9 Best Whistle VST Plugins 2024

Interested in incorporating the sound of a whistle in your productions? There are many types of whistles out there, not to mention vocal whistles and even articulations (with specific instruments) that produce a whistle like quality.

Here we’ll be looking at all of it. If a whistle is what you need, a whistle you shall have.

In this guide, we look at the best whistle VST plugins.

Ultrasonic Death Whistle by MNTRA Instruments – Best Overall

Featuring MNTRA’s own MNDALA Sound Sculpture Engine, Ultrasonic Death Whistle delves into the world of pre-Columbian death whistles. MNTRA founder Brian D’Oliveira himself performed the sounds heard in this horrifying entry, and some of the instruments used were even handcrafted.

There are 13 instrument sample maps, each representing a different “character” in a video game. No surprise, then, that Ultrasonic Death Whistle is well suited to video game scoring. It should be perfectly at home in horror, too, mind you.

Ultrasonic Death Whistle also comes with up to 31 round robins, and three-axis universal controls.

If you require anything other than scary sounds, then it would be wise to continue your search elsewhere. But for the overall value provided, we thought Ultrasonic Death Whistle was deserving of being our best overall selection.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Orakle X by MNTRA Instruments – Best Premium Option

MNTRA Instruments calls their Orakle X a “dark sounds suite.” And as you’ll discover later, there are plenty of “dark” entries in this guide. But there is a reason we thought you might be interested in this expansive entry.

Orakle X features ancient sounds highly usable to composers of any persuasion, and it includes a variety of sounds too – horns, flutes, experimental string articulations, overtone singing, percussion, and a great deal more.

MNTRA founder Brian D’Oliveira’s own collection of unique instruments adorns this virtual workstation, all of which were captured at MNTRA’s RCA Victor Studio in Montreal, with state-of-the-art equipment.

Take advantage of the built-in sound design engine to manipulate and mangle the built-in sounds in any way you please. Great feature for scoring!

Orakle X includes over 40 presets (including tin whistle flutter and tin whistle harmonic motion), and three-axis Real Time Parameter Controls, 51 sample maps, and up to 59 round robins.

Admittedly, Orakle X might prove too much power for the average user hunting down a dedicated whistle VST plugin. But if you’re scoring and composing music for films and want to take advantage of ancient sounds, you’ll love this expansive workstation. That makes it our best premium selection.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Xmas Beer Bottles by AudioThing – Best Budget Option

Occasionally you come across quirky plugins that are just too good to pass up, and you get the sense that AudioThing’s Xmas Beer Bottles probably came together in one of those drunken “wouldn’t it be cool if…” moments.

The beer bottles were evidently brewed specifically for Christmas, and this library includes the sounds of whistles, hits, and sound gestures.

Altogether, Xmas Beer Bottles comes with 16 NKIs, two NKMs, up to five round robin samples, and 35 44.1 kHz / 24-bit samples.

If your personal VST library appears to be lacking a bit of holiday cheer and party time excitement, you should consider adding Xmas Beer Bottles to your toolkit. At this price, you can’t lose. It may be ridiculous, but it’s cheap – so it’s a shoo-in for our best budget selection.

Xmas Beer Bottles requires the full version of Kontakt 4.2.4 or above.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Aztec Death Whistle by Soundiron

The ancient Aztec Death Whistle is said to have been used during human sacrifice rituals in the 14th and 15th centuries.

The whistle itself is in the same category of whistles as bird and animal call whistles. Made of kiln-fired clay, the death whistle features two chambers, and it produces a shrill, harsh, raspy, atonal vocal sound.

Soundiron set out to capture this instrument in detail. It was recorded in a dry studio as well as in a large open hall, and naturally, velocity layering and round-robin variations were captured too. In Soundiron tradition, you’ll also find sound designed atmospheric content.

Various articulations were also recorded – sustains, staccatos, flutter-tongues, and hand percussion. Single-shot stinger effects like swells, crescendos, and diminuendos were also added.

An extended set of controls gives you full control over the tone of the instrument – attack, release, dynamic swelling, octave, transient offset, vibrato, arpeggiator system, DSP effects rack, and convolution reverb.

Altogether, you’ll find 14 instrument presets, various articulation and performance controls, a 3D user interface, MIDI CC and velocity crossfaded presets, sound designed FX and ambience presets, sustains and staccatos with and without flutter-tongue rolls, and three mic positions (dry studio, hall close, hall far).

