught at an extremely young age, or it was just something that I was able to figure out naturally.

So, this kinda blows my mind a little. How does somebody not know how to whistle?

Is it a matter of being untrained, or could somebody really be physically incapable of whistling?

What does the playground think?

I'm fairly incapable of whistling myself, despite having tried to since I was like 8. I mean, I can make a semi-whistling sound, but it doesn't sound pleasant, and it's also not loud and sharp like most people who can whistle can make. Just one of those things I guess, not everyone is capable of doing everything, and that includes whistling.

On the plus side, I'm capable of snapping my fingers with each and every finger combined with thumb, on both hands.

[MonkeyBusiness]

I couldn't whistle, or snap my fingers, or tell a good joke for years. Then I became fast friends , when I was eight, with a girl who could do all those things. So I decided I would as well. And sat in my room and practiced.

And eventually I learned. And I am glad I did, because I use all three of those skills on a daily basis. The children in my swimming class think it is amazing I can whistle (which I do to get their attention in a loud, over-stimulating environment) and are all like, "How do you do that, Coach Monkey?" :smallbiggrin:

Now that I think about it, I learned cartwheels the same way. But to this day I cannot blow a bubble with bubble gum. Ah, my life has been wasted! :smallwink:


.

[Blue Ghost]

I cannot whistle, snap, or blow a bubble. Ahwell.

[Dr Bwaa]

I can only whistle in an extremely small, low range, and even that I only learned relatively recently and was a point of pride :smallfrown:

[Sholos]

It's definitely a learning process. I used to be able to just get a sound, but only some of the time. Now, I've received praise on multiple occasions for the quality of my whistling. Like most things, practice helps.

[Bulldog Psion]

Considering how much I loathe the sound of whistling, I wish that those near me were incapable of it. Unfortunately, they are all skilled whistlers and there's one guy who whistles constantly -- just along with his breathing, in and out, all day every day. It's incredibly irritating, and I try to avoid him as much as possible. Sad, because he's a decent guy. :smallfrown:

[TheThan]

I knew a man that could whistle two notes at the same time. It was extraordinary, he used to whistle actual songs.

[Giggling Ghast]

I can't whistle, though I can make a faux-whistle sound by breathing in. Here's a list of other things I can't do:

-Snap my fingers
-Use a yo-yo
-Crack my knuckles
-Play the guitar
-Run a mile without stopping to rest
-Please a woman
-Stay out of prison for more than six months
-Keep up my child support payments
-Publish a novel
-Achieve my hopes and dreams

I can, however, do the Vulcan salute. And I can rub my head and my stomach at the same time while hopping on one foot and humming. Beat that!

[Castaras]

Sitting here whistling while I type this. Snapping fingers is harder.

I however cannot roll my tongue. It gets quite amusing when my mate who can't whistle or snap his fingers decides to roll his tongue at me. Damned fool. :smalltongue:

[Riverdance]

I taught myself to whistle at a very early age as well and have played around with numerous variations throughout my life, to the point that I don't have to think about it at all, but some people just have a hard time picking it up. My mom still can't whistle. I also have a friend who is a talented singer but can't whistle a note. On the flip side, I am the only living member of my blood family who cannot roll their tongue.

[KenderWizard]

I think some people can do it automatically, some people can learn and some people just can't.

I'm not very good at whistling, but, y'know, it's not that useful in my day-to-day life!



However, none of them can do that whistle I've seen in movies where someone sticks their fingers in their mouth and gets a really super loud whistle.

That one does seem useful, I can't do that!

[Crimmy]

So, this kinda blows my mind a little. How does somebody not know how to whistle?

It's quite simple, really: They don't know how because they don't know how.
Surprised?

Let me elaborate:
When you have a problem that's been solved, it seems simple and easy.
(In this case, whistling.)

When another person has the same problem, but without an answer, it is harder.
(In this case, whistling.)

