Klarinet Archive - Posting 000271.txt from 1995/06

From: Tom Ascher <U15310@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Double tonguing
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 1995 11:34:14 -0400

Clark,

Following is an exerpt which I thought I'd shared with the net about a
year ago:

Reproduced from pps. 96- 105: Pino - THE CLARINET AND CLARINET PLAYING
Sorry that the musical notation is left out!

TONGUING AND ARTICULATION:

I have discovered through experience that the double tonguing part of
the technique is not only easier than the triple tonguing, but it is
also more useful. I use triple tonguing wherever it is appropriate,
of course, but double tonguing is needed more often.
For this reason, if you have much greater difficulty with the
triple tonguing, you should forget all about it until you have
practiced on-the reed double tonguing for quite some time. Let
several months pass, if necessary, between learning double and
triple tonging. For some clarinetists, of course, triple
tonguing will present nomore problems than double tonguing.

Finally, if you have terrible difficulties coordinating the tongu-
ing technique with your moving fingers, the cause of the trouble
will be, almost invariably, the tongue's moving far too quickly! It is
your tongue that is ahead, not your fingers that are behind. Re-
member that you have literaly doubled the effective speed of
your tongue tip. You must remind yourself that you have become
capable of tremendously fast tongue speeds, while the tongue
itself should feel lazy, relaxed, and slow. I had one student
whose only difficulty with double tonguing, from the very
first day he tried it, was to slow it down enough so that his
speed could bemeasured on a metronome! After several minutes
of experimentation he finally slowed it down enough that,
while he held a long open G, I "clocked" his double tonguing
tempo at four beautifully tongued notes per beat at a metronome
marking of 160.

On-the-reed multiple tonguing, as I have described it, continues
to please me very much. I have now used it for several years and I
have taught it successfully to players who have been interested in
learningit. I spent most of one summer gaining a command of the
technique, and during that time I never let it take up too much of
my practice time at any one sitting. During the following fall, I felt
confident enough to use on-the-reed double tonguing during one
of my solo clarinet recitals. My naturally slow tongue need never
be a problem again, and that is gratifying!

THE PROCEDURE FOR LEARNING
ON-THE-REED MULTIPLE TONGUING

PART1:
The Introduction to the Technique

Record the metronome markings at which you can single-
tongue repeated open Gs both four to a beat and three to a beat.

Momentarily putting the clarinet aside, simply sit in a good
playing position and say the words "Tuttle-uttle-uttle-uttle" (etc.)
making sure that the tongue remainslow, relaxed, and wide across
the middle; not pointed.

Take up the clarinet and single-tongue a few repetitions of open
G again, this time at only a medium tempo. This is just to become
reacquainted with the reed, and to relax the tongue.
Begin a fairly long open G with a regular single-tongued stroke,
taking care to pronounce it "Tuh" as in the first syllable of the
word "Tuttle." Do this a few times, totally relaxing the tongue
during each held tone.

Begin another open G with "Tuh" but this time finish the word
"Tuttle" by returning the tongue to the reed after "Tuh" in
the manner of "tle." This second stroke should carry the tip of
the tongue up past the tip of the reed to the roof of the mouth, and
it should leave the middle of the tongue relaxed and broad across
the bottom of the mouth.

Staying relaxed, return the tip of the tongue to its resting position
bypassing it downward over the tip of the reed, pronouncing
the syllable "Uh."

The tongue is now ready for another upward stroke, as in pro-
nouncing another "tle," and to be brushed past the reed tip again
on its way towards the roof of the mouth.
Now another downward stroke, brushing past the reed tip
again, to return to the resting position in the bottom of the mouth.
Repeat this whole process, quicker but still without extreme
speed; in other words, do a very relaxed, smooth, and even "Tut-
tle-uttle-Uh."The last syllable could also be "Ah" if desired.
Remove the reed and mouthpiece from the mouth and say
again, "Tuttle-uttle-uttle-uttle" (etc.).
Replace the clarinet into the embouchure and do it again on the
open G, this time adding another stroke: "Tuttle-uttle-uttle-uttle-
Uh. "Stay relaxed throughout, aim for evenness.
Keep practicing this on open G until the double tonguing be-
gins to sound like very fast single tonguing, very smooth, even,
and homogeneous. The tongue need not move quickly to achieve this
similarity.

