After the article I posted on April 30th, Thoughts on Tonguing, I thought I should go farther in depth with developing the quickness and endurance of your single tonguing.
The big idea to focus on when working on solid tonguing technique to make sure the air is still initiating the note and the tongue is just clearing up the attack and separating the air stream. You then only want to use the tip of the tongue to articulation, as this will it cleaner and much easier for muscles in the tongue. To get an idea why to only use the tip of the tongue, try clap as fast as you can for as long as you can by keeping your arms perfectly straight and only rotating at the shoulder. Wears you out pretty soon and you can't go that fast? Now only clap from the elbows, keeping your wrists straight. Better, right? Finally clap by only using your wrist. You're noticing how it keeps getting faster and it's not nearly as tiring either. You're tongue works in the same manner and this is why we say to only use the tip of the tongue to articulate.
The second half of having a pristine tonguing technique is knowing where in the mouth the tip of the tongue lands. I could go on and on trying to describe the exact location on the roof of you're mouth, right about where the teeth meet the gum. The problem is that everyone has heard this explanation and there are still plenty of people who still don't understand where in the mouth the tongue hits. The way I learned, from Wendy Hinman, of where to articulate was by saying the word "Telephone." Try it, and examine exactly where the tongue is landing when you say this. This point is right where the tip of the tongue needs to go for a clean articulation.
Now to move these ideas to the horn. To work on starting the note with the air and not relying on the tongue, pick an easy note and do four air-attacks without scooping or cracking the note to find the exact air speed you need for that note. Then add the tongue to this and do four regular attacks and try to get the same feeling as the air-attacks. Then expand this exercise in both directions to work on your lower and upper range.
The "Telephone" exercise transition very nicely over to the horn as well. Start on 3rd space C in the treble staff and think of saying Te-Le-phoNe evenly four time in a row. (The reason the "N" is capitalized is because that is the part of the word where the tongue hits the roof of the mouth.) If you say "telephone" evenly you should be getting a triplet rhythm. Here is the exercise in full...
The big idea to focus on when working on solid tonguing technique to make sure the air is still initiating the note and the tongue is just clearing up the attack and separating the air stream. You then only want to use the tip of the tongue to articulation, as this will it cleaner and much easier for muscles in the tongue. To get an idea why to only use the tip of the tongue, try clap as fast as you can for as long as you can by keeping your arms perfectly straight and only rotating at the shoulder. Wears you out pretty soon and you can't go that fast? Now only clap from the elbows, keeping your wrists straight. Better, right? Finally clap by only using your wrist. You're noticing how it keeps getting faster and it's not nearly as tiring either. You're tongue works in the same manner and this is why we say to only use the tip of the tongue to articulate.
The second half of having a pristine tonguing technique is knowing where in the mouth the tip of the tongue lands. I could go on and on trying to describe the exact location on the roof of you're mouth, right about where the teeth meet the gum. The problem is that everyone has heard this explanation and there are still plenty of people who still don't understand where in the mouth the tongue hits. The way I learned, from Wendy Hinman, of where to articulate was by saying the word "Telephone." Try it, and examine exactly where the tongue is landing when you say this. This point is right where the tip of the tongue needs to go for a clean articulation. Now to move these ideas to the horn. To work on starting the note with the air and not relying on the tongue, pick an easy note and do four air-attacks without scooping or cracking the note to find the exact air speed you need for that note. Then add the tongue to this and do four regular attacks and try to get the same feeling as the air-attacks. Then expand this exercise in both directions to work on your lower and upper range.
The "Telephone" exercise transition very nicely over to the horn as well. Start on 3rd space C in the treble staff and think of saying Te-Le-phoNe evenly four time in a row. (The reason the "N" is capitalized is because that is the part of the word where the tongue hits the roof of the mouth.) If you say "telephone" evenly you should be getting a triplet rhythm. Here is the exercise in full...
If you keep practicing this everyday and go for a relaxed ease with your tonguing you should see remarkable improvement in both your speed and endurance.
I remember "Mex-i-co" for getting the triplet rhythm right. Telephone is a new one. I guess you are using the 't' sound to get the tongue position. I've always been able to single tongue fast enough to not need triple tonguing.
ReplyDeleteWell this exercise should be used for single tonguing. Any word like strawberry or Mexico is good for subdividing a triplet rhythm, but this exercise is more for getting the tongue to strike the right spot on the roof of the mouth consecutively.
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