Help with mouth calling - beginner

[longbeard92]

Hey everyone, I'm brand new to the forum. I've been turkey hunting for around 4 years now and in the past month or so, I've been obsessed with trying to learn how to yelp properly on a mouth call. I previously faked it by saying "chop" but I'm finding out its not very realistic and doesn't sound as good.

I have a few questions that I'm hoping to get answers to that can help me out. Thanks in advance for any answers or tips!

1) My biggest question is how to get the back end note/the rasp. I can get the high  front end note easily now but I don't think I'm that close with the back end.

Is it more about physically lowering your tongue to allow more air to hit all of the reeds? I've tried relaxing my mouth and/or dropping my jaw without much success. I will also add when I try to get the back end note the call itself typically drops with my tongue. I'm wondering if it should stay "glued" to the roof of my mouth?

2) I'm also wondering if the call maybe isn't sitting as far back it should in my mouth which would make it easier for the call to drop. I've found this video very helpful () and I'm curious if everyone's tongue stays in the below location even during the front and end note of the yelp?
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3) Last question, I watched Shane Simpson's video around figuring out where your air flow is. I used a handheld mirror, hit the high note and saw air passing through the middle of the call. I'm assuming that's the correct way to do it?

[RustyBarrels]

Maybe you can try playing around with the word "shop" instead. 
Actually its more like Shop without the P on the end. (Kinda like saying Sha but a bit more stacatto)

I know it sounds silly, but even something small will change the structure in your mouth, therefor impacting the dynamics of airflow.
If you get the structure right, the airflow should basically fall into place and give that nice throaty backend note to the yelp.

Youve def put alot of thought into it, but maybe play around with some more words (shop, shuck, chuck, & etc) til you find something that gives you something you like. Hope this helps ya

[GobbleNut]

Hey everyone, I'm brand new to the forum. I've been turkey hunting for around 4 years now and in the past month or so, I've been obsessed with trying to learn how to yelp properly on a mouth call. I previously faked it by saying "chop" but I'm finding out its not very realistic and doesn't sound as good.

I have a few questions that I'm hoping to get answers to that can help me out. Thanks in advance for any answers or tips!

1) My biggest question is how to get the back end note/the rasp. I can get the high  front end note easily now but I don't think I'm that close with the back end.

Is it more about physically lowering your tongue to allow more air to hit all of the reeds? I've tried relaxing my mouth and/or dropping my jaw without much success. I will also add when I try to get the back end note the call itself typically drops with my tongue. I'm wondering if it should stay "glued" to the roof of my mouth?

2) I'm also wondering if the call maybe isn't sitting as far back it should in my mouth which would make it easier for the call to drop. I've found this video very helpful () and I'm curious if everyone's tongue stays in the below location even during the front and end note of the yelp?
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.

3) Last question, I watched Shane Simpson's video around figuring out where your air flow is. I used a handheld mirror, hit the high note and saw air passing through the middle of the call. I'm assuming that's the correct way to do it?

Quite honestly, getting to where you want to be as a mouth call user is a function of two things:  The first is practice...and determination.  The second is matching your calling mechanics (call positioning, air flow control, tongue placement) and the ability to control all three of those with when using a particular call design.

Sounds like you already have that determination. Stick with it and it will come...   

[Paulmyr]

Start out by making an extended high note than slowly drop your jaw releasing  tongue pressure very slowly until the call slowly drops into the lower ranges. Work on this for a while until you can get that high end to roll over consistently.

 Right now, don't try to sound like a turkey just practice getting the call from high to low in super long slow extended yelps. You should be able to figure out how to get the call to break over without having it fall from the roof if your mouth. Once you get the mechanics down and figure out how to make the call roll over slowly pick up the pace until it starts to sound like a turkey.

Sounds to me by using the word chop your progressing through the roll over too quickly and not getting familiar with the mechanics behind making the call roll over.

So more like ssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaahhhhhhhpppppppp instead of chop Until get the mechanics down Than slowly progress by shortening it until it sounds like a yelp, if that makes sense.

