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Topic: 4 Notes To Make a Train Whistle |
Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 5:26 pm |
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Larry Behm |
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Sonny Priddy
From:
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 5:41 pm notes
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| Place Bar On 8th Fret B Pedal Down and D leaver In Strings 4 5 6 Move Bar To Get Sound Then Move Bar Back Toward The Nut. SONNY. |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 5:53 pm
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I've got one of those wooden train whistles that plays four notes.
A B D and a slightly flat F# |
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Gene H. Brown
From:
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 6:13 pm 4 notes
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Hi Larry,
Just wanted you to know I'm retiring in JUly of this year and I will be in Portland for a while and hangin with my old buddy Doug Jones and we are bound to be comin after you and getting a duel going, it will be good to see you again, I'll bet you are all grown up by now , LOL.
Best Regards
Gene Brown 
_________________
If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!
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Jim Bates
From:
Alvin, Texas, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 6:20 pm
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Assuming you mean a steam train, I always use a 2 fret reverse slant on some middle strings (E neck) around the 12 or 14 th fret and wobble the bar to get the 'woo-woo' sound and then slowly drop down a few frets to create a Doppler effect. Works great on Folsum Prison.
Thanx,
Jim |
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Steve Norman
From:
Seattle Washington, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 6:21 pm
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I like a 6th chord with volume swells on C6
_________________
GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 7:38 pm
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| I believe I remember reading that Casey Jones had a custom made whistle tuned to A6. Lee's wooden whistle is D6. |
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Marc Friedland
From:
Fort Collins, CO
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 9:59 pm
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The other night shortly before going to a gig in Redding, CA, I heard a train go by, and it's whistle sounded very much like a Major 7th chord, but I was not near an instrument to test out my theory. I admit it's possible that I was only hearing the 3, 5, 7 and imagining the 1 in my head, it's hard to say for sure. This would mean that in the key of C it would translate to the 4 notes being C E G B.
My slightly uneducated guess is you can probably play a 6th, Dominant 7th, major 7, or similar variations to those, and if you play it with the right attitude and expression, you will most likely get the idea across of sounding like a train whistle.
-- Marc |
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Fred Bova
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2008 11:21 pm Name that note
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| Marc, from playing "name that note" with you and Michael, and Ribs, I trust your ears! If you remember we started the game on the piano in your parents living room,... and then as it progressed over the years it changed to everything from "shoe sqeeks", to key chains, Water Drips, and to the sound of a peach pit hitting the floor ! Those were great times, times when EVERYTHING could be fun, and WAS fun, when we were with you.I hope we can all play that game again sometime soon. Fred |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 4:41 am
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| Quote: |
| American train whistles usually had anywhere from one to six frequencies which were sounded together. As compared with automobile horns, for example, which form a major third, usually with the notes "F" and "A", the train whistle usually forms a non-major chord which is full of dissonance, allowing it to have a distinct, frightening, and serious sound, rather than a happy one. |
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_whistle
I'm sure I've seen a video somewhere explaining it with a tritone in there (b5) - I'd have to dig through mine, Hiland, Mason etc. |
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Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 5:11 am
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Thanks for the input.
Gene I live 7 miles from Doug and yes I grew up and out, but at 61 I have been working out and beefing up a little.
Larry Behm |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 3:44 pm
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| i currently live a block from the tracks....i love it...just the feel of power from the big trains helps put me right to sleep...our guitarist, bob woods, is a steam and diesel engineer. some whistle/horns drop as they trail off, and some raise in pitch right at the end.. can't play it but love it! |
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Tony Orth
From:
Evansville, Indiana, USA
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 4:14 pm
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Like Lee, I've got one of the wooden train whistles that sounds like a steam engine. The notes are, from low to high: A#, C#, D#, G.
I could look up this chord but one of you theorists could tell us more quickly.
TOny
_________________
Tony Orth
No longer pedaling.
Christian Praise and Worship, a little Folk-Rock, Old Time and Bluegrass on the side. |
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Tony Orth
From:
Evansville, Indiana, USA
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 4:35 pm
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Looks to me like an Eb7. Played at the fourth fret with B pedal and Eb lever engaged, strings 4, 5, 6, and 7.
