Klarinet Archive - Posting 000591.txt from 2005/03

From: "Dee Flint" <deeflint01@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tonguing and Torino
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:30:53 -0500


----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Wakeling" <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
To: "klarinet" <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 2:24 PM
Subject: [kl] Tonguing and Torino

> Hello all,
>
> A couple of queries...
>
> First off, as old hands on the list may know, I have a problem with
> articulation speed. Two things are very apparent: one is that if I try
> tonguing repeatedly, my tongue slows down. Second, if I try tonguing in
> conjunction with finger movement, the outcome is always slower than what I
> can do with tongue alone.
>

Like any other muscle, the tongue needs to build up stamina for repeated
use. The mind also needs to build a mental stamina to keep going.

The second problem is generally the result of your subconscious believing
(erroneously) that your tongue is slow and then slowing your fingers down.
Sometimes the result is that they even get out of sync with the tongue and
you get a very muddled sound. This latter problem tends to get worse the
faster you try to go as the tongue starts to really race ahead of the
fingers. Somehow the subconscious seems to control the fingers more than
the tongue.

> Any advice on some nice techniques to help build both speed and
> tongue-finger coordination? And what sort of "time frame" should I be
> thinking to practise over in order to build up the technique? Obviously
> articulation is something that needs to be continually practised, but I
> would like to be able to have an idea of what are realistic expectations
> for improvement with time.
>

Another responder has already described one of the things that should help
(slow drills with fingers deliberately moving before tonguing the note).

Here's another approach I find useful. When you are practicing, DON'T
think about your tongue. Simply put your tongue in motion and forget it.
Instead focus solely on the accuracy of moving your fingers at the correct
tempo. This breaks the subconscious cycle of the fingers erroneously
slowing down because of a preconceived and often incorrect notion that the
tongue is too slow.

>
> Second query, unrelated: it looks like I will be moving to Torino (aka
> Turin in the English and French-speaking world) in the near future. Does
> anyone know any good clarinet teachers near there? (Tony, do you know
> anyone from round that neighbourhood?)
>
> Cheers,
>
> -- Joe
>

Dee

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