# Whistling with your fingers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 1999, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291 "1999-07-31T06:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/1 "1999-07-31T06:17:00Z")
I have often seen people whistle and quite loudly too by sticking two fingers into their mouth and then blowing. Just how is this supposed to work? What secret am I missing? I know how to whistle the more traditional way a la Lauren Bacall in “Key Largo.” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/2 "1999-07-31T13:11:00Z")
See if this will help: [http://www.learn2.com/08/0876/08761.html](http://www.learn2.com/08/0876/08761.html) [Note: This message has been edited by Nickrz] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/3 "1999-07-31T13:41:00Z")
FTR- “Just put your lips together and blow.” is from “To Have, or Have Not”. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/4 "1999-07-31T16:24:00Z")
Perhaps that’s why I can’t whistle properly. I was watching the wrong movie. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/5 "1999-07-31T21:42:00Z")
I find I have better results by using the method described in the link, execpt I curl back my tounge. * * * “Age is mind over matter; if you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” -Leroy “Satchel” Paige ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/6 "1999-07-31T23:23:00Z")
I have a friend that pinches her bottom lip (maybe even a little below her bottom lip) and blows and it is the loudest damn whistle I have ever heard. My trick to make a really loud whistes is to take a piece of paper (try all different kinds to find what works best for you) pinch it with both hands (thumb and index of each hand) about 1cm-1in (again distance will vary), put your lips on your finger tips and blow through the gap you created with those same finger tips. If you do this right it can be extremely loud. The best material I found to do this with is the cellophane off a pack of cigs. But make sure that there is NO tobacco left it in and it helps even to rip it apart to creat more of a sheet of cello instead of a bag type thing. (BTW if you don’t rip it open and there is tobacco left in it, it can end up in your eye, I found that to be extremly painful!!) * * * Formerly known as Nec3f on the AOL SDMB ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 1999, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/7 "1999-08-01T13:49:00Z")
{{…The best material I found to do this with is the cellophane off a pack of cigs…}}Joey P We poor country boys just used a blade of grass. The most difficult one for me to learn was the “Loon” call, made by blowing across your bent thumbs, into your cupped hands. The pitch would change by an octave when opening the fingers of one hand, giving the “Whooo-OOOOOOO-ooooo” sound. Gary ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 1999, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/8 "1999-08-01T16:15:00Z")
I can shatter eardrums. ## The secret is curling your tongue and concentrating on blowing the small space between your lips instead of just blowing out air. \>^,^\< KITTEN Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/9 "1999-08-03T02:46:00Z")
I’m backwards. I cannot whistle by blowing, I have to _inhale_ sharply to make a whistling sound. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-with-your-fingers/2291/10 "1999-08-03T03:32:00Z")
Several ways to make a really loud, annoying whistle. They all require practice and a lot of trial and error. Start with the 4 finger whistle: Easiest to do, and easy trasition to other popular finger whistles (2-finger, pinky whistle, “OK” sign whistle) Hold both hands with the first and middle fingers fully extended and tightly together, all other fingers tucked in. Rest the tips of your middle fingers together, palms in. Put your fingers like this into your mouth, under the tip of your tongue and fold the tip of your tongue back so it folds almost in half. Rest your index fingers firmly in the corner of you mouth. Now, blow. You will not make any noise. Don’t worry. Keep blowing, and adjust the angle between your fingers, without changing the overall confirmation of your fingers and mouth. Move them in and out, and up and down. Eventually (it takes practice) you’ll produce a feeble whistle at first, but eventually you’ll make people’s ears ring. happy whistling! * * * Jason R Remy “Open mindedness is not the same thing as empty mindedness.” – John Dewey _Democracy and Education_ (1916)