And when the person who has the problem solved sees how the persons without the solution tries to solve the problem, all they see is someone who seems to be impossibly inept at solving said problem.
(In this case, whistling.)

[SaintRidley]

Never been able to produce anything even remotely whistle-like in my life.

[Objection]

Yeah I can't whistle either, or snap my fingers. For the former, I choose to hum instead, and for the latter, I can happily do without it.

In fact, I can't really do anything interesting with my body. All the cool stuff that goes on with me goes on in my brain.

[Mauve Shirt]

I whistle all the time, sometimes without even knowing I'm doing it. I have 2 methods for whistling. Through my lips and through the gap in my front teeth. :smalltongue:

[CapnRedBeard]

I can whistle exactly one note and at a medium low volume. I can do multiple pitches of notes but they are whispy sounding.

It's sad really.

But I can snap my fingers all day and very loudly at that.

I know people that can do all sorts of odd things that I cannot though like:

Curling their tongues, getting their tongues to roll over (twist) wink (yes i cannot blinking wink...sue me) I haven't met any ear twitchers though.

[Whiffet]

I could "whistle" by inhaling long before I figured out real whistling. The plus side is that once I manage to get the position right, I can whistle nonstop for a while without pausing to breathe. Which is good, because if I change that position for an instant I suddenly go back to only being able to inhale-whistle.

[Dracomortis]

I am physically capable of whistling (I occasionally do it accidentally if I exhale sharply), but I cannot whistle on command no matter how much I try.

[DabblerWizard]

You might not believe me, but I've been terrible at whistling my whole life, and while reading this thread on it, I've been able to produce an audible single tone whistle sound.

Clearly the Playground is magical. :smallbiggrin:

[Sholos]

I knew a man that could whistle two notes at the same time. It was extraordinary, he used to whistle actual songs.

You mean that's not what most people whistle? :smallconfused: I've been whistling almost nothing but actual songs for several years. I always thought most people who whistled to themselves did it with songs...


Sitting here whistling while I type this. Snapping fingers is harder.

I however cannot roll my tongue. It gets quite amusing when my mate who can't whistle or snap his fingers decides to roll his tongue at me. Damned fool. :smalltongue:

Being able to roll your tongue is genetic. You either simply can or can't do it. I can. :smallbiggrin:

[Mauve Shirt]

I could "whistle" by inhaling long before I figured out real whistling. The plus side is that once I manage to get the position right, I can whistle nonstop for a while without pausing to breathe. Which is good, because if I change that position for an instant I suddenly go back to only being able to inhale-whistle.

My uncle taught me how to whistle by telling me to start with inhaling. Also, can you circularly breathe, or is this awesome ability confined to whistling?
I can roll my tongue too, but as interesting as that is, it's kind of useless. :smalltongue:

[Jan Mattys]

I can whistle in any way you can imagine. With fingers, without, inhaling, exhaling, with a rolled tongue, between lips and between teeth.
I can whistle pretty much accurately a lot of birds' recalls and songs with no effort. When I am alone, just as a habit, it's fairly probable that I am whistling at any given moment.

No one ever taught me, and I've been able to whistle since I was very, very young. As long as I remember, it always came natural to me.

...my sister, who spent a large part of her life with me, and is only 2 years older than I am, has always been incapable of even the simplest whistle.

Oddly enough, I've never considered the possibility of teaching her. Before reading this thread, for 30+ years I always assumed that you either whistle or you don't, and it's not something you can be taught.

Weird. Now that I think of it, I can't think of a valid reason for assuming such a thing.

I think I'll spend my next weekend at my sister's to annoy her to no end with my lessons :smallbiggrin:

[Beacon of Chaos]

I can't whistle, but it doesn't really bother me that much.

Except that I have to hum to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", which is kind of embarrassing. :smallredface:

[The Underlord]

I can only really whistle using a rolled tongue, oddly enough.

[Sgt. Cookie]

I've been able to whistle for as long as I can remember.

