Me on my henbox (Looking for advise)

[Sir-diealot]

I know I do not sound great, I am looking for some advise on how to play a bit better. (I need to put more time in, that is a big one) I think I may be playing it a tad to hard or maybe even way to hard. Please, feel free to give advise. Here is the sound file.  https://soundcloud.com/user-933394494/blue-mahoe-ipe-hen-box/s-ysJGl

[KYHeadhunter02]

Sounds ok to me. Hard to tell inside. Your not lifting the lid off the rail at any point at all are you? It should stay on it and you roll the lid at the end of each stroke.

Matt has some videos on YouTube and does a good job showing how to run one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Sir-diealot]

Sounds ok to me. Hard to tell inside. Your not lifting the lid off the rail at any point at all are you? It should stay on it and you roll the lid at the end of each stroke.

Matt has some videos on YouTube and does a good job showing how to run one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I do not believe I am lifting the lid, I know I play better on the one rail than the other. I do have this video of his, I have not found any other. Thank you for the reply. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7oEDRG-J6E&list=PLbF6qMoJbTLzkdmzIrqSSxeTkJKKmXVg8&index=42

[Jester87]

Kind of sounds like too much pressure down on the lid sometimes, thats when you get that screech. Have you tried flipping the box (handle facing away from you) and running it. May make that one rail easier, more comfortable to run. You sure picked a out beauty, congrats!

[Sir-diealot]

Sounds ok to me. Hard to tell inside. Your not lifting the lid off the rail at any point at all are you? It should stay on it and you roll the lid at the end of each stroke.

Matt has some videos on YouTube and does a good job showing how to run one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I got to rethinking your question about lifting the lid, I do when I bring the lid back to start a new strike but I do not think that is what you meant?

Kind of sounds like too much pressure down on the lid sometimes, thats when you get that screech. Have you tried flipping the box (handle facing away from you) and running it. May make that one rail easier, more comfortable to run. You sure picked a out beauty, congrats!

Thank you for the compliment on choice. I have tried flipping it but because of a problem I have from my car accident in 88 with my left hand it is very clumsy and very unnatural feeling in either hand.

[Jester87]

On the yelp sequences, don't lift the lid when you go back to start a new strike. Slide it back on the rail, it wont make a sound and it'll be easier to run a consistent tempo. 

[Sir-diealot]

On the yelp sequences, don't lift the lid when you go back to start a new strike. Slide it back on the rail, it wont make a sound and it'll be easier to run a consistent tempo.

Thank you very much, I will try that.

[Spitten and drummen]

I will just throw my 2 cents in. Maybe it will help you or maybe not. Some guys say dont lift the lid. These boxes are not like a cost style box as you all know. I have been running them for a very long time. If you figure out how to run it properly , you can get 3 hens per side on it. I primarily play the right side. I use even strokes on the rail and yes I lift the lid. I will play high on the rail for a cleaner yelp with a little yawk on the backend. If I want that older nastier hen I dig deeper toward the lower rail. With practice you can get the muscle memory to run it very consistant. You do use your wrist to roll off the rail. A cost style box has a spring and I never remove the lid off the rail. The hen box lid can be manipulated at slightly different angles that allow you to sound like several different hens. To achieve this I have found lifting the lid after each stroke works awesome. Again I have been running them years and have piled up birds with it. Henboxes and stribbling boxes are my absolute favorite call and I run them constantly. Again , each may have there own way but this is how I run them. Just a little practice and it will come to you. You sound good on the box but more practice and you figure out your technique and you will get better. Good luck.

[Sir-diealot]

I will just throw my 2 cents in. Maybe it will help you or maybe not. Some guys say dont lift the lid. These boxes are not like a cost style box as you all know. I have been running them for a very long time. If you figure out how to run it properly , you can get 3 hens per side on it. I primarily play the right side. I use even strokes on the rail and yes I lift the lid. I will play high on the rail for a cleaner yelp with a little yawk on the backend. If I want that older nastier hen I dig deeper toward the lower rail. With practice you can get the muscle memory to run it very consistant. You do use your wrist to roll off the rail. A cost style box has a spring and I never remove the lid off the rail. The hen box lid can be manipulated at slightly different angles that allow you to sound like several different hens. To achieve this I have found lifting the lid after each stroke works awesome. Again I have been running them years and have piled up birds with it. Henboxes and stribbling boxes are my absolute favorite call and I run them constantly. Again , each may have there own way but this is how I run them. Just a little practice and it will come to you. You sound good on the box but more practice and you figure out your technique and you will get better. Good luck.

