Open-smile vowels

How the long e sound looks and how it is made:
The tongue is in a forward and high position in the mouth, and the sides of the tongue are pressing into the upper teeth, with the tip of the tongue placed behind the lower teeth. The jaw is elevated, and the lips are retracted (opposite of rounded). The sound also produces vocal fold vibrations. The feeling for this sound, comes from the jaw being elevated, and the tongue sides pressing into the upper teeth, but with the tip of the tongue being lower.

How the initial Y sound looks and how it is made:
The tongue begins in a high forward position in the mouth with the sides of the toungue in contact with the upper teeth. Tongue moves in a gliding motion from this position to a more open position with the tongue relaxed in the lower part of the mouth. The lips are slightly open, and the jaw (lower mandible) is elevated. The vocal cords produce vibrations for this sound. The feeling for this sound comes from the gliding action of the tongue from the high forward position to a more relaxed position in the lower part of the mouth, and that it produces vibration in the cords.

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