[Rallicus]

Wasn't able to whistle as a young kid, but I remember using those whistle candies to help me learn. I forget what they were called.

[Whiffet]

My uncle taught me how to whistle by telling me to start with inhaling. Also, can you circularly breathe, or is this awesome ability confined to whistling?

No, I can't do circular breathing. I've tried.

[Kymme]

Hm. I have a similar problem. I can't whistle, but I can snap with both hands. Like a pro, I might add.

[irenicObserver]

It took until only a few years ago to learn how to whistle and snap. This is a silly thing to ask. No one really taught me and it's not really something you can reliably teach.

[Agent 451]

To all of you who cannot whistle, take heart! All this means is that you cannot whistle along to that stupid Peter, Bjorn, and John song... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51V1VMkuyx0)

...which is a GOOD thing!

[Zjoot]

I can't whistle, but I can roll my R's. :smallwink:

[Anarion]

I can whistle fine and I think I learned it around age 12-13 mostly by practicing very badly at lunch with some friends every day for a little while. It's definitely something you can learn.

One thing I've never figured out, however, is how to do a really loud whistle with two fingers in your mouth. My mother could reach the whole house with it when she felt like it (experience as a camp counselor apparently) and she tried to show me, but I've never been able to get a sound.

[ForzaFiori]

I have been able to do the Vulcan greeting, roll my r's and my tongue for as long as I can remember, and I taught myself how to whistle (through my lips, but I can do it inhaling and exhaling), snap my fingers (both hands), and roll my tongue over. I had to be taught how to cartwheel in a kuk sool class though, didn't learn till I was 19.

Never learned to use a yo-yo or blow a bubble with gum though.

[Riverdance]

I once tried to teach my non-whistling friend to whistle over video-chat on her request. Let it be known that it does not work. It is however highly amusing for the whistler.

[JCarter426]

I can only really whistle using a rolled tongue, oddly enough.
Hey, I can do this too. But I can also do it the other way... I remember having initial trouble but it didn't last long. I only learned to whistle with my tongue by accident a few years ago. Made a noise after getting up out of bed and exhaling. Surprised me, so I tried to replicate it.

I recorded it in a physics lab once. Apparently it's an A flat.

[An Enemy Spy]

I hate people who can whistle in the same way I hate people can draw really well with barely any effort. I can't even make any noise at all when I try to whistle.

[Ravens_cry]

I can do a Mae West whistle (put my lips together and blow), but I've never been able to blow through grass or whistle with my fingers in my mouth.

[Iruka]

I can do a Mae West whistle (put my lips together and blow), but I've never been able to blow through grass or whistle with my fingers in my mouth.

I found this guide (http://artofmanliness.com/2012/04/08/how-to-whistle-with-your-fingers/) quite helpful. I still can't do it reliably but I had my first success after only a few tries.

[Ravens_cry]

I found this guide (http://artofmanliness.com/2012/04/08/how-to-whistle-with-your-fingers/) quite helpful. I still can't do it reliably but I had my first success after only a few tries.
I'll give it a shot, though, brrr, those illustrations are ten kinds of creepy.

[SaintRidley]

My uncle taught me how to whistle by telling me to start with inhaling. Also, can you circularly breathe, or is this awesome ability confined to whistling?
I can roll my tongue too, but as interesting as that is, it's kind of useless. :smalltongue:

Question. What is circular breathing?

[Seffbasilisk]

I believe whistling comes easier to some individuals than others. Barring genetic defect or physical abnormality, I don't think anyone truly has an inability to whistle though.

My father's always been a champion whistler, whole songs, (far more in-tune than when he sings), while my mother can barely make a weak warble.

I learned when I was five, with a power-rangers bubbles toy. You had to blow at the exact right way to whistle to blow a bubble. Once I figured out the trick, the rest fell into line quite easily, and within an hour I could do a whole scale like my dad.

