Klarinet Archive - Posting 001033.txt from 1998/03

From: Mark Miller <mkmiller@-----.net>
Subj: Re: touguing problem
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 11:44:42 -0500

You've already gotten some great advice. I can give you one exercise that
works on staccato as well as tongue-finger coordination:

Play any scale in the rhythm (quarter note - quarter rest - quarter note
- quarter rest) etc.
One quarter note for each note of the scale.
Use a metronome set to something around 100 (slower at first if you need).

Play all the quarter notes extremely staccato, returning the tongue to
the reed to stop the sound (not "tah" but "tut"). Keep the air "on" the
whole time, as if the air stream is pressing the tongue against the reed
during the rests - it's okay if you hear air hissing out the corners of
your mouth a bit.

During the quarter-note rest between notes, move your fingers to the next
note you will play. Do this exactly on the metronome click.

Do the exercise a few times a day. Don;t try it too fast. Over time, it
will help your fingers to move with, if not slightly ahead of, your
tongue.

Shouryu has some excellent suggestions, but I really like his comment:

"...it just wouldn't work right....no matter what I tried. Then one
day...I
got it right. I can't explain how it happened, but it did."

It's important to keep trying these techniques without becoming
discouraged. Similar to learning to ride a bicycle, one keeps trying and
trying without success, until one day the feeling of balance suddenly
kicks in and you're able to do it. That sounds like it was his experience
with articulation, and it certainly was mine. I only wish it had happened
a little sooner...

-Mark Miller
mkmiller@-----.net
http://www.tiac.net/users/mkmiller

>On Sun, 15 Mar 1998, Eric Lin wrote:
>
>> I often found my tonguing inconsistant from day to day practice, and I don't
>> have the control of how fast I'm tonguing. Another problem is that my
>> fingers can never match my tonguing, especially in a scale tongued fast.
>> When people say keep the tongue high and arched back on top of the mouth and
>> feel the side of the tongue touching the teeth, and keep the tip of the
>> tongue close to the tip of the reed, I don't get the picture.
>
>Yeah, visualizing that is a real pain - I know where you're coming from.
>I had the tip to tip method pounded into me as soon as I got to NMSU, and
>it just wouldn't work right....no matter what I tried. Then one day...I
>got it right. I can't explain how it happened, but it did. I moved the
>tongue to a different spot, and attempted to tongue tip to tip, and for
>once, it was not uncomfortable or unnatural.
>
>These excercises come in handy:
>Using your finger, touch the very tip of your tongue.
>Then touch the tip of your reed.
>Then touch the tip of your tongue.
>Then touch the tip of your reed.
>Then touch the tip of your tongue.
>Then touch the tip of your reed.
>
>Then touch the tip of your tongue to the tip of your reed.
>
>Memorize the sesantion of the tip of the reed on the tongue there. Then
>experiment with positioning the rest of the tongue (you know, the part you
>do JACK SQUAT with when you play) until having the tip of the tongue on
>the tip of the reed doesn't feel uncomfortable.
>
>This is how it happened for me. It may not work for you, but give it a
>try. Who knows?
>
>Also - 90% of articulation is AIR AIR AIR!!! If you do not start the
>sound with a strong airstream, it will sound bad, period. You can tongue
>ANY way imaginable and it will sound decent if you use good air.
>
>ONe last excercise. Might work...dunno. Put on a cheezy grin. I mean,
>really cheezy - bear your teeth nice and big. Now, open your jaw a bit,
>enough to separate your front teeth about half an inch or so. Now, say
>the syllable "Teeh" by bouncing the tip of your tongue off of the roof of
>your mouth, halfway betweent he gumline and the soft palate. Hold the
>syllable...'Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh'. Where your tongue is at while you
>say that syllable is about where it should be when you play. Hope it
>helps.
>
>Shouryu Nohe
>Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
>http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe; ICQ 6771552
>Coffee Drinker, Musician, Otaku, Jesus Freak, Admirer of Women
>(Not necessarily in that order)
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>"Um, why don't you cover up?" - Katsuragi Misato
>
>

   
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