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Flutes

Low whistle

The low whistle is a member of the flutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.221.1). Listen to 1 recording and learn how it makes its sound.

Listen to the low whistle

Low whistle Lonesome tune1-Jules Grandgagnage
0:25CC BY-SA 4.0by Julien GrandgagnageWikimedia Commons
0:25

Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.

How the low whistle makes its sound

In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the low whistle belongs to the flutes (edge-blown): an air jet is split on a sharp edge, setting the air column vibrating – flutes, recorders, whistles and panpipes.

More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.

Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.

From Wikipedia

The low whistle, or concert whistle, is a variation of the traditional tin whistle/pennywhistle, distinguished by its lower pitch and larger size. It is most closely associated with the performances of British and Irish artists such as Tommy Makem, Finbar Furey and his son Martin Furey, Old Blind Dogs, Michael McGoldrick, Riverdance, Lunasa, Donie Keyes, Chris Conway, and Davy Spillane, and is increasingly accepted as a feature of Celtic music.

The low whistle is often used for the playing of airs and slow melodies due to its softer and more mellow tone compared to the high whistles, as well as being quieter. However, it is also becoming used more often for the playing of jigs, reels and hornpipes from the Irish, Scottish, Manx, Welsh, and English traditions. A reason put forward for this being, it's easier to produce some ornamentation on the whistle, due to the size of the finger holes.

Other flutes

Frequently asked questions

What does a low whistle sound like?

Listen to 1 recording on this page. As one of the flutes, its sound comes from the way an air jet is split on a sharp edge, setting the air column vibrating.

What type of instrument is the low whistle?

It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.221.1).

Sources & credits