You also get hand percussion articulations, short and long single-shot effects and stingers, round robin for all staccato and hand percussion articulations, multi-mode arpeggiator with step sequencer, convolution reverb with 70 impulses, and a full multi-effects rack (with EQ, filter, delay, phaser, flanger, distortion, amp sim, speaker sim, and more).

Aztec Death Whistle rquires the full version of Kontakt 5.5 or above.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Samba Drums by Wavesfactory

Wavesfactory’s Samba Drums features 10 Brazilian folk instruments, including snare, timba, repinique, tamborin, rocar, agogó, surdo (22”, 20”, 18”), and whistle.

There are both solo and ensemble articulations, four velocity layers, and six round robin. The sounds were captured in a dry studio environment with two mic positions.

All instruments can be adjusted via volume, pan, and pitch controls. Samba Drums also comes with several effects, including EQ, compressors, modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser), distortion / saturation / tape, algorithmic and convolution reverb (with 40+ custom impulse responses), and amp sims.

Also onboard is a sequencer with seven presets. You can freely adjust tempo, steps, and intensity of each preset, as well as the velocity of each hit.

On the settings page, you’ll find controls for round robin, dynamic range, velocity curve, and envelope.

While Samba Drums isn’t a dedicated whistle instrument, if you’re looking to endow your toolkit with a quality supply of Brazilian percussion, you will love this entry. It truly sounds great.

Samba Drums requires the full version of Kontakt 5.7.3 or above.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Huracan by MNTRA Instruments

MNTRA Instruments’ Huracan plunges you into a world of winds and percussion instruments inspired by Andean and Mesoamerican cultures. Included are 11 wind instruments and five textural percussion sounds.

Featuring MNTRA’s own Animistic Sampler Engine, MNDALA, Huracan features a three-axis global control system, and custom FX system.

In terms of wind instruments, there’s a Mihuioti Whistle, Quena, Double Chamber Flute, Skull Ocarina, and Palo De Canto.

In terms of percussion, expect to find Guadua Hit, Prehistoric Ceremonial Shakers, Güiro Selvático, Gourd Hom-Pax Hit, and Metal Hom-Pax Hit.

Huracan comes with over 40 presets, 16 instrument sample maps, up to 20 round robins, up to three dynamic layers, and three microphone channels (vintage, close, far).

As with all MNTRA plugins, Huracan has a very unique concept and user interface. The sounds offered in this selection are very spooky, haunting, mysterious, ethereal, and exotic as well. Check it out in the video below.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Shimmer by Soundiron

Soundiron’s Shimmer features 463 percussive samples, complete with stingers, risers, pads, and FX. The developer took advantage of a variety of hand selected sources like shakers, chimes, bells, whistles, bubble-gum pop, vintage toy synths, and more, in bringing about this unique creation.

From video games to animation, EDM to trap, dubstep to chillwave, glitch to post rock, hip-hop to downtempo, and more, Shimmer could prove just the ticket for adding a fun flavor to your apps, videos, and more.

Tone-shaping and mixing controls are of course included – attack, release, edge, filter resonance, cut, bank preset loading (and optional key-switching), adaptive arpeggiation, and convolution reverb with over 100 impulse responses.

Altogether, Shimmer grants you access to 19 instrument presets, 162 magical charms, 90 UX and video game sound effects, 86 risers and swells, 35 atmospheric and tonal synth pads, 90 silly drums, multi-mode arpeggiation with step sequencer, convolution reverb with 119 impulses, and a multi-effects rack.

Overall, Shimmer is evocative, ethereal, atmospheric, exotic, and very colorful.

Shimmer requires the full version of Kontakt 5.5.2 or above.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Voice of Rapture: The Alto by Soundiron

Voice of Rapture: The Alto features the vocals of Kindra Scharich. This solo operatic alto vocal library was recorded in a dry studio with two mic types, and Soundiron captured an astounding 6.3 GB library with over 8,300 samples and 38 instrument presets.

This library comes with four true legato types (Ah, Mm, Oh, and Oo), sustains and staccatos in piano forte dynamics (for Ah, Ee, Eh, Oh, and Oo), 29 Latin and vowel staccato words (with precision attack shaping and polyphonic legato), 12 sustaining chromatic Latin chants (with polyphonic legato, tempo syncing, instant word selection), and a range of two octaves for all chromatic articulations.