At this point you should stop practicing this technique. It is very
important to let the tongue rest now. Normal practicing, using
only the usual single tonguing technique, maY be resumed.
Follow this procedure again later at other practice sessions,
still using open G only, until you are satisfied that the effect is a
good one, and that the up-and-down strokes sound identical to a
listener.

After you are satisfied with the effect, record the metronome
marking at which you can tongue four open Gs to the beat by
using this form of double tonguing. Compare this with your fastest
tempo for single tonguing four notes to the beat. (Triple tonguing
comes later.)

PART II:
The Development of Double Tonguing

Extend the procedure (a tong tone followed by "Tuttl-uttle-
tuttle-uttle-Uh," etc.) from open G to thumb F, low C, low F,
thumb F again, top-line F, fourth-space E, throat E, low E, low F
again, low C again, and finally thumb F again.

After doing that exercise on thumb F, do the following also on
that note: :Tuh-tuttle-uttle-uttle-Uh" in the rhythm of:

Repeat the fore going exercise, and then slur this passage:

Now, using the double-tonguing technique, play the following
exercise:

The next step is to repeat the last exercise, this time tonguing
every note in all four measures rather than slurring the last two. In
this manner, double tonguing has been accomplished while rapidly
changing pitches.
Now do the following two four-measure exercises (first, the one
containing a slurred scale; second, the same one played all
tongued) up a whole step, thus transposing them from F major to
G major:

Transpose all eight measures (the two exercises together have
become one longer one) down to E pure minor in the lowest oc-
tave of the clarinet's range.
Now transpose the eight-measure exercise back to F major,
then to G major, and then to E minor again. A rest for the tongue
should occur here; put off further practice of the technique until
another occasion.
The next transposition of the eight-measure exercise is to G
major in the second octave. In other words, play the exercise as it
is printed above, in the key of G, but take it up an octave.
When satisfied with that, next do it in F major down a whole
step, so that its range begins on top-line F and ends on thumb F.
The next step is to transpose the same exercise into any or all
descending one-octave major or minor scales, but avoid the range
above G on top of the staff. Do this until crossing the "break"
downward is satisfactory.

Having become satisfied with your execution of one-octave de-
scending majorand minor scales over the "break," double-tongue
the followingexercise. In syllables this exercise would be pro-
nounced "Tuh-tuttle-uttle-uttle-Uh, tuttle-uttle-uttle-Uh."
(Again, the last syllable could be "Ah" if that seems more natural.)

Double-tongue this last exercise as slowly as possible and as fast
as possible. Rest from this by throwing in an occasional run-
through at a medium, comfortable tempo.

Transpose it now up a step to G major, and then to G minor at
the same pitch. For variety, do all three forms of G minor.
Now transpose it up an octave to G minor beginning on the G
on top of the staff. In this manner you encounter double tonguing
over the "break" ascending. (Do not try that particular octave yet in
G major.) Now rest the Tongue.
When rested, or at a later practice session, transpose that exer-
cise down a step to F major (not F minor yet). Make that work
satisfactorily by employing the same over-the-break principles
you have always used: Keep the fingers relaxed, the air flowing
smoothly, and use as little finger movement as possible. It will prob-
ably help to put the right hand down when ascending from B-flat
to C-natural at the "break."

Next, go back to the G scale up a step again, this time playing it
in major. Now the "break" will occur between A-narural and B-
natural. Employ the same principles of smoothness and relaxation.
After this can be done to good effect, transpose the same exer-
cise to any and all major and minor scales for one octave, using
the range again from low E up to no higher than G on top of the
staff.