Thank you very much for the advise and the compliment. I have to ask, what is a stribbling box? That is one I have not heard of before. Happen to have a picture?

I need more practice for sure, not only on this call either. I am having a very hard time getting the draw down on my "Wind instruments" Getting very aggravated with them (Or myself to be more accurate) lately so I have let them sit the last month or so only picking them up occasionally, but am starting to ramp it up with the season starting May 1

[Spitten and drummen]

A stribbling box is similar to a turpin. The box is hollowed out 1 piece and its a tad deeper and wider than other style boxes. I have 2 from John Eddleman. He writes about them in his book "East of the Slash". Great read if you can get your hands on it. Hope that helps.

[HookedonHooks]

I will just throw my 2 cents in. Maybe it will help you or maybe not. Some guys say dont lift the lid. These boxes are not like a cost style box as you all know. I have been running them for a very long time. If you figure out how to run it properly , you can get 3 hens per side on it. I primarily play the right side. I use even strokes on the rail and yes I lift the lid. I will play high on the rail for a cleaner yelp with a little yawk on the backend. If I want that older nastier hen I dig deeper toward the lower rail. With practice you can get the muscle memory to run it very consistant. You do use your wrist to roll off the rail. A cost style box has a spring and I never remove the lid off the rail. The hen box lid can be manipulated at slightly different angles that allow you to sound like several different hens. To achieve this I have found lifting the lid after each stroke works awesome. Again I have been running them years and have piled up birds with it. Henboxes and stribbling boxes are my absolute favorite call and I run them constantly. Again , each may have there own way but this is how I run them. Just a little practice and it will come to you. You sound good on the box but more practice and you figure out your technique and you will get better. Good luck.

x2. Finding what's comfortable and works for the user with these boxes it's the most important. I too notice I lift the lid a little on henboxes when you wouldn't on a Cost or Fiddle to get the desired sounds I like. It's all about the finesse and slightest manipulations with these calls.

[Sir-diealot]

A stribbling box is similar to a turpin. The box is hollowed out 1 piece and its a tad deeper and wider than other style boxes. I have 2 from John Eddleman. He writes about them in his book "East of the Slash". Great read if you can get your hands on it. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the description. I do actually have both of his books on my wishlist, East of the Slash is VERY expensive though, so it will likely have to wait until after Oklahoma in 2021 or til after turkey season at the very least for me.

I will just throw my 2 cents in. Maybe it will help you or maybe not. Some guys say dont lift the lid. These boxes are not like a cost style box as you all know. I have been running them for a very long time. If you figure out how to run it properly , you can get 3 hens per side on it. I primarily play the right side. I use even strokes on the rail and yes I lift the lid. I will play high on the rail for a cleaner yelp with a little yawk on the backend. If I want that older nastier hen I dig deeper toward the lower rail. With practice you can get the muscle memory to run it very consistant. You do use your wrist to roll off the rail. A cost style box has a spring and I never remove the lid off the rail. The hen box lid can be manipulated at slightly different angles that allow you to sound like several different hens. To achieve this I have found lifting the lid after each stroke works awesome. Again I have been running them years and have piled up birds with it. Henboxes and stribbling boxes are my absolute favorite call and I run them constantly. Again , each may have there own way but this is how I run them. Just a little practice and it will come to you. You sound good on the box but more practice and you figure out your technique and you will get better. Good luck.

x2. Finding what's comfortable and works for the user with these boxes it's the most important. I too notice I lift the lid a little on henboxes when you wouldn't on a Cost or Fiddle to get the desired sounds I like. It's all about the finesse and slightest manipulations with these calls.

