The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Markus Wenninger
Date: 2004-09-07 05:50
I don´t know how to do it properly - fluttertongue. Some compositions have it like some sort of ultrafast-stutter-tongue, others demand it rather like a growling movement in the back of the throat. And the mouthpiece gets in the way, constantly. Any ideas/ressources where it is explained in detail, how fluttertongue is done properly (w/ sound-examples, if there´s such)? And it doesn´t work well in alle registers, does it?
Markus
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-07 15:39
Done as a "growl" in your throat (no tongue on the reed) and used mainly for "effect" in some jazz and blues licks. However, I have seen in called for in some musical books (can't specifically recall which ones) and even more rarely in wind ensemble music. A cute trick to be able to do when--or even if--you ever need to (but don't lose a lot of sleep if it does not immediately work for you).
More prevalent as a saxophone technique (as in old Rock music)--but again, only for effect. Have fu*ggggggggggggggggg*n.....................
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Author: idahofats
Date: 2004-09-07 17:50
My perception of flutter-tonguing is that it is conscious voiced vibration of the uvula, much as in production of German -ch- or a French midword rolled 'r'. Simply vocalize the fricative -ch- and attempt to vibrate the uvula as one would in gargling...it works for me, anyway. If you've ever seen the science-fiction film "Enemy Mine," the Lou Gossett alien character frequently produces a ?consonant? that would result in a flutter-tongue if there were a mpc in his mouth.
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-09-07 17:50
The way to do flutter-tonguing that I learned is to lightly press the tongue against the roof of the mouth, far enough back that the tongue doesn't contact the reed, then blow. If you start with you tongue touching your front teeth, then slowly move it back (along the roof of your mouth), there is a place where it stops and goes up sharply. I personally place my tongue right against this ridge when I do it. It is what works for me best.
If you simply roll the tongue, like you are saying a spanish "rr", then it will likely hit the reed. The growling in the throat is, from what I understand, not technically flutter-tonguing, although it can be used as an alternative by those who can't roll their tongue.
The only place that I've ever seen it explained decently is in a book called "The Twentieth Century Clarinetist" by Alan S (I can't remember the last name, but I know it starts with an S). Hopefully somebody else knows what I'm talking about and can give the full name.
DH
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-09-08 02:18
With practice, flutter-tonguing can be done like a Spanish "rr" without hitting the reed. It's hard to sustain for a long time, but definitely doable.
Then again, there are some people who can't do a spanish "rr", which complicates matters.
I'll send you an example or two.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Markus Wenninger
Date: 2004-09-08 05:51
Thank You all very much, Your advice all has been instructive...I will try that "ch" and the palate-ridge immediately! (I come from the southern part of Germany, and the spoken German there is full of rrrrolling r´s indeed, so that isn´t much of problem,it´s just that the mouthpiece is in the way, especially in higher registers when the embrochure is more tightened.). This flutter-effect nowadays is employed very often by composers of New Music/post-jazz/avantgarde in general, they adopted this and demand it in most "inconvenient" parts of compositions, high up, or within weird bunches of quartertone-32nds etc. But now it seems to me there´s some light at the end of the tunnnel...Still have to check out that "Enemy Mine"-movie...
Markus
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-09-08 21:42
"the clarinetist" describes quite accurately my personal impression of flutter tongueing and how to do it. I, however, do not believe that "the growl" is the same thing....being done further back in the throat without tongue assistance.....or at least without the front part of the tongue. As I recall Signey Bechet was master of the latter.
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-09-09 05:21
flutter tongueing, by definition is as it seems ... not a growl at the back of the throat ... two very different techniques. If you can "roll your Rs" (some people physically can't do it) then you can flutter tongue ... flutes do it ever so much more easily.
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: Markus Wenninger
Date: 2004-09-09 05:39
Yes, with the flute (or,for my part, the shakuhachi) it´s very easy, so easy that I have to constrain myself not to wedge in a flutter every single point it could be done in a composition, classical Japanese notation being a very accurately controlled improvisation around defined sound-points. But with my reeds - different matter completely. That "ch" didn´t work so far, but I´ve got an idea, the "r" beats me - I´d have to slide the mouthpiece in and out to some degree so that my tongue wouldn´t mess with the mouthpiece, which makes intonation et al a sort of lottery. Chalumeau registered fluttering is o.k., but further up, where it get´s interesting......
Markus
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