The live performance phrase collection comes with 1,262 slow and fast melodic elements in four categories (pure vowel, Latin, French, and whistling). Phrase banks feature automatic tempo syncing, time stretching root key selection, transposition, step sequencing, breath FX, and more.

Vocal ambiences are also included, with atmospheres, pads, and drones, created using the source material.

Further customization is available with the DSP effects rack, featuring EQ, compression, amp and speaker simulation, reverb, and more.

While this library may not be of interest to anyone hunting down a dedicated whistle plugin, vocal libraries can come in handy, and vocal whistles have a characteristic all their own. So, depending on what you’re looking for, you might consider this entry.

Voice of Rapture: The Alto requires the full version of Kontakt 5.1 or above.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Voice of Rapture: The Bass by Soundiron

If you’ve looked at Voice of Rapture: The Alto, then there’s a good chance you already have a good idea what Soundiron’s Voice of Rapture: The Bass is all about.

This is an operatic bass vocal Kontakt library featuring Joseph Trumbo, who was captured in a dry studio environment with two mics. Voice of Rapture: The Bass spans 7.8 GB, 10,000+ samples, and 42 instruments presets.

This library of epic proportions comes with three true legato types (Ah, Oh, and Oo), standard vowel sustains and staccatos in piano and forte (Ah, Ee, Eh, Oh, and Oo), mezzo-piano hummed notes, 29 Latin and vowel staccato words and syllables (with precision attack shaping and syllable switching), and 12 sustaining chromatic Latin chants (with synchronized legato, tempo syncing, and instant work).

All chromatic articulations have a two-octave range, and the Phrase collection encompasses 1,466 slow and fast melodic elements, with time-stretching and tempo syncing.

Performance phrases come in five categories (pure vowel, French, Latin, humming, and whistling), with nearly 1,500 phrases. Phrase banks come with automatic tempo syncing, time stretching root key selection, step sequencing, transposition, breath FX, and more.

Sound designed vocal ambiences are also included, all created using Trumbo’s voice. Fine-tune the sounds to your heart’s content using the built-in DSP effects rack panel, with EQ, compression, reverb, and more.

Voice of Rapture: The Bass requires the full version of Kontakt 5.1 or higher.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

What Should I Look For In A Whistle VST Plugin?

Whistle VST plugins are all very distinct, and range from singular, dedicated virtual whistles, all the way over to expansive workstations featuring a variety of instrument presets.

If you’ve made it this far into this guide, there’s a good chance you’ve identified what you need already. But if you’re still unsure, you’re in luck, because in this section we cover the key things you should be looking for in a whistle VST plugin.

Sound Quality & Source

We’ve listened to all the plugins featured here, and we didn’t find anything to suggest that their sound quality is anything less than stellar. Of course, it’s well worth listening to the options available yourself, as you may spot artifacts or inconsistencies we couldn’t.

Listening to audio clips and watching videos is also the best way to determine what you like best. Different producers need different tools, and no one knows what you’re looking for in a whistle better than you do.

As a subset of sound quality, the source of the whistle is also worth considering. Various types of whistles were featured here – from instruments to voices – and they all have very different sounds. Identify what you need, and you’ll streamline the buying process considerably.

Features

Whistle VST plugins commonly feature effects. This is a handy feature, especially if they are quality effects. You can always create your own effects chains using your favorite VSTs, but built-in effects help reduce CPU usage.

Depending on the plugin you’ll find different instrument presets, articulations, arpeggiators / step sequencers, and more.

Plugins in this category certainly weren’t crated equal, and most were built around different concepts, so features aren’t everything when it comes to finding something you want, but it’s a worthy consideration nonetheless.

Budget

A whistle VST plugin will run you anywhere from $5 to $139. Of course, if you’re paying anything above $39, guaranteed you’re getting more than just a virtual whistle. Generally, the plugins are not in a range that should break the bank.

Nevertheless, we must caution you against going into debt for music related purchases. To ensure maximum enjoyment, only purchase what you can afford right now, and save up for whatever else you might need.

Top Whistle VST Plugins, Final Thoughts

There certainly isn’t a shortage of virtual whistles available – from the conventional to the unusual. But “whistle” can be interpreted in a number of ways, and this is evident in the plugins we’ve handpicked for this guide as well.

So, make sure you’re clear on what you’re buying, because the last thing we want to happen is for you to end up with a plugin you can’t even use.

With that, we wish you all the best with your next project!