Wingbone practice

[HillclimberWV]

This is some practice from a wingbone i made last year. Still not getting the pitch I want but I feel like I'm improving. Any suggestions?
Listen to wingbone 1.mp3 by Ike Moyers on #SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/JPH9F

[mountainhunter1]

Shorten up the clucks. They are a touch drawn out. They need to be a bit more staccato. But That is simply about air control and air control also will fix your consistency on your cadence. I actually like the general sound quality you are getting on your yelps and once you get a bit more comfortable with controlling your draw, they will have a more natural flow. I think you are well on your way and will have it nailed before you know it. Thanks for sharing.

[HillclimberWV]

Thank you very much for the feedback. Clucks are what I'm struggling the most with and think they sound the worst. Hey thats what practice is for. I really appreciate the advice.

[mountainhunter1]

You are closer than you probably think to being good to go using that in the woods. It is amazing how little air it takes to run the call. I am not with you, and I am just guessing, but wonder maybe if you are drawing a touch too hard (May not be but the sound file makes me question that). Go back and listen to the first series of yelps you run on that sound file and it to me sounds an awful lot like a turkey. That is good - and I think once you get fully comfortable with your air control, you will be more than happy with the sound. You could kill a turkey right now in a pinch with it, but as you keep practicing you will very soon get good enough at consistently controlling the air that you can make the sound over and over without even having to think about it. Once you conquer how little air you need it will all fall into place in short order. 

One thing that helped me was learning to do a hawk whistle on the wingbone/trumpet. Pause and conquer that one sound, and likely when you once again attempt the yelps after that it will all be down hill in difficulty. The yelp is basically just that hawk whistle speeded up. If you don't know what I am talking about, check out the Marlin Watkins tuturial on using a trumpet on you tube and he explains making that hawk whistle and demonstrates it. That too will help you to grasp just how little the amount of air it takes to run your call. But to encourage you, you are a lot closer to having it than you think. You should have it down in plenty of time to kill a turkey with it in the spring.

[EZ]

You are closer than you probably think to being good to go using that in the woods. It is amazing how little air it takes to run the call. I am not with you, and I am just guessing, but wonder maybe if you are drawing a touch too hard (May not be but the sound file makes me question that). Go back and listen to the first series of yelps you run on that sound file and it to me sounds an awful lot like a turkey. That is good - and I think once you get fully comfortable with your air control, you will be more than happy with the sound. You could kill a turkey right now in a pinch with it, but as you keep practicing you will very soon get good enough at consistently controlling the air that you can make the sound over and over without even having to think about it. Once you conquer how little air you need it will all fall into place in short order. 

One thing that helped me was learning to do a hawk whistle on the wingbone/trumpet. Pause and conquer that one sound, and likely when you once again attempt the yelps after that it will all be down hill in difficulty. The yelp is basically just that hawk whistle speeded up. If you don't know what I am talking about, check out the Marlin Watkins tuturial on using a trumpet on you tube and he explains making that hawk whistle and demonstrates it. That too will help you to grasp just how little the amount of air it takes to run your call. But to encourage you, you are a lot closer to having it than you think. You should have it down in plenty of time to kill a turkey with it in the spring.

Very good advise.

Another bit of good advise I was given many years ago (and it wasn't the advise I was looking for, lol) was to hear the "turkey" in your mind and as you are practicing that call, your lips and hands will adjust until you achieve that sound. It does reqire practice but it works.

[crow]

You are closer than you probably think to being good to go using that in the woods. It is amazing how little air it takes to run the call. I am not with you, and I am just guessing, but wonder maybe if you are drawing a touch too hard (May not be but the sound file makes me question that). Go back and listen to the first series of yelps you run on that sound file and it to me sounds an awful lot like a turkey. That is good - and I think once you get fully comfortable with your air control, you will be more than happy with the sound. You could kill a turkey right now in a pinch with it, but as you keep practicing you will very soon get good enough at consistently controlling the air that you can make the sound over and over without even having to think about it. Once you conquer how little air you need it will all fall into place in short order. 

One thing that helped me was learning to do a hawk whistle on the wingbone/trumpet. Pause and conquer that one sound, and likely when you once again attempt the yelps after that it will all be down hill in difficulty. The yelp is basically just that hawk whistle speeded up. If you don't know what I am talking about, check out the Marlin Watkins tuturial on using a trumpet on you tube and he explains making that hawk whistle and demonstrates it. That too will help you to grasp just how little the amount of air it takes to run your call. But to encourage you, you are a lot closer to having it than you think. You should have it down in plenty of time to kill a turkey with it in the spring.

