Klarinet Archive - Posting 000418.txt from 1999/01

From: CmdrHerel@-----.com
Subj: [kl] tonguing speed (& circus tricks)
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 09:30:24 -0500

Oh dear... I knew I'd get into trouble by answering yes to the over 200
question. Since I opened my big mouth, let me try to explain.

Yes, I can tongue over 200 in sixteenth notes for the duration of one octave
(chromatic) up and one octave down. (with a beat rest in between.) Single
tongue, and cleanly. I think mostly about air while I do it. I keep my
tongue relatively close to the reed and very light. It does come off the reed
in between notes. For two octaves, the speed is less. (not exactly sure
right now how much less. Sorry.)

Now, I'm not into circus tricks and don't run around with my metronome
clocking my staccato and working on speed! LOL! I have much, much more
important things that I need to work on. But out of curiosity one day I did,
and some months later Kal did the same. (And called someone on the phone as a
"witness" to the event!)

So, yes, it's possible. Is it important? I dunno. It's a nice detail to be
able to work up the tempos of tongued passages and not have to worry about
tongue speed. I have much more trouble with being able to read the notes that
quickly.

I think tongue speed is more genetic than anything else. As long as you're
doing everything correctly, that is. I think you could take ten people, all
tonguing absolutely the right way and get ten completely different top speeds.
I've also heard that staccato speed slows down as you get older.

As for it sounding like "Chinese water torture" I completely disagree! One
can certainly hear at that tempo, and the character of tongued notes is very
different from slurred. I think it's a pretty nifty sound, myself.

But... It's a detail, and I feel it should be worked on after all the basics
are in place: Tone, hand position, basic tonguing technique, air, what is
music and how do I phrase it, etc.

Teri Herel

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