Trying to learn to bugle, what am I doing wrong?

[PhlyanPan]

So I've basically got the tone correct. Sometimes it takes me a few tries to get it but that will come with practice..

The thing that I'm having trouble with is just running out of air. I've got the elknut app and I can just barely get long enough for a location bugle sometimes. Sometimes I fall short and run out of breath. I can never do one of the really long drawn out ones.

It's there some trick I'm not aware of our is it just working at it and building lung capacity?

 

[justin84]

Tough to say for sure but I think if you’re running out of air you may be blowing too hard.

 

[Gerbdog]

I forget which tutorial video it was... Probably one of Corey's videos... but you are passing too much air over the reed, basically just blowing into the tube. You need to adjust the pressure on the reed with your tongue, it should take very little air to make the reed sing and then you can get a proper bugle, or two in a row even, or a bugle and some chuckles, etc. etc. etc..... tongue pressure is the answer (probably since I have no idea what it sounds like or look like)

 

[Pgohil]

Sounds like too much air is getting around to reed. For me, my tongue forms a seal and I'm able to very carefully control the amount of air across the reed. The more pressure the higher the note. Only on an exceptionally long location Google but I even come close to being without air.

Check to see that air is not escaping around the reed.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Scooter90254]

It seems like I had that same issue when I first started. It was pressure related for me. I had to apply more pressure to limit how much air I had to push over the call to make noise.

 

[justinspicher]

Do more cardio.


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[PhlyanPan]

Do more cardio.


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

It's certainly good advice anyway since I'm a fatty McFatterson. Just not sure it's going to help the bugle.

 

[justinspicher]

It is definitely an acquired skill. I don’t personally bugle myself, it usually blows all the elk out of an area because the NR who come here bulge all the time and expect an elk to come running like they do on YouTube.

 

[ElkNut1]

I think you have old reeds, they sound wore out! How old are they? What reed are you using. How long have you been trying to bugle?

ElkNut

 

[Ross]

Practice different tongue pressures and call locations in your mouth and try to finesse the reed it is your friend into making the sound...takes a lot of practice but once you get it you know itnr with 34 yrs of bugling Experience. otc Idaho for my buddy 5 hrs in the woods at the end of season elk had heard 100s of calls it can be done and fun

 

[Sled]

Tough to say for sure but I think if you’re running out of air you may be blowing too hard.

get to the doc quick. with the shortage in spirometers due to covid, a bugle tube is the new volumetric test for the health of your lungs. you don't have to be the herd bull but at least a short spike bugle to not quarantine.


just kidding, justin is likely correct. different placement or tongue pressure might fix your issue and allow less air to make the same sounds for you.

 

[PhlyanPan]

I think you have old reeds, they sound wore out! How old are they? What reed are you using. How long have you been trying to bugle?

ElkNut

They're Phelps calls. A green, white, and a gray. Weirdly sometimes one works better than the others but it's not always the same one. Some days i get the white to work, some days the gray, some days the green. I haven't been able to pick a favorite. I've only been trying since February.

Edit: I would say the green is usually the one I have the hardest time with.

 

[5MilesBack]

Edit: I would say the green is usually the one I have the hardest time with.

You need to try several different types and sizes to find the one that fits your palate, and that you can make the entire range of sounds with without trying to force it. Don't even pick up the bugle tube until you can run up and down the scale easily with just the diaphragm.

 

[rtkbowhunter]

Ok....full disclosure I am absolute wet behind the ears rookie when it comes to calling. One thing I have learned is to control the amount of air I'm pushing with my diaphragm (the one that works your lungs). I found once I did that, holding notes was a lot easier and I didn't seem to run out of air.

 

[JBrew]

You'll have that sometimes if the call is too far forward, towards your front teeth. Try seating the call towards the back of your palate. This will also help with getting the right pressure

 

[PhlyanPan]

You'll have that sometimes if the call is too far forward, towards your front teeth. Try seating the call towards the back of your palate. This will also help with getting the right pressure

That's odd cause I've actually gotten a couple that felt much better by pushing it farther forward and pressing with the underside of my tongue by curling it up and back. That gave me a much better seal and allowed me to blow it longer.

 

[ccoffey]

Just keep doing it and working with the call. What helped me when I first started trying to learn was watching multiple different people in videos describe how to make the different sounds. Somebody would describe it one way and I wouldn't get it, then I'd go to somebody else's channel and listen to them describe the sound and I'd get it immediately.

 

[ElkNut1]

Ok, here's where a call goes, without reed in your mouth place the tip of your tongue right where gum line meets inside of front teeth, now slide tongue back slowly until you reach the cleft of your pallet, it's about 3/8" back. That's where front of reed should be placed. You can move it slightly front or back as we all have different palates but that's the proper starting place. -- Now put reed on your tongue & lift into position, the tape surrounding reed on rear will slant about 30 degrees up & touch your roof of mouth. This is where all air will be dammed up so no air passes above the tape & roof of pallet. -- At no time should your front or back teeth clamp down on the tape of the reed,

With reed in place now touch the tip of tongue to bottom gum line of bottom teeth. this will put the center of your tongue in the center of the latex, that's where you start your practicing! You now have proper reed placement!

p.s. Chew/nibble the tape surrounding metal frame to soften it up so it's easier to mold/shape to your pallet, do it for 15-30 seconds. As you gently apply tongue & air pressure say the word Shhhh, that's how you will learn to make sounds especially cow sounds first! The tongue placement stays the same for both Cow & Bull sounds!

ElkNut

 

[PhlyanPan]

Ok, here's where a call goes, without reed in your mouth place the tip of your tongue right where gum line meets inside of front teeth, now slide tongue back slowly until you reach the cleft of your pallet, it's about 3/8" back. That's where front of reed should be placed. You can move it slightly front or back as we all have different palates but that's the proper starting place. -- Now put reed on your tongue & lift into position, the tape surrounding reed on rear will slant about 30 degrees up & touch your roof of mouth. This is where all air will be dammed up so no air passes above the tape & roof of pallet. -- At no time should your front or back teeth clamp down on the tape of the reed,

With reed in place now touch the tip of tongue to bottom gum line of bottom teeth. this will put the center of your tongue in the center of the latex, that's where you start your practicing! You now have proper reed placement!

p.s. Chew/nibble the tape surrounding metal frame to soften it up so it's easier to mold/shape to your pallet, do it for 15-30 seconds. As you gently apply tongue & air pressure say the word Shhhh, that's how you will learn to make sounds especially cow sounds first! The tongue placement stays the same for both Cow & Bull sounds!

ElkNut

I think I do have the placement right. I'm trying it now and it feels like it's in the area you describe.

Are you saying I should be pressing the tip of my tongue against the latex? If that's the case then I think that's the problem. I've been using it with my tongue farther forward and the middle of my tongue on the latex.

 

[ElkNut1]

Use the center of your tongue as the contact point in the middle of the latex. With the reed in place as I described the center of your tongue will automatically find the center of latex, you will not have to search for it. If it doesnt then reed needs to be re-positioned so it does, we are talking very small movements here.

Make sure no air is escaping above the tape & roof of your mouth, all air must pass between center of tongue & latex. If air passes above then you need to take the reed & nibble/chew tape with saliva to soften like a wet T-shirt, this will aid in damming all air.

You said you have the App? I show a video of all of this on it?

ElkNut