Pucker Your Lips And Blow

Any tips for recording a whistle?
posted by InfidelZombie (9 comments total)

Just the obvious one of stand back from the mic and don't blow directly into it, more across it or to the side.
Pop-shield if you've got it.
posted by chococat at 10:28 AM on April 23, 2012

Try lowering the mic to that it points at the chin and whistle above it.
posted by scottandrew at 12:55 PM on April 23, 2012

What Chococat said, plus also if your room sound halfway decent, stand even further back. Whistle is one of those things that sounds very strange totally dry.

Two pop shields is not a terrible idea.
posted by unSane at 7:14 PM on April 23, 2012

Pucker Your Lips And Blow
That's what I say to the missus. Doesn't work. Not any more anyway...can't figure that one shrugs, farts and scratches arse while reaching for another beer across voluminous gut

As for whistling - choco's advice is good. Pop-shield and blow across the capsule not directly into it - and watch the levels, whistling can generate surprisingly high SPLs.
posted by MajorDundee at 12:23 AM on April 24, 2012

Thanks for the advice all - I'll be recording this tonight, so I will post the results soon.
posted by InfidelZombie at 7:38 AM on April 24, 2012

I've had decent results using an omni mic, a little farther back than I'd use for vocals. whistling "near" rather than "into" the mic helps reduce wind noise.
posted by dubold at 10:12 AM on April 24, 2012

Turns out I didn't need to record her whistle, at least not on its own track. I had originally written the song as a slow one for our new record, and laid down some some guitar tracks last week for us to overdub on. Spent a good part of Saturday teaching the band the song and getting vocals and a bassline laid down. For the hell of it we also set up some mics and went through the song together, but I figured there was no way we'd use that version.

Tuesday night we tried adding some rythym and adjusting the mix, but it just wasn't coming together - something was missing. So we decided to listen to the other version we did and it sounded light years better. Added a little rhythm and some backup vocals and it was ready to go. Guess we're a live band at heart. :)

Anyway, new release will be out as soon as I finish up the artwork, hopefully this weekend!
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:11 AM on April 26, 2012

I've used the aforementioned blow-to-the-side-of-the-mic technique for recording whistling. Here's one tune that features a bit of whistling here and there: Bring Me The Head Of Elmo
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:06 AM on May 1, 2012

The final version of the song is now online. Thanks again for the advice, I know I'll be using it in the future.
posted by InfidelZombie at 11:56 PM on May 11, 2012