Whistling acoustics

Koss · Post by **Koss** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:30 am

Does anyone of you have experience in whistling while taking bath or shower ?

Many physicists say that the acoustics are very impressive because of reflecting sound waves on fallen water drops .....

Tak_the_whistler · Post by **Tak_the_whistler** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:47 am

not sure about the reflections on the water drops, but I've played my Overton low D while taking a bath.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:48 am

Yep. I frequently play Grinters and Abells and my keyed wooden flutes in the shower.

Seriously, it might be time to experiment with a Susato. Equally seriously, water is a valuable commodity in Australia and I actually enjoy showers a little too much as it is.

Koss · Post by **Koss** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:33 am

Yep. I frequently play Grinters and Abells and my keyed wooden flutes in the shower.

THAT's the point ! The tin whistle is nearly the only (!) Instrument playable in the shower

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:39 am

Koss wrote:The tin whistle is nearly the only (!) Instrument playable in the shower

Yes, it's just the mike and the amplifier I'm having difficulty with at the moment.

Jeff Stallard · Post by **Jeff Stallard** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:05 pm

I'll give it a shot tomorrow morning and let you know how it works.

john swinton · Post by **john swinton** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:13 pm

If i tried to play in the bath i would get murdered.

my sisters hate my playing

and the bathroom right by their rooms.

Dispatcher · Post by **Dispatcher** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:36 pm

Not too long ago we had a church gathering at a park and just happened to have my whistle with me. At the park they had a stand alone, concrete block restroom facility. It is amazing the sounds you can get out of a low d whistle from inside a 10x10x10 concrete room. I thought about staying a while just to play, but also thought about how bizarre the idea was to just stand around inside the men's room playing the whistle. Incidently, the idea to play inside was not originally mine. A friend from church who plays the shakuhachi cought me as I was leaving the park and said "You've got to check out the accoustics of the bathroom". We have joked a couple of times about having church inside the men's room since that.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:53 pm

I have played in an empty house (i.e. no furniture, no carpet, no drapes.) That was nice.

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:31 pm

I understand that you can get some interesting reverb by squishing your 6 foot, 6 inch body into an empty 40 gallon metal trash can and then replacing the lid.

I also understand that you don't want to try this when the trash can isn't empty. Banana peels are especially good at absorbing the sounds from a Low D whistle.

I further understand that you don't want to try this early on a Thursday morning when the garbage men make their rounds. Banana peels are exceptionally good at absorbing the screams from a Low D whistle player.

Or, so I've heard.

Will O'Ban

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:56 pm

Cube vans. A few days ago, a bunch of folks from the local Irish trad music/dance community helped someone move in a pinch; we swarmed like locusts and got the job done in an hour. We were able to do it because someone (me) brought a cube van from a dealership to help out, and just about everything was able to be loaded in it. Afterward a few of us had a brief session in the van's box, photos were taken, dancers danced in the street, and passing motorists gawked. The acoustics in cube vans are great.

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:23 pm

I like the image of the van and the passersby!

If I had a bathroom, I'd definitely try playing in the shower. Anybody here want to let me visit their facilities and give it a try?

I don't think whistle playing during a sponge bath would have the same effect.

Oh well.

Jennie

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:09 pm

I have played a low D in an empty metal building with a concrete floor. It took 3 hours for my ears to quit ringing!

OBrien · Post by **OBrien** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:26 pm

There are some abandoned train tunnels near where I live (the Othello tunnels- other parts of this railway also have Shakespearean names). There's water dripping from the ceiling, but most of the attraction is the great echo. I also play my xaphoon there.

Jeff Stallard · Post by **Jeff Stallard** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 8:01 am

Well I did it, I played in the shower. It was...interesting. I can't say it was a good sound, but it definitely had lots of fluctuation and complexity. However, I didn't hear very much chiff. I don't know whether the moisture prevented it or the sound of the water just prevented me from hearing it.

I like it better dry.