 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: paul B.
Date: 1999-03-30 12:29
I just started learning to play the bass clarinet and ancor tonguing was recommended as a good technique for me to learn. I have no idea what this is can anyone describe what ancor tonguing is?
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-03-30 15:04
I would question the wisdom of that suggestion. Tonguing should be done with the tip of the tongue, so if you already do it that way, dont change.
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Author: John
Date: 1999-03-30 16:35
Anchor tonguing refers to a process wherein the tip of the tongue is "anchored" behind the lower front teeth, and actual tonguing is done with an area of the tongue back from the tip. Some players get excellent results with this method. It never worked for me...
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-03-30 18:32
Rick2 wrote:
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I would question the wisdom of that suggestion. Tonguing should be done with the tip of the tongue, so if you already do it that way, dont change.
However, on bass clarinet, tonguing the way people are tought to tongue on Bb clarinet creates a rather harsh and percussive articulation. Anchor tonguing and using air starts reduces harshness and prevents sqwauks in the lower register.
As for soprano clarinets, either form of articulation is acceptable, as long as it's done well. A friend of mine studied with Kalmen Opperman several years ago and she has always anchor tongued and no one has been able to tell. I have never been able to tongue the way students are taught in grade school.
As there are more than one way to put your pants on, there are more than one way to articulate.
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-03-30 18:49
I can get decent results either way but I feel I can produce more diverse effects with the tip method. Interesting to know that anchor tonguing is preferred on the lower pitched clarinets. I'll have to keep that in mind when I finally get one.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 1999-03-30 18:56
I have never tried anchor tonguing myself. I have always successfully tongued by touching the bass clarinet reed lightly with the tip of my tongue (like with a soprano). I see no need to use another method.
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Author: Heather
Date: 1999-03-31 11:42
I'm just the opposite. I've been playing soprano for 5 years now. I just found out about 6 monnths ago that I have been anchor tounging since day one! I was really discouraged at first. But after talking to my teacher a few times about it we deciede that I should continute. It doesn't bother the sound or tone at all. :o) It just comes naturally. My teacher also said that if you have an extra lng toung, ie you can touch your toung to your nose... then it is sometimes better to anchor toung.
~Heather
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-03-31 15:17
Anchor tonguing may hinder you in allegro or presto passages.
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-03-31 17:10
I would not recommend anchor tonguing under any circumstance. The larger instruments are harder to control but anchor tonguing is not the answer (IMO). I find that the larger the reed is, the "softer" my tounge has to be and the more careful I have to be about being close to the tip of the reed with my tongue. As your embouchure relaxes more for the larger instruments, so should your tongue. This allows your tongue to spread out a bit at the tip so that the entire width of the reed is touched. With a rigid toungue, it's possible to stop only part of the reed from vibrating. I think this is why anchor tonguing seems more effective on larger reeds (because the middle of the tounge spreads out more to cover the entire tip of the reed). I would recommend practicing extreme legato with the tip-to-tip method for awhile before moving to staccato.
Kevin Bowman
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Author: Carolyn
Date: 1999-03-31 22:14
Heather,
I agree with Rick, anchor tounging used to slow me down in passages that require quick tounging. Just because something comes naturally doesn't means it's the best way. What came naturally for me when I first pick up the clarinet was not to toungue at all, just stop notes with air! After that, I picked up anchor tounging, and only switched to the standard tounging method this year. There was never a problem with my tone, I always got complimented for it by judges and teachers, but you can really feel the difference between the two methods.
I highly recommend switching because even though it was difficult making the transition, (and a little harrowing to play seating auditions while I was making the switch in Novememer!) it has definitely been worth it because it has opened up my sound in addtion to allowing faster tounging.
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Author: Heather
Date: 1999-03-31 23:14
Yes yes... it does slow me down in faster passages. :o( I've tried to break the habit quite a few times. I just don't see how you can actually stop the reed with that very tip of the thoung! When I try to "normal" toung I have NO control whatsoever! my toung just jlies all over the place... I can't even seem to find the reed! :o( I'm determined that I'm doing something wrong when I try to toung like that! I asked my teacher twice (he's a professor at our college here and very well known) and he gave me a few pieces to play. I sounded great. He told me not to worry about it. *sigh* now you guys got me worried again!
:o(
~Heather
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Author: Merry
Date: 1999-04-01 02:02
I've also been battling to get rid of my anchor tonguing with limited success. I used anchor tonguing for years because when I originally started clarinet tonguing with the tip of my tongue sounded disgusting and my reed kept getting covered in saliva. I discovered that by anchor tonguing I didn't have that problem because my tongue never actually touched my reed. However "short cuts make long delays" and I wish I had have persevered when I started and learned to tongue correctly instead of trying to fix it now, 15 years later. Anchor tonguing slowed down the speed of my tonguing and badly effected my staccato. It is only my opinion but I wouldn't start this way of tonguing it will make things harder in the long term.
Heather wrote:
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Yes yes... it does slow me down in faster passages. :o( I've tried to break the habit quite a few times. I just don't see how you can actually stop the reed with that very tip of the thoung! When I try to "normal" toung I have NO control whatsoever! my toung just jlies all over the place... I can't even seem to find the reed! :o( I'm determined that I'm doing something wrong when I try to toung like that! I asked my teacher twice (he's a professor at our college here and very well known) and he gave me a few pieces to play. I sounded great. He told me not to worry about it. *sigh* now you guys got me worried again!
:o(
~Heather
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-04-01 04:16
Something that worked for me (I made the transition only 3 or 4 months after I started) was to practice tonguing the point in my mouth where the upper teeth meet the gums. Do that when you are walking down the hall, sitting at your desk listening to a lecture or doing your other homework. The motion is very similar to the motion you use when tonguing the reed.
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-04-01 04:35
Heather,
Don't fret too much. Many people anchor tongue. And just because one anchor tongues doesn't mean they can't articulate fast. Speedy articulation is something that just has to be practiced. I have anchor tongued ever since i started playing clarinet. I have no problem playing 16th note passages at 144 and above (as long as it's not insanely fast). A friend of mine who used to study with Kalmen Opperman and has a doctorate in performance anchor tongues and she sounds wonderful. Staccato is also not a major concern for me.
All i can really say, is that if you have no problems anchor tonguing, why bother to change? I, due to some reconstructive surgery i had when i was a baby to repair a cleft pallet, have to anchor tongue or else my soft pallet doesn't close properly with my tongue in a different position. Therefore i get air leaking through my nose more than through my mouth to the horn.
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Author: Jill E.
Date: 1999-04-03 22:44
I'm 43 years old, and through this list I've found that I've anchor tongued all my clarinet-playing life! My teacher never commented on it--I have a degree in clarinet performance--but I knew somehow that I played differently from other people. Yes, it does slow you down a bit in fast passages, but you can do it. My daughter anchor-tongued when she first started playing, but her teacher had her change.
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