The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sömeone
Date: 2003-03-08 13:33
why is tounging so difficult on clarinet?
i am playing the clarinet for at least 2 years now but why does it still bother me? especially the high ntes. what is the best way to practise them?
how about my embouchure? what is the best embouchure? or should i say correct embouchure?
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Author: Stoops
Date: 2003-03-08 15:21
I know few clarinetists who don't have problems with tonguing. And I'm talking about people who have played all of their lives. Bottom line is that it takes dilligent, smart everyday practice for a long time. You really need to hear someone doing it well (hopefully your teacher) and analyze what is different about yours. This advice may seem kind of "well, duh..." but there's no quick way to excellent articulation.
If you don't have a teacher who can do it listen closely to recordings of people who can. Marcellus for a beautiful example of stopped stacatto.
ughhh....i feel your pain.
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Author: bassclarinetchicka88
Date: 2003-03-09 12:54
1st of all, you should be tonguing with the very tip of your tongue, or as close as you can get it ...pretend to be spitting watermelon seeds.... kinda beginner-ish, but it helps.
i had trouble tonguing when i first started clarinet too because i taught myself - i really wanted to learn and i didnt want to have to start at a beginner level. so i taught myself COMPLETELY wrong with the tonguing and embouchure... i've had to relearn, which was difficult, but once you get it down it feels totally natural.
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Author: sömeone
Date: 2003-03-10 03:15
so are the other forms of tounging e.g. double, triple, flutter possible on the clarinet?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-03-10 04:48
Flutter tonguing is easy (though not as easy as, say, on flute). Just roll your tongue like you're saying a spanish "rrrrrrrrr" and put lots of air behind it.
As for double and triple, they are much more difficult on clarinet. I sure don't have the hang of it.
Per the original question, I find one of the biggest obstacles to my proper tonguing is non-tonguing tongue position. Until recently, whenever a sound came out of the clarinet, my tongue would just hang out in a random position in my mouth (I never gave it a second thought), usually at the very bottom or top of my mouth. Try thinking of saying "eeee" ("iiii" for German/Spanish/etc.) when you play to keep your tongue close and tone clear. Think "deeee" when you tongue to take some of the twang out and emphasize air support rather than throat push.
-Alex
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