Cody,
I would recommend getting a double reed call. IMO they tend to be eaiser for newbies to learn to blow. A double reed is harder to over blow. As far as to what brand to get, that sometimes becomes a Ford vs. Chevy thing. I personally really like Rich N Tone calls, thats just me. There is a guy in either Indiana or Ohio named Kelly Gadus. He makes a great call too, very reasonable on price. And there are a few guys right here on this page that make very nice calls too. I'll let them pitch themselves.
As far as learning how to make sounds, the thing to remember is, every basic sound you will make from a duck call are all based on being able to make a simple "quack". Everything else is built off of that quack sound. The one HUGE mistake I see newbies make is they cut the air going into the call, off with their throat/lungs/gut. The air going into the call should be cut off using your tongue against the roof of your mouth, next to where your front teeth meet the roof of your mouth. Sounds should cut off quickly and cleanly. The best advice I can give you is to find someone locally who sounds like you'd like to sound on a duck call and have them help you. Also, go to a local park or some place with ducks and listen to them. Break down the calls they make and remember it's all based on the quack.
Hope this helps....
Jeff