 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: TM
Date: 2010-12-27 19:31
As many one may notice if you can tongue 16th notes around 132, then should be enough for most of the music.
Last time Robert Spring gave a masterclass and showed me he can tongue up to 160, that's really amazing.
For me, when I hit 120, it's just not steady. After many years playing clarinet, my tongue is still behave the same. The 120 is like a limit.
Any comment and thought? Thanks!
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-12-27 19:36
Slur everything and claim that you're tonguing so fast that the listener can't hear the individual notes.
Or send $9.95 (plus shipping and handling) for my "Bob Spring Supersonic Tongue Training Course" on DVD.
Or switch to bass clarinet like I did 35 years ago, you'll never have to tongue fast again.
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-12-27 20:26
"For me, when I hit 120, it's just not steady. After many years playing clarinet, my tongue is still behave the same. The 120 is like a limit."
First thing, get the word "HIT" out of your clarinet vocabulary. THat will help a lot in getting your tongue to mve at the faster tempos.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-12-27 20:40
I don't think he meant hitting the reed - he was just hitting a point on the metronome. Although Salzo's advice against thinking of "hitting" the reed is on the target of TM's main question.
By the way, TM, I think we're all assuming that you mean 16th notes at quarter=120 or 132 or 160. It would make a big difference if your sixteenths were actually going at those tempi.
Karl
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Author: sonicbang
Date: 2010-12-27 21:34
There are good staccato studies to practise. Nowdays I practise Reginald Kell's '17 Staccato Studies'. I find it really good. There is a volume on this theme by Robert Stark as well. They are available at some sites.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-12-27 22:15
Sometimes one's physiology limits your maximum speed. I for one can't tongue fast 16ths for anything, but have gotten very competitive with double tonguing. There is no shame in it, just a realization that as you execute the sound 'TEE-KEE' (with 'KEE' being the back of your tongue against the roof of your mouth), the 'KEES' will never sound quite like the 'TEEs." This is actually a good thing all around since it provides you a less accented unstressed beat!
................Paul Aviles
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-12-27 23:44
I have an article about tonguing on my website that might help you but as has been said above, everyone has their limits with all things physical. Whether it's weight lifting or running the 100 yard dash you can do much better with proper technique, lots of practice and coaching but everyone still has their limits. Everyone reaches that limit at some time in their training and then the trick is to keep that limit up as you age. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2010-12-28 02:34
Though it can also be improved with a different concept. In my early 40's my single tonguing speed increased by playing duets/talking with Ricardo. He had a different concept than I did, and his worked better (tongue closer to the reed than I was doing).
Ricardo has the fastest (straight) single tongue of any Clarinetist that I've ever heard - including Drucker, Spring, etc.
He doesn't double tongue ever.
Strong air stream, not hitting the reed too hard - Gigliotti used to say "ping pong ball, not a bowling ball".
Relaxation is very important.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2010-12-29 21:21
Try up from low C: CCCDEEEFG-hold G. Now try up & down the scale: CCCDEEEFGGGABBBCBBBAGGGFEEEDC hold C. Do as fast as you can evenly then try to push one bit faster. Do that until it's again even each time, then one step faster, etc. It's in my book, whenever that gets published.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2010-12-30 00:47
There are lots of different ways about it. Sometimes I'll flick my tongue back and forth so that it scrapes the tip of the reed right and left, other times I'll hit the reed with two different spots on my tongue, sort of alternating "t" and "d" syllables. Those are different skills than double-tonguing, and I've found them easier to pick up, though they don't give as much speed.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Steve Hartman
Date: 2010-12-30 12:03
TM: Are you saying that you can only do 120 for a whole page of sixteenth notes or, say, for two beats worth? That makes a huge difference. A runner cannot maintain the same pace for a mile as for a 50-yard dash. Perhaps if you can increase your speed for one or two beats, you can gradually increase the number of beats at that same speed. Keeping the tongue close and lightening the touch on the reed would also be very helpful.
-Steve Hartman
NYC
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-01-08 02:16
This is an exercise a college professor taught me a while back. Start on C and play the following rhythm pattern, starting at quarter note = 80:
Quarter note (x4), Eighth note (x4), Sixteenth note (x8), Whole note. Go up a chromatic scale for an octave and back down, then increase tempo. At first, we tried to increase in intervals of 5 beats per minute. Since I couldn't get far doing that, we cut down to increasing by 2 beats per minute with more success. I haven't tried this in quite a while. My current teacher also says that once my air movement/breath support gets better, tonguing speed will come with it.
Rachel
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Author: OmarHo
Date: 2011-01-08 03:03
In addition to what others have said, the fastest way to increase the speed is to look at if you're creating any excess tension. For me, my jaw is too tense, and as a result, it directly affects the tongue muscle. IMO, Relaxation is a good path to start on. Experiment with a mirror and see what happens when you let go of certain habits, you might be surprised.
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