My older sister on the other hand, took another few years to even produce the weak warble akin to my mother's.


Different talents I guess. She could snap her fingers, and I couldn't master that until highschool.

[Anarion]

Question. What is circular breathing?

It's when you can breathe in and out at the same time (or approximately the same time). Usually it's in through the nose and out through the mouth. Most useful to wind instrument musicians because it can let them play without taking their mouth off the instrument to breathe.

[Elemental]

It's when you can breathe in and out at the same time (or approximately the same time). Usually it's in through the nose and out through the mouth. Most useful to wind instrument musicians because it can let them play without taking their mouth off the instrument to breathe.

Indeed. It's an essential skill for playing the didgeridoo. Which, despite being Australian, I can't play.

Though, I have played the tenor saxophone since I was ten, but I've never learnt circular breathing it because I've never really needed it.

[shadow_archmagi]

My sister learned to whistle just this year- She's twenty three now.

[JCarter426]

It's when you can breathe in and out at the same time (or approximately the same time). Usually it's in through the nose and out through the mouth. Most useful to wind instrument musicians because it can let them play without taking their mouth off the instrument to breathe.

Indeed. It's an essential skill for playing the didgeridoo. Which, despite being Australian, I can't play.

Though, I have played the tenor saxophone since I was ten, but I've never learnt circular breathing it because I've never really needed it.
I used to play the flute and I never learned it either. My teacher was always telling me to not breathe, and I would invariably fail to do so. With whistling I just breathe in on certain notes.

[Acanous]

I'm rather good at whistling, and can whistle using four different parts of my mouth, not counting whistling on the inhale (Which I can also do)
I can whistle: Normally, through the corners of my mouth, with my teeth, and using the underside of my tongue. (I can whistle with my mouth closed)(It is very quiet)(If I do the same thing with my mouth open, it is very loud)
By far the most difficult is whistling from the corners of my mouth, and I have an easier time with the right than the left.
I can combine a couple forms of whistling, like whistling on the exhale with the inhale, allowing me to whistle without pause, or whistling while speaking. (Very difficult to do without at least some pause)
I am limited to one or two octaves with each style, aside from the normal, however. While whistling from a corner, I'm limited to only a few notes!

It's all about practice. Your mouth can move in an amazing number of ways. Learning how to whistle is difficult at first, but gets easier with practice.

[Feytalist]

I can't whistle, but I can roll my R's. :smallwink:

In my country, that's called "speaking normally".

[Anarion]

Tried following that pictorial guide, but I still can't do the 2-finger whistle. I'll have to go practice for a couple months.


I used to play the flute and I never learned it either. My teacher was always telling me to not breathe, and I would invariably fail to do so. With whistling I just breathe in on certain notes.

Not everyone can circular breathe, and I've definitely heard of professional instructors trying to teach it and failing. Breathing with an instrument is more about timing though. You need enough breath to complete a phrase without interrupting it to breathe, but breathing on rests or the ends of held notes before starting another phrase is fine. If you are ever performing a solo, it can actually help to put breath marks on the music so you won't accidentally interrupt a lyrical section.

[JCarter426]

Not everyone can circular breathe, and I've definitely heard of professional instructors trying to teach it and failing. Breathing with an instrument is more about timing though. You need enough breath to complete a phrase without interrupting it to breathe, but breathing on rests or the ends of held notes before starting another phrase is fine.
Yeah, it was the timing. I was never taught to breathe circularly in any way.

If you are ever performing a solo, it can actually help to put breath marks on the music so you won't accidentally interrupt a lyrical section.
Oh, the music had breath marks... I just ignored them. :smalltongue: I don't play anymore, anyway.

[Elemental]

Not everyone can circular breathe, and I've definitely heard of professional instructors trying to teach it and failing. Breathing with an instrument is more about timing though. You need enough breath to complete a phrase without interrupting it to breathe, but breathing on rests or the ends of held notes before starting another phrase is fine. If you are ever performing a solo, it can actually help to put breath marks on the music so you won't accidentally interrupt a lyrical section.

