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There are certain situations where only a finger whistle will rise to the occasion—enthusiastically supporting your team in a rambunctious sport or attracting the attention of a friend above the din of a buoyant crowd spring easily to mind. Some people are natural whistlers who seem to effortlessly summon ear-piercing calls to action, but the rest of us mere mortals need a little instruction.

The basic principle is to use your fingers to create a "whistle" shape through which you blow to magnify the sound.

The combination of fingers depends on the size of your mouth and fingers. The one-handed approach uses the thumb and any one of your other fingers (index and middle are the most popular). The two-hander usually uses the index and middle fingers of both hands.

1. Wet and tuck back your top and bottom lips to cover your teeth (as if you were pretending to be a toothless old crone).

2. Position each finger halfway between the corner of your mouth and the center of your lips and insert up to the first knuckle.

3. Touch the fingertips together and angle them in toward the center of your tongue to create a horizontal "A" shape.

4. Draw back your tongue so that the tip is almost touching the floor of your mouth a little way behind your lower teeth. (This is important as it means your tongue is broadened to cover more of your lower back teeth.) Your fingers keep your tongue pushed back, and they also keep your lips tucked back over your teeth.

5. Take a deep breath and blow, forcing the air over your fingers and lower lip.

Fortunately, anyone can learn to whistle but great power requires the utmost discretion. For example, your new skill will impress nobody in the Royal Box at Wimbledon nor will it attract the attention of a waiter in an exclusive restaurant.