Continue exactly the same thing, but now extend the range of
the scale exercise higher, going no higher than high C-natural.
Now th eexercise must be reversed.-

Take this new exercise up one octave.
Now take it up another octave, which which will extend your
double- tonguing range to high F.
Now up one step to G major, which extends the double-tongu-
ing range to high G.
Next, practice two- and three-octave major and minor scales,
four notes to the beat, all over the range of the clarinet.
Begin each new octave of the scales with this rhythm:

Double tonguing has now been accomplished over the entire
range of theinstrument, since it will be quite easy now to extend it
even beyond high G. You are now ready for the printed page.

Obtain a copy of Reginald Kefl's Seventeen Staccato Studies (In-
ternational Music Company) and look at the first study. Disregard
the words at thetop ofthe page, which are directed toward single
tonguing only.
The entire study reiterate the "eighth-and-two-sixteenths"
rhythmic pattern. Practice the study first all slurred to
become completely familiar with the notes.
Next, at a comfortable tempo, practice the piece using the usual
single Tonguing. Do not bother to make much, if anything, of the
dynamics in order to concentrate on smoothly flowing air.
When you are thoroughly familiar with the piece, completely dis-
regard the dynamics this time, and apply double tonguing to it in
this manner: "Tuh-tuttle-Uh-tuttle-Uh," and so on. Maintain a
good forte volume throughout.
If youfeel musically and technically ready, you could try playing
the piece observing the dynamics now; however, it will be
absolutely necessary to use continuous breath support as well as
concentrated tongue control. Dynamic variation, executed simultane-
ously with double tonguing, will become easier to achieve later
on.

PART III:

How to Practice Double Tonguing
On-the-reed double tonguing should now be established. Pro-
ceed with the Kell Study No. 2, one beat to the measure, after
practicing it first slurred and then single-tongued, just as you
prepared No.1 earlier.
Systematic practice should proceed essentially as follows: First,
with a metronome, find a comfortable tempo at which you can
double-tongue four notes to a beat, and do the following exercise
at that tempo, using the metronome:

Now set the metronome only one notch faster, and do the exer-
cise again.
Continue setting the metronome one notch faster and repeating
the exercise until you cannot double-tongue any faster on that
exercise.
Now set the metronome one notch slower and repeat the exer-
cise.
Continue setting the metronome one notch slower and repeat-
ing the exercise. Soon you will be back to your starting point on
the metronome, but continue setting it one notch slower and re-
peating the exercise until your double tonguing cannot be slowed
down anymore. By following this procedure you will greatly ex-
tend the tempo range of your double tonguing.
Also extend your new double tonguing to the solo literature for
clarinet. Try tonguing the long sixteenth-note passages in the fast
movements of the Mozart Concerto and in the various solo pieces
of Weber, for example.
When this sort of thing happens in music:

you must put the tongue "in gear" by single-tonguing the first note
(E) and beginning the "Tuttles" on the next notes (F and G).
In addition to using the clarinet's solo literature, applying dou-
ble tonguing to other music will be profitable. Use more of the
Kell studies, other studies, and ensemble music.

PART V:

The development of Triple Tonguing

We must first be certain that on-the-reed double tonguing is
comfortable for the player before he attempts triple tonguing.
The more comfortable the former, the easier the latter will be.
In the rhythm of triplets (and without the clarinet in the mouth),
say the syllables "Tuttle-tuh-tuttle-tuh-tuttle-tuh-Tah." The
rhythm would be:

Although the process will be considerably shorter than it was for
double tonguing (since the player has now developed facility with
"Tuttle"),we must go back to using the open G. On the clarinet,
then, tongue "Tuttle-tuh-tuttle-tuh-Tah" etc. on open G in the
rhythm of triplets.
When the triple rhythm on repeated open Gs sounds smooth
enough, play the following exercise several times using the sylla-
bles "Tuttle-tuh-Tah":

Once thatworks, extend it in the following manner, using "Tut-
tle-tuh-tuttle-tuh-tuttle-tuh-Tah":

Next, using this same syllabic pattern, extend it in this manner:

Now add a triplet to the beginning of the last exercise:

(etc.)
Finally, add one more beat at the beginning, making a complete
three-octave descending F scale:

(etc.)

