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Whistles for a Summer of Festivals
- May 20, 2022
Summer is almost here and for many of us this means one thing - festival season!
If you have found yourself missing out on your usual summer festivals and carnivals because of recent lockdowns, the chances are you have been looking forward to this summer in particular. ACME will help you to get into the party spirit with our lively and eye-catching range of whistles perfect for summer festivities.
Apitos
Apitos, also known as samba whistles, are a key cultural addition to festival and carnival music. Originally hailing from Brazil, the apito has gained fame all over the world for its distinctive look and sound.
What makes these whistles so special and unique is that they make it possible to create three separate notes rather than the single base note that most whistles produce. This is done by covering one or both of the finger holes on each side of the whistle.
In traditional samba music, the band leader will use the whistle to signal to the other musicians that the music is transitioning from one rhythm or tempo to another. This is a simple way of doing things, but it produces the iconic sounds that are intrinsic to the exotic and characterful music of Brazil. Because these whistles are designed to be heard over the other instruments in a band, they have a loud and clear sound.
In the UK, samba whistles are a familiar sound at music and cultural festivals, as well as carnivals. A truly distinctive sound of summer, you can opt for a classic all metal ACME samba whistle 444 or a colourful plastic-bodied ACME 475 for a more lightweight alternative. Whichever you choose, you’ll love the clear, bright carnival sound they produce.
Sounds of summer
Our samba whistle might be a favourite for festival season, but it’s by no means the only one you can have fun with this summer. Kids and adults alike love ACME Swanee (Slide) Whistle 472 because it is brilliantly engineered to give a variable sliding pitch. The swanee whistle was famously used to give the Clangers their distinct voice and it was also featured in songs by the great Louis Armstrong, as well as in episodes of the Simpsons.
The ACME Thunderer is another of our hugely popular whistles for summer festivals, carnivals and raves. With a rich tone that loses none of its quality even at high volumes, this is often the whistle of choice for sporting events and any other occasion where you may want to make a lot of noise! We proudly make all our iconic Thunderers here in the UK, and with a range of whistle specifications to choose from, you’ll be able to find a Thunderer that you love.
The ACME Thunderer, like the samba whistle, can produce a range of sounds depending on the blow rate. A less forceful breath will create a lower, slightly quieter sound, and a more forceful breath will raise the pitch a little and increase the volume.
Whichever whistle you choose, you can be assured that it will have our seal of approval. We test every single one of our whistles before they are sent out from our workshop and each proudly bears the ACME name.