Very good advise.

Another bit of good advise I was given many years ago (and it wasn't the advise I was looking for, lol) was to hear the "turkey" in your mind and as you are practicing that call, your lips and hands will adjust until you achieve that sound. It does reqire practice but it works.

Zach Farmer mentions this in a seminar, you need to hear the turkey in your head before trying to make the sound come out of the call.

Pretty much the same as playing a musical instrument by ear, you need to hear it first

[HillclimberWV]

Thank you all for the advise. The whole point in posting was to learn how to get better and I appreciate all comments that will help in that pursuit.

[davisd9]

Sounds like the call you are using is a very open call so air control is going to be key to get the pitches and tones you are looking for. You need to lower your air volume and control the air more. Pull from the call through your mouth through your throat and down to your diaphragm. Breathe as you do it. You do not need jaw movement if you are pulling and controlling air which helps with the seal at the lip stop. It sounds like that call will be a hard one to learn on with it being open.

[HillclimberWV]

Sounds like the call you are using is a very open call so air control is going to be key to get the pitches and tones you are looking for. You need to lower your air volume and control the air more. Pull from the call through your mouth through your throat and down to your diaphragm. Breathe as you do it. You do not need jaw movement if you are pulling and controlling air which helps with the seal at the lip stop. It sounds like that call will be a hard one to learn on with it being open.

It would probably be easier to learn on one from EZ but in true hard headed fashion I want to learn on the wingbones I have made. Of the 4 calls I've made I only play 3 of them the 4th being the first 1 I made and its very deep. They are all gobbler bones from birds I have shot and from what I hear that puts them at a disadvantage. I actually called in the gobbler that produced wing bones 3 and 4 with the wingbone from the sound file. I also called in several hens with it last year so I know it will call in a turkey but that doesn't mean I should be satisfied.

[HillclimberWV]

Got some time to play around while the wife was shopping. Recorded all 3 calls. Some very rough kee kee attempts in there. Thanks again for all the advise.

Listen to long 3 piece_1.mp3 by Ike Moyers on #SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/iXQKP
Listen to 2 piece_1.mp3 by Ike Moyers on #SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/2kEXz
Listen to short 3 piece_1.mp3 by Ike Moyers on #SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/PkJEr

[Zobo]

I think your yelps in the first sound file were really good, you just need work on your control which you're doing by practicing. Good going, you're getting there.

[Chris O]

There is definitely turkey in those calls it just seems like the cadence is a little off. You will get there soon no doubt. Some of your yelps sound really good so when you make some that you like try to keep going with them and pay attention on how your lips and suction are manipulating the call. For the clucks if you can do them on a diaphragm call it's kind of the same way on a trumpet but reversed . Just a short burst being sucked in. And when you are just learning it you can pop your lips completely off the mouthpiece and once you start hearing the single sharp burst and get comfortable with it you can leave your lips on the mouthpiece and it will start sounding better . Hopefully you get an idea of what I am trying to explain. Overall I think you really close!!

[EZ]

I actually liked the third sound file the best. Generally, with gobbler bones keeping them a little short works best. I heard some very good yelps on a couple of those series. You're getting a bit of the kee-kee and that requires air control so that's good. Your clucks seem to need the most practice but you're getting there.

If you can, post pics of your calls. Not busting on your calls, but when learning, it's best to start with a call that's proven to run. It's not rocket science, but there's lots of little things that make a good running call.

[davisd9]

Does the calls have a lip stop? Does not sound like they do and if not you need some.

Listen to EZ and Chris, they know what they are talking about.

[HillclimberWV]

I actually liked the third sound file the best. Generally, with gobbler bones keeping them a little short works best. I heard some very good yelps on a couple of those series. You're getting a bit of the kee-kee and that requires air control so that's good. Your clucks seem to need the most practice but you're getting there.

If you can, post pics of your calls. Not busting on your calls, but when learning, it's best to start with a call that's proven to run. It's not rocket science, but there's lots of little things that make a good running call.

I agree with you that I like the the short 3 piece call the best. I will post pictures when I get a chance. They do have crudely modified wine corks for lip stops.