Proper Mouth Reed Use & Placement!

[ElkNut1]

There may be a need to address the proper placement of a mouth reed in ones mouth/palate. I've received a few emails lately about this so figured there may be some others out there struggling with this similar issue. So here goes! (grin)

Before there's any bending, trimming or shaping you must know where the call goes! Here are a few points of concern first. The call is not clamped down by your back teeth or any teeth for that matter. Now allow the two right & left corners of the vinyl tag to slightly rest against top inside front teeth. They will be off center in peak of radius of your teeth. The very front of the latex should be in the proximity of the ridge or cleft of your palate, it itself does not touch your front teeth so it's actually 3/4" or so from teeth, only the corners of the vinyl should be touching teeth. You can use center of tongue as contact point on latex for more subtle sounds as cow calling or smaller bull sounds. Tip of tongue, front or the back of tip portion can be used to for louder bull sounds as lip bawls or long range high pitches.

When using a Palate plate call such as a single or double reed the part of the call with the shed roof or dome goes up towards the palate & the latex faces towards front teeth, these type calls are not intended to bend or shape to ones mouth, they are to be used as is. If non palate plate call & single reed you'll generally notice a small bump on one side of the call in the frame about center where vinyl covers top part of horseshoe. Most these calls with this bump will face towards the palate not the tongue but quite possibly can work either way. (this can vary from call maker to call maker) If double & triple reeds make sure the layering where you can see them stair step face up towards your palate not down for best results. These types of calls can be shaped to ones mouth or at times slightly trimming of the vinyl tag for best fit & feel. Don't get carried away on the bending or you will have a saggy or lazy latex if bent in. If bent to your desired fit it may be necessary to pull apart the opening of the horseshoe open end to tighten latex to achieve like new condition.

Too, I like nibbling or chewing on nearly every reed I use when it's new before putting on my tongue. This softens this canvas vinyl like a wet T-shirt so it molds to your palate & dams all air from escaping as well as softens edges & corners so they aren't poking at your gums.

All this can take a minute or 5 minutes depending on what's needed. The first time will take the longest & from there it's pretty easily done as you wear them out. One of the easiest sounds to perform are cow sounds, use center of tongue if so desired with light to medium pressure & say Shhhhhhh softly, by adjusting air-flow, tongue tension and or position of tongue in a forward or backward motion very slightly you will achieve the desired tone. You want to practice this first before you move on to bull sounds. Take one step at a time, conquer it, then move to the next step towards bull sounds. One note with bull sounds is you will need to add your own voice inflections into most of these sounds, the mouth reed can only be counted on for those creative higher notes & raspiness, it's a learning process but easily done with the proper motivation & understanding that it will take a few practice sessions to get comfortable with the reed in ones mouth. This cannot be done as a 1st timer in one or two 5-10 minute sessions. Give yourself a chance & be persistent & you will succeed!

Of course there's other good points but these should steer newer callers in the right direction!

ElkNut1

[dreamhunter]

Sounds like I need to get my calls out and work on this. I need a lil tweaking like this,thanks Paul

[Elkduds]

Paul, this description of where to fit a mouth call is the best I've read, thanks.

Last summer @ GSelkhunter's calling clinic in CO Springs, he emphasized giving the vinyl edges of a new call a chewing. This softens the vinyl to improve molding the call to the inside of top teeth, giving a better air seal. Travis' excellent calls from Wapiti Rivers Outdoors made a huge difference for me, and he sponsored the clinic. Thanks again.

The roof of my mouth is "nontypical," I thought I would never succeed w a mouth call. Once I got around experts, it was much easier than I had found in trying on my own. And I can do more w a mouth call than I could w multiple hand-held calls. The more I practice, the better I get.

[ElkNut1]

Mark, awesome the use of a mouth reed is working for you! It's not as tough as some feel! Put the right call in the right area with the right tongue & air pressure & things will come together. I think many want instant satisfaction & that just doesn't happen with mouth reeds, it does require determination to succeed. Thanks.

Yes it nearly all the instructional videos where we talk about calling I mention nibbling or chewing on the loose tag to make it pliable so you get good adhesion to dam up all air correctly, I forgot to add that to the write up! (grin) So yes Gregg is spot on!! I'll go up & add that, thanks for catching it!

ElkNut1

[twinkieman]

Paul, you taught me this several years ago on the phone, great write up, especially for turkey hunter's who have used reeds for years,( myself included) and still struggled with proper reed placement