Simple check, try connecting the motor direct to a battery, if thats silent, then you have a motor responding to the ESC, if not, a bit of oil on the bearings is called for. Older Electronizes just used the transmitter frame rate (about 50Hz ) as their operating frequency. At low speeds (and before they offered enough energy to start the motor turning) they gave a low pitched hum. Modern ESCs use a higher frequency, and tend to whistle. Much of this depends on the individual motor. Some will whistle at the least provocation, some seem immune.