Whistling may seem easy, but it takes a lot of practice to learn how to position the tongue well. And you might be able to get a note, but can you whistle a whole song? While there are many different ways to whistle with your tongue, here are the basics to start with.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Place Mouth and Tongue
Step 1. Spread your tongue out so that it rests on your upper molars on either side of your mouth
You will create a passage for the air along the palate. Make sure the air cannot escape from the side. By forcing air into this channel, you can produce a high-pitched whistling sound instead of a panting noise.
- Place the tongue closer to the palate by bringing the tip closer to the lower teeth. Put the sides of the tongue along the molars. This will make the tongue larger and the air channel along the palate narrower, while at the same time creating a larger space in the front of the mouth through which you can pass air.
- The position of the tongue is crucial. To produce a whistle, you have to force the air around a rigid curvature which in this case is created by your front teeth and your tongue. By forcing the air along the palate you will make this curvature even more rigid.
Step 2. Curl your lips firmly, pushing them against your teeth
This serves to reinforce the curvature in the air passage produced by the front teeth. Resist the temptation to poke your lips out, or you will make a blowing sound.
- Curl your lips outward as if you were going to give a kiss and make a small hole, smaller than the circumference of a pencil. Your lips should be firm and tight, with lots of puckers - especially the lower one. The lower lip should protrude a little more than the upper one.
- Don't let your tongue touch the bottom of your mouth. Instead, leave it suspended in midair behind your front teeth.
Step 3. Practice blowing the air out without inflating your cheeks
To blow, the air must follow the path you have created - it cannot stop in the cheeks. Rather, they should be slightly sunken inwards, due to the position of the lips. Imagine sucking from a straw - you should always have that look when you try to whistle.
When you inhale, you should have difficulty - this size should be the hole between the lips. You will then be able to control the breath through this hole, and make the breath last much longer than if you were talking or singing
Part 2 of 3: Making the Sound
Step 1. Blow the air out of your mouth slowly, experimenting with the position of the tongue
Although the passage of air along the palate must be narrow, a passage that is too narrow will produce a panting sound in the same way as a passage that is too wide. Similarly, you will need to find the ideal distance between the front of the tongue and the teeth. Once you've found the right balance for those two positions, you can move your tongue back and forth to produce different tones.
It's all in the position of the tongue and cheeks. When you "blow" the air between your lips, the main problem is that you are blowing too much air or that you do not have the right position of the mouth
Step 2. Adjust volume and tone
Lips further apart ("O" larger) and more air will increase the volume; a smaller "o" and less air will reduce the volume of the whistle. It is important to curl your lips, but not too much; only to the point of creating a small "o" between the lips.
Try to blow; if you make a sound, move your tongue to get the best tone and sound. The tone depends on the amount of space in the cavity created in the mouth. The smaller the cavity, the higher the tone and vice versa. In other words, the closer the tongue is to the mouth, the higher the note produced
Step 3. Experiment with tone modulation and tongue position
There are many ways to modulate the note of your whistle with your tongue: you can slide it back and forth like one of those rod whistles or you can fold it up and down to increase or decrease the space. When you are more experienced, you can also use the throat to change the space and reach even lower notes.
You can produce a vibrato effect by moving your tongue back and forth very slightly to alternate between two notes. As mentioned earlier, it's all about the tongue and cheek position, and the practice. If you can whistle, do it at all times
Part 3 of 3: Troubleshoot
Step 1. Try getting your lips wet
Some people believe it is a myth that you need to wet your lips to whistle, while others argue that it is essential. If you can't whistle, try moistening your lips. Think of the principle that you have to moisten your finger to make sounds by passing it over the edge of a glass.
Wetting is not meant to make your lips wet. Just moisten the inside of your lips with your tongue, and try whistling again. If you notice a difference, this method can work for you
Step 2. Try sucking in air instead of blowing
Some people are able to whistle better by sucking than by blowing. For most people, however, this technique is much more difficult. That said, the positions you will have to hold with your mouth and tongue are the same; try this technique if you don't get results with the standard method.
Step 3. Adjust the height of the tongue
With the tip of your tongue on the back of your front teeth, move it slightly up or down. Does the note change? Does a tone seem closer to a real whistle? Continue to adjust the position of the tip of the tongue until you find the best one.
Once you've found the right spot for the tip of your tongue, start trying to move the center of the tongue. This changes the path of the air and consequently the tone of the whistle. When you are able to produce different notes, you just have to try to understand which positions allow you to obtain them
Step 4. Keep trying
Whistling is an art that takes time to master. It can take many tries before you can find the right shape to give your mouth or the amount of air to blow. Focus on producing a continuous note before trying to alter pitch or volume.
Ask your friends how they manage to whistle; you will be surprised to hear that everyone uses a slightly different technique. No two mouths are alike, so it is normal for each of us to whistle slightly differently
Advice
- To make things easier for you, think of a whistle, which has a tab on the inside that fits into the path of the air, to force it around a stiff bend. This is the effect you will have to produce with your teeth and tongue.
- Don't force your breath. If you feel tired, rest and continue afterwards.