I know how annoying it can be to breathe at the right time. Particularly when I play for two bars and the music says to breathe. I'm like, "No way!", and then have to play for eight extra bars at a slow tempo with notes that need to be heard and are low.
Fortunately, I'm an expert at sneaking in breaths. Especially seeing as my part is usually not very important anyway.

[DeIdeal]

Another non-whistler reporting in. Well, I can do a pathetic pseudo-whistle, but I wouldn't really count that.

It hasn't ever bothered me, though. What has is my inability to snap my fingers. I've never understood how people do it, and believe me, I've tried.

[dehro]

I'd say it's pure training..
I tend to whistle all the time, think daily and occasionally in inappropriate surroundings...people have stared... and have been able, over the years, to try a few rather intricated tunes.. so yeah.. the more you do it the better you get at it..
as for the mechanical first step.. no idea..I can't ever remember not knowing how to do it, I think I learned it as a kid from my grandad...
one thing that I am utterly unable to do is the wolf whistle..you know..the one that involves fingers..

circular breathing is a neat trick that would improve whistling but doesn't necessarily "come with it". I can't do it.
..my dad can because he's played the sax all his life (well.. for most of it :smallbiggrin:) and as far as I understand, you kinda need it for that.. I believe he actually has used it once to foil the breathalyzer one time when I know he had had a couple of glasses of wine, yet his test was squeaky clean and he was allowed to drive home (not that he was drunk or anything, but the test should have recorded something at least!)

[Traab]

I learned how to whistle continuously for over 5 minutes straight by learning to whistle on the inhale as well as the exhale. If I time it right, I switch inhale to exhale and vice versa as the notes change to whatever im whistling and its not even noticeable. However, i do recall that learning to hock a loogie was a lot more challenging for me to pick up. So was belching on demand.

[Story Time]

I found this guide (http://artofmanliness.com/2012/04/08/how-to-whistle-with-your-fingers/) quite helpful. I still can't do it reliably but I had my first success after only a few tries.

...thanks to this post and the referred page, I learned to produce a really loud whistle for the first time in my life. It took...ten minutes of trying and feeling very silly, but I was able to do it. It still isn't easy so only practice will help me, or anyone, get better.

[Traab]

I dont know if anyone suggested it yet, but an excellent way to get a sharp piercing whistle, is to steal the top of an acorn, put your thumbs together knuckle to knuckle over the opening, and blow into it. Adjust till it makes the sound. Pretty sure I could hail a taxi from the other side of manhatten with one of those.

[Raistlin1040]

I was able to whistle a lot as a kid, but totally lost the ability to do so when I got braces. Once the braces were off, my whistling was gone, but I re-learned how to do it, albeit with setting my lips in a different position.

[Umbra Drachen]

I can't whistle.

Some people are like slinkies, they have no real purpose but are ectremely fun to push down the stairs

[Peebles]

I can whistle, but I can't click my fingers on either hand, which I've been told is weird.

[Brother Oni]

2 year, 6 months and 12 days. Not bad for a thread necro, but I've seen better.

[Heliomance]

Count me in as another non-whistler. My friends think it is hilarious too - they're all (obviously) whistlers.

However, none of them can do that whistle I've seen in movies where someone sticks their fingers in their mouth and gets a really super loud whistle.

My uncle taught me that. You have to turn the tip of your tongue up, and put your fingers underneath it.


It's when you can breathe in and out at the same time (or approximately the same time). Usually it's in through the nose and out through the mouth. Most useful to wind instrument musicians because it can let them play without taking their mouth off the instrument to breathe.

That's... not actually a thing. Lungs don't work that way, they can't take in and expel air at the same time. So far as I'm aware, it actually involves storing air in your cheeks, and squeezing it out while you inhale to maintain airflow. It needs resistance to work, I think - a reeded instrument, for example.