Klarinet Archive - Posting 000138.txt from 1997/10

From: "Kent J. Krive" <kkrive@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Anchor tonguing
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 1997 11:26:24 -0400

David C. Blumberg wrote:

> I have a student in 5th grade who started in 4th grade without private
>
> instruction. When he tongues, it is much too legato, if at all. On the
> mp +
> barrel, he can do it somewhat. He knows the concept, can do it
> somewhat,
> but there is no consistency. His tongue is really quite long - he can
> touch
> almost under his chin with it. I am considering working on Anchor
> tonguing
> with him, as his tongue is so long, and he really can't control it
> well. He
> is quite unique, I have not encountered this problem to THIS extreme
> in my
> 15 years of teaching (full time specialist / performer). He points his
> chin
> to perfection, has a good sound (except when he tried to tongue), and
> has
> good finger control. In other words I don't want to switch him to
> piano, or
> drums :-) I've had numerous kids come to me who didn't tongue for the
> first
> 2 years of playing that I have fixed in 5 minutes, so it's not me. I
> know
> the concept (of teaching kids to tongue), and can teach it quite well-
>
> analyzing, and fixing playing problems are some of my specialties.
> He is touching right below the tip of the reed, with the tip (just
> below)
> of the tongue.
> My question is this. Any anchor tonguing players out there who teach,
> and
> have experience teaching that? If so -how?? (any suggestions besides
> curl
> the tongue behind the bottom teeth) Do you anchor because of a long
> tongue,
> or is it just the way that you started out?
> David C. Blumberg
> reedman@-----.com
> http://sneezy.mika.com/OCR/reviews/reviews.html
> http://sneezy.mika.com/clarinet/Music/Blumberg.html

David:

I am an anchor tonguer, have been all my life, have taught all of my
beginners anchor tonguing, and I switch any severe
"jaw-mobility-challenged" students to anchor tongue, at least
temporarily.

I know anchor tonguing to be anathema to the general clarinet fraternity
(sorority?), but I feel strongly that there is one overriding concern
which is addressed by this tonguing method: that of meeting what I feel
to be a hierarchy of priorities where playing the clarinet is concerned:
Tone is most important; tongue comes second, and fingers are considered
lastly (what good are flashy fingers without "good" tone?).

The most influential aspect of clarinet tone, after
mpce/reed/clarinet/chin/jaw/lips have been optimized, is the inside of
the mouth. There is an optimum shape, almost impossible to describe
definitively (unless one has been utilizing a fluoroscope), that ensures
a characteristic tone. Once this shape is achieved, any activity, such
as articulation, that changes that shape also changes the shape of what
I call the "tone room." Maintenance of the "tone room" is most easily
facilitated by anchor tonguing because it promotes to the greatest
extent, the relaxation of the back of the tongue. One of the most
debilitating influences on the young clarinet tone is tension inside the
mouth; one of the most prevalent causes of tension is the suspension of
the tongue in a position of readiness to touch the reed at the tip, with
the tip of the tongue. Once my beginners (and others) placed the tongue
(rather, "allowed" the tongue to be) forward in the mouth so that the
tip of the tongue was on the back of the lower lip or teeth, the tone
took on enough of its proper character that the student was then able to
build further refinement as he/she progressed.

The motion of anchor tonguing is the same as that of suspended tonguing
except that the tip is "caught" on the lower lip/teeth, then a part back
of the tip touches the reed in a way that the tip of the reed is left
last, producing the requisite clarity of tone beginning without the
accompanying "pop." In the meantime, the back of the mouth remains
"blown open." Tonguing progresses from the smoothest legato,
demonstrating that the tongue can move without harming the tone, to ever
greater degrees of staccato, always maintaining the integrity of the
tone by keeping the back of the tongue out of the articulation process.

Once the "tone room maintenance" idea is thoroughly ingrained, switching
to (or back to) tip-to-tip tonguing may be commenced with good results.

Good luck,

Kent

   
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