Klarinet Archive - Posting 000307.txt from 1996/02

From: Teri Herel <Herelt@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: lazy tongue
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 10:12:09 -0500

In a message dated 96-02-11 23:47:55 EST, orrcathl@-----.EDU (Cathleen
Renee Orr) writes:

>Hi everyone, I'm having difficulty tongueing (ok, enough innuendo...)
>
>I am in concert band at MSU and we are playing Samuel Barber's Commando
>March.
>At one point, the piece requires 16th notes articulated. The tempo
indication
>on the piece is quarters at 144, our director is saying 138-ish, which
really
>isn't any easier, IMHO. I have been spending quite a bit of time with my
>metronome, and I can't do it. I am rather frustrated since I can say " ta ta
>ta..." at the tempo with no difficulty, but once I have my horn in my mouth,
>the response is slow and it seems like I can't tongue as fast as I did
>before.
>Also, the notes are pretty high (leger line E ) and they sound squeaky.
>What's
>up? Would a harder reed help?
>

Hi Cathleen!
I have found the key to keeping a fast staccato is to not think at all about
your tongue!
Instead I concentrate on air, air, blowing steady from the gut, and air. As
long as your tongue is making the right motion - from the tip and not the
sides or back, then you're fine. The tongue needs basically to "ride" on
that column of air. If you try to think about your tongue motion as you are
tonguing, it instantly slows down and becomes heavy.

I usually spend about fifteen minutes a day working on my staccato: I do a
series of tongued patterns on chromatic scales thinking of (of course) steady
air and keeping the attack quality even for the entire range of the scale.
(one octave is fine.) In general I make sure my tongue stays close to the
tip of the reed as I ascend the scale: It's tendency is to drop as I go
higher, becoming more lethargic. If I feel that in general my staccato is
too heavy, I'll pull out Opperman book 1 #11 for about five minutes, or I do
a series of altissimo tonguing patterns. (That's right, up to high A! The
ONLY way you can do that is lightly!)

As you are working, it is good to go back & forth between staccato studies
and something else, perhaps slurred scales, so that you do not fatigue your
tongue which will do you no good at all.

I hope this helps, it has worked for me. If you want to know more
specifically what I do, feel free to e-mail me.
Teri Herel