[longbeard92]

Little update here, I've been practicing daily and I can nail the front and back end without issues every time. However, I'm convinced the reason its hard for me to speed it up and yelp is because I'm using the tip of my tongue to hit the high note. When I relax my jaw/lower my tongue for the back end of the yelp its hard to find that sweet spot again so my yelp ends up being all rasp/back end note.

The other thing is I've noticed my front end note is very high and sounds different from guys like Shane Simpson/Scott Ellis where theirs is more like a whistle.

My question now is how do you use more of the mid-part of your tongue? I'm working on hissing like a cat (think KEEEEE or HEEEE) and its tough haha. Another reason I don't think I'm hitting the front end note right is because when you watch other guys hit the front end, its clear their tongue is arched down/pulled back and they definitely aren't using the tip of their tongue.

[Paulmyr]

Anchor the call somewhere in the middle of your tongue. Mine is slightly forward of center and anchored behind my bicuspids (the teeth behind your canines). Same place every time. The high note is created by pressure only allowing the 1st reed to vibrate. As the pressure is released the remaining reeds come into play and the deeper notes come out. The only movement from your tongue should be to release pressure. Save the tip for purring if you can't gurgle the back of your throat.

[longbeard92]

Anchor the call somewhere in the middle of your tongue. Mine is slightly forward of center and anchored behind my bicuspids (the teeth behind your canines). Same place every time. The high note is created by pressure only allowing the 1st reed to vibrate. As the pressure is released the remaining reeds come into play and the deeper notes come out. The only movement from your tongue should be to release pressure. Save the tip for purring if you can't gurgle the back of your throat.

That is super helpful, I really appreciate it. One follow up, where is the tip of your tongue sitting during the high note? Is it down like when you hiss like a cat?

[KYTurkey07]

I would recommend the Primos Mastering the Art mouthcall kit. It comes with 3 mouth calls to help you find one that works and a DVD to coach you. It's how I learned to use a mouthcall. There's a green call in there that gives very easy backend rasp.

[Paulmyr]

Anchor the call somewhere in the middle of your tongue. Mine is slightly forward of center and anchored behind my bicuspids (the teeth behind your canines). Same place every time. The high note is created by pressure only allowing the 1st reed to vibrate. As the pressure is released the remaining reeds come into play and the deeper notes come out. The only movement from your tongue should be to release pressure. Save the tip for purring if you can't gurgle the back of your throat.

That is super helpful, I really appreciate it. One follow up, where is the tip of your tongue sitting during the high note? Is it down like when you hiss like a cat?

The tip of my tongue is down and maybe pulled back a little. I have the flat part of my tongue where the call sits pressed against the roof of my mouth.

[GobbleNut]

Anchor the call somewhere in the middle of your tongue. Mine is slightly forward of center and anchored behind my bicuspids (the teeth behind your canines). Same place every time. The high note is created by pressure only allowing the 1st reed to vibrate. As the pressure is released the remaining reeds come into play and the deeper notes come out. The only movement from your tongue should be to release pressure. Save the tip for purring if you can't gurgle the back of your throat.

That is super helpful, I really appreciate it. One follow up, where is the tip of your tongue sitting during the high note? Is it down like when you hiss like a cat?

The tip of my tongue is down and maybe pulled back a little. I have the flat part of my tongue where the call sits pressed against the roof of my mouth.

Same here. The tip/forward part of the tongue does not come into play much ever...especially with basic yelps, clucks, and cutting.  Getting that flat part of the tongue up against the call such that air flow can be controlled in either short bursts (clucking and cutting) or slightly longer bursts for creating that two-part yelp is key. 

Also, the "hissing like a cat" is a great way to describe it...assuming everybody hisses like a cat in the same way... ...   that is, by forcing air over the roof of the mouth with the back of the tongue being flat up against it.   

[longbeard92]

appreciate it yall. im going to go back to the basics and re-learn the high note without using the tip of my tongue and see how it is in a few weeks!