| The whistle is quite possibly the most well-known | | | | such a simple instrument could have such an |
| type of whistle out there that most people are | | | | impact on so many musical instruments that |
| most familiar with. It is a member of the | | | | people use today. |
| woodwind instrument family and is a type of | | | | The basic whistle appears to have originated in |
| whistle that only emits one sound when blown | | | | China and was used in order to warn people of |
| into. There are many different variations of this | | | | impending danger. The whistle that people are |
| whistle that are used today. They are not only | | | | familiar with today was first created in the late |
| used by police, they are also used in sports, by | | | | nineteenth century to be used in sports. The |
| trains and ships; any situation that would require | | | | principle in how the whistle worked was the same |
| the sound of a whistle to either warn or alert | | | | as the whistles the Chinese had used so long |
| someone that something is happening. This basic | | | | before, the purpose of the whistle would simple |
| whistle is possibly the simplest whistle that exists. | | | | be different; however, even today, the whistle is |
| While it is not something that immediately makes | | | | still used to warn people of different things as |
| someone think of it as a musical instrument, it | | | | well. Unlike other instruments, this whistle has |
| does play a major role in a number of different | | | | really not changed over time. The basic design has |
| musical instruments. | | | | remained more or less the same and its purpose, |
| There are many musical instruments that would | | | | though more varied, is basically the same now as |
| not exist today if it were not for the simple | | | | it was so long ago. |
| whistle. Pipe organs, for example, use the simple | | | | The basic whistle is certainly not an instrument |
| whistle many times over in order to emit sound. | | | | that people would play as a musical instrument. It |
| Each pipe uses the same principle of this basic | | | | is most often used in situations that really have |
| whistle in order to make a sound. Each pipe is | | | | nothing to do with music. In fact, the whistle is |
| then designed to a different size in order to emit | | | | used for so many different things all over the |
| a different sound than the others so that the | | | | world that it could easily be considered one of the |
| organ can play different notes in order to create | | | | most, if not the most, popular instruments in the |
| music. | | | | world. It is cheap, easy to acquire, requires no skill |
| How the whistle works is fairly simple. The sound | | | | or talent to play and has a sound that is both |
| a whistle makes is created when a steady | | | | unique and easy to hear in most situations. It |
| stream of air is blown into the whistle. The small | | | | doesn't even require sheet music to play; all one |
| hole in the top of the whistle, known as the fipple, | | | | has to do is blow into it to create a single note or |
| then separates the air, which causes the sound. It | | | | sound. |
| really is amazing, when one thinks about it, that | | | | |