How to Yodel: Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils and Funnybone [Paperback]

Wylie Gustafson (Author), Robert Payne (Illustrator)

Book Description

How to Yodel offers the lessons, tips, techniques, and music you need to get that long-awaited degree in the high art of yodeling, while finally being able to bask in the attention of adoring fans and lovesick coyotes. In no time, you'll be the next Vocal Virtuoso . . . Pavarotti of the Plains . . . Epiglottis Goddess . . . Yodeling Superstar! Simple instructions, illustrations, and examples combined with the accompanying CD make it easy to learn the fine art of the yodel. Renowned country music artist and original Yahoo yodeler Wylie Gustafson shares lessons, trivia, quotes, history, and other tidbits about yodeling, complete with hilarious sidebars.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Are your tonsils bored?
Are you ready for standing ovations instead of walking ovations?
Is your cattle call more like a cat call?
You're in luck! Inside this book is a simple but surefire way to make yourself heard. It's time to yodel! World-famous Yahooer and yodeling guru Wylie Gustafson teaches fun and easy lessons in the high art of yodeling, with a big dose of hilarity along the way. You'll learn the secrets of great yodelers, how to find your voice break, and even some fancy tongue tricks. Before you know it, you'll be belting out yodels that would make a Bavarian goatherd proud!
Yodeler, songwriter, rancher, and horseman Wylie Gustafson leads the musical outfit known as Wylie & the Wild West. The group has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Grand Ole Opry, the National Folk Festival, and the Lincoln Center. Wylie lives on and runs a working ranch near Dusty, Washington, with his wife, Kimberley.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Voice warm ups and breathing exercises.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (July 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423602137
• ISBN-13: 978-1423602132
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Folk & Traditional
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Music > Instruments & Performers > Voice

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wylie Gets Your Yodel Going, November 21, 2007

By 

Terry Lyle "Yodeler" (Jamestown, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Yodel: Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils and Funnybone (Paperback)

I'm a big fan of yodeling and new yodeling recordings are relatively hard to find. "How to yodel" recordings are even more rare. I was thrilled when I saw that Wylie Gustafson was releasing an instruction cd on how to yodel. I preordered right away.
After hearing the CD, I declared it a winner. Wylie is a superior cowboy yodeler and I've always enjoyed his sassy yodel sound. Wylie keeps things simple and provides both instructional yodels and sing along tracks so you can practice the songs once you learn the basics. He includes one lesson that other yodeling instructions often leave out. That is, how to find the break in your voice.
I like Wylie's technique for learning the voice break a lot and think it's one of the most effective tricks I'ver heard. It consists of "toggling" between your chest voice and your head voice. I think anyone could find the break if they use this technique.
I particularly enjoyed the little book that comes with the CD and it is very humorous. It contains some history and is a general reference guide for all things "yodel". I loved Robert Payne's very skillfull and funny illustrations that permeate the pages of the book.
Wylie is up front about this being an introductory level effort and that his aim was to keep it simple. I found myself wishing for more though. But, I'm a more advanced amateur yodeler and pretty much have all of the Wylie's yodels covered. This isn't meant to detract from the very fun instructions that Wylie has provided and beginners should buy it right away.
I still favor Kerry Christensen's "U 2 Can Yodel" (but, I favor alpine yodeling) as the best yodeling instruction CD out there. Having said that, I highly recommend Wylie Gustafson's HOW TO YODEL as a terrific, fun, approach to learning the art of yodeling.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Absolute Beginners, May 18, 2008

By 

Meaninglessbark (The Jet City, WASH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Yodel: Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils and Funnybone (Paperback)

"How to Yodel" is everything you'd want in an introduction to yodelling. The book itself is short, direct, informative. It's a simple and quick read that's not overly technical.

The "How to Yodel" CD that comes with the book is the real gem. "I'll do my best to keep things simple and easy to understand," Wylie says in the introduction, and he keeps to his promise. Wylie's instructions are easy going, friendly, and presented with a dash of goofy humor. ("Well be doin' a lotta weird soundin' stuff so make sure that you are alone and out of earshot of anyone sensitive to otherworldly sounds and/or general cacophony.") You'd have to be completely vocally challenged to not learn at least the most basic yodelling technique from Wylie.

"How to Yodel" would be an excellent (and unusual) gift for anyone who likes to sing along with traditional western music. If that singing someone happens to be you it's a great way to put some shine on skills you probably already have.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Yodel, January 18, 2010

By 

Bill (Sunrise Beach, Mo) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Yodel: Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils and Funnybone (Paperback)

This is a great book and a really good CD that comes with it. When I ordered it I didn't know I was getting a CD with the book. A good CD and book. I've already learned a lot and only had this book and CD about three weeks. It diffinately gets a five star rating. Thanks Amazon.