After the descending three-octave F major scale sounds satisfac-
tory,do a descending three-octave G major scale, also in triplets,
of course, and also saying 'Tuttle-tuh-tuttle-tuh," etc.
Next, triple-tongue this:

Now do the same exercise up an octave. It will include going
over the "break," of course. Keep the air well supported and fast-
moving. Forte!
Take the same exercise up still another octave, and you will be
going over the upper register break. Fortissimo!
Transpose that exercise to whatever major or minor key you
wish, and to whatever range you wish. (Keep resting the tongue
whenever necessary.)
When you feelready for the printed page, look at the Kell
Study No.4 and proceed with practicing it as you did other Kell
Studies: First slur it, then single-tongue it at a comfortable tempo.
When you are thoroughly familiar with the music, speed it up a
bit to a comfortable tempo for triple tonguing. (Again, do not
worry about the dynamics yet.) Fortissimo!

PART V:

HOW to Practice Triple Tonguing

Continue applying triple tonguing to the printed page. This
could take the form of practicing Kell Study No. 7 in the usual
way: first, all slurred; second, all single-tongued; and third, at a
suitable tempo for triple tonguing.
Systematic practice for triple tonguing should proceed the same
way as it did for double tonguing- Set the metronome at a com-
fortable triple-tonguing tempo and play the following exercise
with it:

Now set the metronome one notch faster and repeat the exer-
cise.
Continue setting the metronome one notch faster and repeating
the exercise until you cannot triple-tongue any faster.
After reaching the upper limit, set the metronome one notch
slower and repeat the exercise.
Continue setting the metronome one notch slower and repeat-
ing the exercise. Soon you will return to your original starting
point; however,continue setting the metronome slower and slower
until the lower limit of practicable triple tonguing is reached.
Also extend your new triple tonguing to other pieces of clarinet
literature wherever there are fast-tongued triplets. Change the
printed articulation to suit your purpose. For example, No. 18 in
the Jeanjean 25 Etudes begins with slurred, rapid triplets. Try re-
moving the slurs, mentally, and triple-tongue this melody.
When this sort of thing happens in music:
you must put the tongue "in gear" by beginning the passage with
"Tuttle" on E and F, and then triple-tongue the G-A-B with the
usual Tuttle-tuh."

PART VI:

How to Practice Multiple Tonguing
in Asymmetrical Meters

After feeling comfortable with your development of double and
triple tonguing, you may begin combining them in such meters as
5/8, 7/8 etc. Let us look at the Kell Study No. I 1 as an example.
The first decision which must be made about this 5/8 piece is
whether it is in "3 plus 2" or in "2 plus 3. Let us say it is "2
plus 3 ."
The multiple tonguing syllables would then come out: "Tuttle-
tuttle-tuh. "First slur the piece, then single-tongue all of it,
then speed it upand multiple-tongue it in "2 plus 3" style.
You might try reversing it next, and, calling it " 3 plus 2," tongue
it as "Tuttle-tuh-tuttle," etc. However, this particular piece
seems better as "2plus 3."
Extend this principle to other pieces, and other meters. 7/8, for
example, couldbe "3 plus 2 plus 2," tongued as "Tutde-tuh-tuttle-
tuttle,"etc.

Kell Study No.13 is a special case, combining double and
triple tonguing in new way. In the first measure, the first beat is:
tongued as "Tuttle-tuh-tuttle-tuh." The second beat is:
tongued as "Tuttle-uttle-uttle."