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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000096.txt from 2006/01
From: Isaac Bull <contrareed@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Single tongueing (Bassoon)
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 17:24:07 -0500
Hi Tim - great that this is getting you working on tonguing.
Here are some more ideas for what they're worth:
Starting on single notes is a good thing - with a metronome you can move
from slower to more rapid notes (eg quaver, triplets, semi-quaver,
semi-demi? quaver) etc. over the beat
da da da da dada dada dada dada, dadada dadada dadada, etc.
As well, try using a softer attack da rather than ta which
can be a bit explosive.
Wish you all the best on your concert.
Sincerely,
Isaac Bull
Freelance bassoon/contrabassoon
Legal Assistant
Vancouver BC Canada
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Hunt" <tim@-----.uk>
To: <doublereed@-----.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Single tongueing (Bassoon)
> Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.
>
> Isaac Bull wrote:
>
>> Unless you are faced with opposition in your section and/or conductor to
>> sluring some notes (which I expect would be rare) I suggest there is
>> nothing wrong with this at all - in fact far better than attempting to
>> tongue the whole thing and making a mess of it - cleaner is better and
>> if adding a slur or two helps go for it.
>
> Our conductor has very high aspirations, and when I asked him, he said
> he though it really ought to be tongued if at all possible. However, the
> other bassoon player is more pragmatic, and we think that in this case
> we will get away with slurring.
>
>
>> Of course it also goes without saying that a lot of building up speed is
>> from gaining confidence so start slower - you've got 80 - try starting
>> at 72 and then increasing in small increments using a metronome - using
>> varied rhythms (dotted etc.) to give some variety.
>
> As well as playing with the metronome (speed), I though up another
> exercise: at a given speed start by playing an easy to blow note
> repeatedly, and then move to tougher notes, for example gradually
> heading down the bottom octave of a C major scale. Does anyone have any
> opinions on whether that is likely to be a worthwhile exercise?
>
>
>> I know some may think that bassoons aren't heard and it's not worth the
>> effort
>
> In the case of this passage, bsn, viola, cello and clarinet are all
> playing the same thing, and I don't think it would be possible to tell
> whether the the bassoons were slurring or tonguing under all that. I
> would never argue that bassoons are not important.
>
>> but if IMHO you can play this kind of passage with confidence it
>> makes a very big difference in the average Beethoven size orchestra.
>> Bassoons are a big boost to the cello / bass sound and a nice added
>> colour.
>
> I am now treating passage a way of practicing any tonguing, just to see
> how far I can get (so far 90), but not really caring if I ever get as
> far as 120. I realise that I have never really practiced tonguing
> before. My old teacher used to prefer scales slurred, on the grounds
> that it encourages precise finger movements from note to note to get
> clean slurs. He retired just before Christmas, and now I have a new
> teacher who prefers scales tongued to encourage coordination between
> tongue and fingers.
>
> Tim.
>
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