Klarinet Archive - Posting 000886.txt from 2002/06

From: "Chastine Franklin" <alphalobo@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] finger dexterity
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 12:27:52 -0400

Dear David and Howard,
My suggestion to learn to double tongue was not to teach someone to take
"the easy way out" because I frankly do not feel that double tonguing is an
easy skill to do well and because I am not an instant -gratification person.
I have spent years on my technique and I should have added more to my
previous email. While I agree with David that proper articulation and
tonguing are not something to be totally replaced by double tonguing, my
reasoning for suggesting this skill is this: First, everyone in my band is
required to learn to double tongue in order to get into our very selective
senior band. Some of you are probably asking why my band director would have
all of us take the easy way out...it's because once the people who have had
trouble single tonguing quickly learn to double tongue, the single tonguing
then becomes a lot easier and cleaner(I'm not sure why this works this way
but out of the 30 people in my band there are only 3 who this didn't work
for; pretty good ratio). The result is that you now have two very fine
skills to use in your playing. My second reason is that different things
simply work for different people and that's what is so great about this
list. We can all send out our opinions and stories about what works for us
even if we can't prove it, if it sounds silly or even if it just sounds lazy
or even stupid. We simply experiment until we find whatever works best. I've
enjoyed listening to everyone's suggestions and stories on the list. =-)

Chastine
A young player who values the tried-and-true methods, while still staying
opened minded to the newer ones.

>From: howard klug <hklug@-----.edu>
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: Re: [kl] finger dexterity
>Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2002 22:21:33 -0500 (EST)
>
>David:
>
>Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful look at developing and
>maintaining technique AND articulation skills. Everyone is looking for
>the "quick fix" these days...gimme advanced control of technique NOW (or
>next week at the latest). Multi-year time-lines aren't very appealing to
>most....a sign of our instant-gratification society, perhaps...who knows?
>By the time that most young players have matured enough to understand the
>value of the tried-and-true methods that their teachers dragged them
>through, they're past the best-learning-window of their lives...ironic,
>huh?
>
>I hung your e-mail on my studio door...
>
>Howard
>
>On Mon, 24 Jun 2002 HatNYC62@-----.com wrote:
>
> >
> > In a message dated 6/24/02 4:07:16 AM, klarinet-digest-help@-----.org
> > writes:
> >
> > << I had lots of trouble with tonguing also. Have you tried double
>tonguing?
> > There's a couple of articles that discuss this subject in the archives
>and
> > this one helped me out: >>
> >
> > Let's back up.
> >
> > If you have trouble with tonguing, don't imagine that learning to double
> > tongue will help the basic problem.
> >
> > Double tonguing is a wonderful thing (I don't do it myself), but it is a
> > subcategory of ARTICULATION, which is an area of technique which
>practically
> > all clarinet players have spent time struggling with.
> >
> > Proper single tonguing is essential for excellent playing, especially as
> > double tonguing won't work above the 2nd register.
> >
> > Soft attacks become much easier when tongue strength and poise are
>mastered.
> > I hear people talking about air attacks for high soft notes, but I must
>tell
> > you honestly I use the air attack for less than 5% of the high soft
>notes I
> > attack. It is simply less reliable than proper articulation.
> >
> > That said, finger dexterity will be improved by working on scales and
> > arpeggios IN ALL KEYS, every day. This will also program your (possibly
> > enlarging) brain to recognize patterns in music, the vast majority of
>which
> > are based on these same scales and arpeggios.
> >
> > Scales and arpeggios, you ask? But I want better finger dexterity
>TOMMOROW!
> > Well, too bad, it takes months or even years to become fluent.
> >
> > For me, scales are like a long term investment. I play them every day.
>They
> > might not make me better next week, but I KNOW for a fact that I'll have
>more
> > and better technique one year from today. And if you know my playing,
>you
> > know that my technique is already pretty good.
> >
> > Incidentally, the Jeanjean VadeMecum was mentioned. It is an excellent
>book,
> > particularly when used in conjuction with extended scale practice. The
>way I
> > think of it, the scales build the technique. This book will help smooth
>it
> > out.
> >
> > When I practice scales, I also do a thorough articulation workout. The
>tongue
> > is a muscle and it must be developed. And its connection to the brain
>must be
> > solidified so that it will do whatever your musical brain demands of it.
> > Again, it won't happen overnight. If you have developed bad tongue
>habits,
> > you're in for a long, uphill fight. YOU NEED A TEACHER WHO HAS GOOD
> > ARTICULATION to get you through it. Make him/her demonstrate a lot. Your
>ear
> > will help guide the tongue to its proper function.
> >
> > David Hattner, NYC
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>

Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------