short reed ?

[Tyler23]

i have blown a flute forever and really want to move to a short reed. i got a zink PC-1 poly carb got some calling videos and just cant seem to get the hang of it. can someone give me some pointers please?

[Cold_blood]

there is no other video you need other than bad grammar....... and once you learn hand position and get a honk the rest comes really easy the pc-1 is a real easy call to blow so its good for a beginner

[tracker x-2]

I have that same call the biggest thing i had to get use to was using a lot less air to blow it than you think. the vids should explain how to hold it or how to blow from your diaphram instead of puffing your cheeks. I looked at a few vids from you tube and that seemed to help. Jus keep practicing. it took me all of one season so sound good.

[fishkid]

practice practice practice

[Tyler23]

i got the bad grammer cd.. do flute require more air than a short reed? maybe thats what im doing wrong.

[Eric Kruger]

may sound wierd but try saying gaaaa-ikkk into the call without moving your lips.....

EK

[superhawk16]

I second bad grammar...awsome CD, I don't know how you could learn without it. I think the biggest thing is to really keep things simple, don't try to learn to much at once. First learn a honk, practice it over and over until it sounds the same every time and sounds goosey. (might be a few weeks to get this down) once you get a honk keep learning note by note, not moving on until you get each one down really well. Don't worry about going fast. It sounds cool but you really don't need it in the feild to kill geese, just make sure your sounds are consistent and repeatable.

~one more thing, really focus on your hand position and tongue position, it makes a HUGE deal on your sound consistency. I like to record onto my cell phone while I am trying a new note and then listen which positioning sounded the best and then learn the note that way.

good luck, it takes a while to get the hang of it but it is definitely worth it!

[Moonie]

I went from a flute to a Zink and i still use both. It just takes practice to learn tongue placement, creating the correct back pressure (remember, don't close that 'on hand'. Keep your fingers wrapped as if you're holding a golf ball) etc... Far less air is needed on the short reed too. Just keep at it, watch the DVD a bunch (i used zinks 'waterfowl university' dvd when learning), practice in your car if you feel comfortable with it. You may get some real funny looks, but every little bit helps.

Also, when people tell you to "say things into the call" it's more to get your tongue to do the right thing. For that zink call, try keeping the front of your tongue against the back of your bottom teeth and lift the back of your tongue to the roof of your mouth while keeping consistant air flow... good luck!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

first off; dont get discouraged. it took me a year of sounding like a kazoo to do anything other than cluck on a short reed.

the biggest mistake people make when doing the transition from flute to short reed is the air presentation. you push the air from your diaphram with a shortreed, instead of blow from the cheeks into a flute call.

my best advice is find somebody you know that is proficient in running a short reed call and sit down for some one-one instruction. maybe offer up a good 6 pack of beer for the help.

as far as videos, pretty much every instructional video out there is good in some way, many will say bad grammar is the best, which it probably is, but the technique may not be what your comfortable with. maybe you prefer the "zink" method or shawn stahls method, etc.

dont get caught up in thinking that by buying a different call that you will magically become a better caller. its all in the tuning. once you learn how to tune a call, any 20 dollar poly carb can sound nearly identical to a high dollar acrylic or exotic wood call.

[coombia21]

it is a very easy beginners call it takes a lot less air than a flute or some other short reeds i would go to the store you bought it from and ask them how to use it they usually have professionals that will help you out if you dont want to buy a video or tape

[Tyler23]

ok well i keep trying and let you guys know how its goes. thanks alot for the replies!

[Tyler23]

alright guys so i tried and tried last night to get the hang of a short reed with no luck. so tonight i went up to my local scheels and they tuned it and played with my call, i couldnt tell you what they did but all of a sudden. got it! finally after all that i actually made it some what sound like a goose!.. thanks for all your advice. everyone of my nights from now one will be practice just as i did when i started calling ducks.THANKS!