Klarinet Archive - Posting 000503.txt from 1999/09

From: Jenelljack@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] tonguing
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 15:22:58 -0400

In a message dated 9/13/99 9:56:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, GCalzati@-----.com
writes:

> As a matter of fact, I had a student just this evening who's tonguing was
not
>
> clear. Sounded like a lazy tongue or none at all.
>
> Today was his first lesson since June. He took the summer off.
>
> Anyway, all I told him was to curl his tongue under and behind his back
> teeth
> and use a part of the tongue farther back. This seemed to do the trick.
>
> I'd appreciate any insight into the tip of the tongue technique. It's the
> first I've ever heard of that.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Georgette Calzati

Yes, the tip of the tongue to just at tip of reed. I have had a couple of
students who tongued with the tongue curled under and have had to give them
exercises to begin using the tip of the tongue. There is no control with the
tongue curled under, especially for speed, and the amount of tongue used
tends to make a larger appeture/opening losing tone quality. I have also had
one student who rides horses and tongues the same way she "clicks" at her
horse with the tongue touching middle of roof her mouth. This one just stops
the air but not the reed and is also very percussive and allows for little
control of the jaw.

I have my students compare these sounds and where the tongue is placed in the
mouth:

thee - large amount of tongue going too far out of the appeture (many
beginning students do this and is very percussive)

dee - less amount of tongue comes just behind teeth (not bad to use for very
legato)

tee - tightest and smallest amount of tongue above front teeth and makes for
better placement on the reed. More control for cleaner attack and speed.

tut - for staccato giving beginning attack and ending closure used with
faster speed of air, sort of a puff.

Jenell Jacks
Pittsburgh, PA

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