Thank you, I really do appreciate all in input, I know I will get better in time, I think I could call a turkey with one as I am now but I am not very confident in it/myself at this time.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

I will just throw my 2 cents in. Maybe it will help you or maybe not. Some guys say dont lift the lid. These boxes are not like a cost style box as you all know. I have been running them for a very long time. If you figure out how to run it properly , you can get 3 hens per side on it. I primarily play the right side. I use even strokes on the rail and yes I lift the lid. I will play high on the rail for a cleaner yelp with a little yawk on the backend. If I want that older nastier hen I dig deeper toward the lower rail. With practice you can get the muscle memory to run it very consistant. You do use your wrist to roll off the rail. A cost style box has a spring and I never remove the lid off the rail. The hen box lid can be manipulated at slightly different angles that allow you to sound like several different hens. To achieve this I have found lifting the lid after each stroke works awesome. Again I have been running them years and have piled up birds with it. Henboxes and stribbling boxes are my absolute favorite call and I run them constantly. Again , each may have there own way but this is how I run them. Just a little practice and it will come to you. You sound good on the box but more practice and you figure out your technique and you will get better. Good luck.

x2. Finding what's comfortable and works for the user with these boxes it's the most important. I too notice I lift the lid a little on henboxes when you wouldn't on a Cost or Fiddle to get the desired sounds I like. It's all about the finesse and slightest manipulations with these calls.

x3    Try to pick up the pace of your yelps just a bit and shorten each yelp note a hair

[Spitten and drummen]

Another thing that may help. Open the lid out wide , take your thumb and index finger and place them on the sides of the lid . Tilt paddle down and drag it with just a tad of pressure slowly. You will hear it start high and when it breaks into the backend , lift and repeat. Once you have that stroke down , speed it up. Once satisfied with that , adjust angle of paddle slightly , open the lid about half way and do same thing. Doing this will help you locate the different hens in the call. Also run it outside as much as possible. The accustics will be different. I have had call that sounded pretty bad indoors only to come to life outside. Just some recomendations.

[Sir-diealot]

I will just throw my 2 cents in. Maybe it will help you or maybe not. Some guys say dont lift the lid. These boxes are not like a cost style box as you all know. I have been running them for a very long time. If you figure out how to run it properly , you can get 3 hens per side on it. I primarily play the right side. I use even strokes on the rail and yes I lift the lid. I will play high on the rail for a cleaner yelp with a little yawk on the backend. If I want that older nastier hen I dig deeper toward the lower rail. With practice you can get the muscle memory to run it very consistant. You do use your wrist to roll off the rail. A cost style box has a spring and I never remove the lid off the rail. The hen box lid can be manipulated at slightly different angles that allow you to sound like several different hens. To achieve this I have found lifting the lid after each stroke works awesome. Again I have been running them years and have piled up birds with it. Henboxes and stribbling boxes are my absolute favorite call and I run them constantly. Again , each may have there own way but this is how I run them. Just a little practice and it will come to you. You sound good on the box but more practice and you figure out your technique and you will get better. Good luck.

x2. Finding what's comfortable and works for the user with these boxes it's the most important. I too notice I lift the lid a little on henboxes when you wouldn't on a Cost or Fiddle to get the desired sounds I like. It's all about the finesse and slightest manipulations with these calls.

x3    Try to pick up the pace of your yelps just a bit and shorten each yelp note a hair

Oh yes, the cadence needs some work for sure, that will come as I learn to run the call better, right now I want to get the motion down. Thanks for pointing that out.

Another thing that may help. Open the lid out wide , take your thumb and index finger and place them on the sides of the lid . Tilt paddle down and drag it with just a tad of pressure slowly. You will hear it start high and when it breaks into the backend , lift and repeat. Once you have that stroke down , speed it up. Once satisfied with that , adjust angle of paddle slightly , open the lid about half way and do same thing. Doing this will help you locate the different hens in the call. Also run it outside as much as possible. The accustics will be different. I have had call that sounded pretty bad indoors only to come to life outside. Just some recomendations.

Oh yes, outside makes and ton of difference, can tell that in my trumpet and yelper practice. Getting away from the recording devise will help as well as recording in the woods if I can. 

It took me a second to understand what you meant but as I got further into your statement it became clear. I will try those exercises as well. I would have it out playing it today if not for this headache.