Looks like we're back to verify Sonny's version.
T
_________________
Tony Orth
No longer pedaling.
Christian Praise and Worship, a little Folk-Rock, Old Time and Bluegrass on the side. |
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Jim Robbins
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 5:00 pm
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| Tony Orth wrote: |
Like Lee, I've got one of the wooden train whistles that sounds like a steam engine. The notes are, from low to high: A#, C#, D#, G.
I could look up this chord but one of you theorists could tell us more quickly.
TOny |
Theorists know that as the "Train Whistle Chord". |
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richard burton
From:
Britain
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Posted 10 Jan 2008 10:31 pm
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Here's one I found a few years back, it's fun, but only works in key of E.
Strings 1 + 2, 8th fret, strings 3 + 4 open, strum across all 4 strings, whilst sliding into the 8th fret, then play 1 + 2 at 5th fret, 3+4 open  |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 11 Jan 2008 12:51 am
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I use the Eb lever w/ A+B pedals down and add the 9th string. (e.g. in the key of E....@ the 5th fret sliding down from the 5th-->4th-->5th fret).
I think that gives you a partial E9th with a flatted 3rd on the bottom. It's the dissonance of the adjacent flatted 3rd next to the natural 3rd which makes it sound like a train-whistle to me. |
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Fred Glave
From:
McHenry, Illinois, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2008 2:45 pm
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| There are different types of train sounds you can get from the steel, but my favorite is using any diminished chord and using the volume swell with a gentle slide upward then back on the fretboard. It sounds real fat for that far away train. |
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Duane Reese
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Posted 11 Jan 2008 3:43 pm
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To give you specific info on what chords different ones play...
The Horn & Whistle Board
Five Chime Consultants
Steam Whistles
There used to be a really good site about steam locomotive whistles called "Voice of the Iron Horse", but it's apparently gone.
Train horns are funny things. I have a Leslie S-5T myself, and the lowest B note always seems to be a little sharp on that model, making a diminished chord but it's supposed to play Bdom9 (don't ask me why they call it a Bmaj9 in the site)
There's various flavors of 9th, 7th, maj7th and 6th chords, depending on the horn, railroad, etc.
Now for you Canadian steelers, your official regulation is D#minor - don't forget that now! |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2008 4:56 pm
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In Key E (Folsom Prison Blues) Strings 4,5,6,-ish
Try 15th fret push F lever to raise Es.
Wobble vol. as descending in pitch.
Look out!! 
Man.. that thing will run you over.
Kenny
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2008 6:18 pm
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Boxcar Willie taught me how to do it with my mouth.
Seriously! |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2008 7:32 am
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I use the B & C pedals, strings 4,5 and 6.
Tony |
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2008 9:03 pm
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| I like strings 7 and eight, with a reverse slant so that there's not quite a unison. |
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Jim Peters
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Jan 2008 7:32 am
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Strings 9 8 7,(strum it) lower E lever, 13th fret for key of D. Little crooked on the slant, slide it down, use volume pedal to taste. JP
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Carter,PV,Fender |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 21 Jun 2011 9:52 pm Four notes to make a train whisle
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| If you are playing in E cord go to the 3rd, A pedal and raise the 4 & 8 (F)strings add a little vibratto and volume. Go to the 5th fret and lower the 4 & 8 (D)strings. Then to the 7th fret A&B Pedals down now as you release A&B Pedals rock on the lower 4 & 8 (D) knee lever and slide one fret forward. These are Steam train sounds. Had some train whistle duels with some fiddle players on Orange Blossom Special using these. Work it a little you can pick 3,4,5,or 6, 5,6 & 8 or or 6,8 and 10 strings just to mix it up to suit yourself. Fade the volume give it a haunting sound. In a gosel group we played a song about a gopel train to Heaven. A&B Pedals down at the 5th fret. Slide one fret forward and D knee lever Lowering 4-8 train sound the slide to 3rd fret pedals being released and this made G chord for the singers to start. Hope this will help you. Good Luck and Happy steeelin. |
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