Klarinet Archive - Posting 001066.txt from 1998/03
From: "Eric Lin" <ericyilin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: touguing problem
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 05:00:45 -0500
Mark,
Thanks for you advice. I think I already got the "tip to tip" tonguing
method. After a long day of practice, I found blood on the tip of my reed
which is a good indication that I'm using the same place of my tongue(tip)
to touch the reed every single time. I also noticed improvement in staccato
tonguing without moving my jaw or stopping air stream.
Eric
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Miller <mkmiller@-----.net>
Date: Thursday, March 19, 1998 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: touguing problem
>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
>>
>>
>
