Klarinet Archive - Posting 000128.txt from 1998/11

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Articulation?
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 14:08:20 -0500

This looks good. I hope musicgirl isn't trying to start the air going by
tonguing - that's the sort of bad thing I did before I had any lessons.
Roger S.

On Thu, 5 Nov 1998 CmdrHerel@-----.com wrote:

> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 12:21:16 EST
> From: CmdrHerel@-----.com
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Articulation?
>
> In a message dated 11/5/98 6:28:23 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> musicgirl82@-----.com writes:
>
> << I am a junior in High School. I'm the first chair clarinetist in my wind
> ensemble, have made the all-county bands since 6th grade, and have just this
> year made the New York Area All-State band. Yesterday I started taking private
> lessons and I'm very happy with this, but i won't see him for a week and my
> problem is bothering me too much. I was wondering if anybody had some pointers
> for me as far as tongueing is concerned. I have that problem where my tongue
> seems to fill up my mouth and any staccato or accent I try to make comes out
> as a "dut dut" rather than a "tut tut". . . heck, it's more of a "ducka
> ducka" or worse. Isn't there some kind of thing I can do with my throat for
> this? Will opening it work better? I know i sound stupid, but it is really
> starting to bother my playing. Anyone's help would be appreciated. >>
>
> No, you do NOT sound stupid. :) In fact, that you're asking the questions
> shows that you are anything but.
>
> Articulation. Learning the correct way to use your tongue with your airstream
> can take a while. This is something you and your teacher will spend much time
> on. The best thing you can do is to be patient, and above all, RELAX.
> Because, if you start to get worried about it, you will get tense. If you get
> tense, then your throat and muscles will tighten up and you won't be able to
> use them the correct way.
>
> And know that in ten years of teaching, I have YET to find a tongue that I
> can't fix, (knock on grenadilla!) now matter how bad it was when the student
> walked in the door. The best thing you can do is laugh if during the process
> you sound like crap. Just relax and do the things your teacher says, even if
> you don't see any immediate results.
>
> The first thing I work on for articulation is air. Often a student uses
> inadequate air, and without a good airstream, the tongue can't work properly.
> Instead of "riding" the tongue on the air column, the student tries to force
> the tongue to move. The minute you force it, too much of it moves. The less
> you think about actually moving your tongue, and the more you think about
> blowing a steady airstream, the more your tongue will relax and just the tip
> will move. (The trick to the "t" sounding staccato you are after.)
>
> Beyond that, you and your teacher will have to work together. Don't make
> yourself crazy working on it for long periods of time. I'd say no more than
> ten minutes a day. (But ten minutes a day adds up fast!) And also, mix those
> ten minutes into the rest of your practicing so your tongue doesn't get
> fatigued. Do like two minutes, then do scales or something, then do another
> two minutes, and so on.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Teri Herel.
>
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