 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jrain54
Date: 2015-10-23 13:41
I have been playing clarinet for nearly 6 years now (I am in grade 10), and only until a year or two ago I realised I have not been tonguing correctly - or at least not the way everyone else tongues.
I tongue with the tip of my tongue on my pallet, as opposed to the actual reed. The sound must not be very different to normal tonguing as no one has ever picked up on it or mentioned it - nor have I really noticed.
Now that I know I should be tonguing on the reed, I have tried it but it just feels uncomfortable and the sound is 'stubby' and 'beginner-ish'.
I have never had a problem with my tonguing technique, though recently my throat has been feeling very constricted when I play- I can't describe it in any other way. It makes playing very uncomfortable, because my throat feels tense and I have to keep stopping to relax my throat. I am a little worried about this as I have an audition coming up in 2 weeks.
I have never had this problem before, so I made an account here and am wondering if anyone else has ever had or heard of this. I would really appreciate some feedback as I am actually REALLY WORRIED AND KIND OF FREAKING OUT.... THANKS!
Jess
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-10-23 14:26
Ok, first DO NOT make your upcoming audition any sort of measure in this issue.
Firstly, it took you a long time to start having negative consequences tonguing incorrectly
Secondly, you must realize that something must change and it will take TIME for that to happen.
And finally, you must ask yourself what if you intend to have clarinet playing in your life a year, two years, ten years down the road. And how well do you want to be playing at those points.
Where you are single tonguing, is where you should be double tonguing. Double tonguing is a way to making the speed of articulation fast by executing the first articulation with the tip of the tongue on the tip of the reed and then executing the next articulation with a point further back on the tongue upon the roof of the mouth.
Now back to single tonguing. If you draw a dot at the very tip of the reed (up against the very curve of the tip) right at dead center, THAT will be the target you aim for with the tip of your tongue. And by tip of tongue I mean that you make it as pointy and firm as possible. Learning to do this properly will take time. At first, you should get used to this in slow motion, bringing your tongue in slow motion up to the reed until it stops the sound (you'll feel the buzziness against your tongue and that will feel weird, but it only takes a few weeks until that uncomfortable feeling goes away). Once your tongue is on the reed (no sound), then quickly withdraw it for the next sounded note. This is the proper action of tonguing at full speed, you "place" the tongue on the reed to stop the sound; you withdraw the tongue from the reed to produce sound.
Many misperceive tonguing as "attacking the reed" with the tongue and nothing could be further from the truth. The "attack" or "hammering" of the reed is accomplished with your air (which is at the ready at all times because you are constantly, actively pushing it toward you mouth from your gut).
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: jrain54
Date: 2015-10-23 16:18
Thank you for the advice! I most definitely want to continue playing for a long time to come, I LOVE playing the clarinet.
I do realize that it is probably best to start relearning now, it's just a little annoying that I've been playing wrong this entire time and now there's this sort of 'set-back' in my way :(
After reading your reply, I looked up some videos on YouTube on clarinet tonguing and I felt like most were aimed at beginners, though I in turn copied what they were teaching and I guess it's something that will just take time and getting used to.
Would you have any idea how long it may take to relearn?
Thank you so much again!
Jess
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-10-23 19:11
You should be out of the "uncomfortable" zone in just a few weeks, but a serious retooling of any technique will usually take six months or more before it becomes more of a habit rather than what you are hawkishly watching.
I noticed that I never even said anything about the throat (out of habit). Technically what we refer to as "throat" is always referring to the back of the tongue (it's much bigger than most of us realize - your "swallow" is done with the back of the tongue).
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: fuzzystradjazz
Date: 2015-10-23 23:14
Jess,
It is great that you've already identified this issue! Paul's advice is spot-on! I had the same issue you've described, but didn't figure it out until I was in college for a year and half. Finding it early like you did is really wonderful and will help a lot going forward!
Having said that, be ready for some level of frustration, and try to avoid the temptation that will present itself. I hated sounding like (and feeling like) a beginner, so I was constantly tempted to go back to my old ways in order to compete with the others, take chair placements, get parts, etc. Sometimes I gave in to those temptations, and in the long run - it hurt me greatly even though in the short term I had been rewarded.
As a result, my relearning took a lot longer than it should of, and my mediocrity lasted a lot longer than it needed to. Hang in there and remember that in the long run - you'll come out way ahead for putting the work in now - even if you have to temporarily put yourself "behind" - the future you'll reap will be well worth it.
Be patient. Put in the time, and it will come...probably slowly, but it will come.
We're all rooting for you!
Fuzzy
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-10-24 01:03
My old teacher comments about clarinet double tonguing: "Tongue one (on the reed), cough one (from the pallet)." Tongue, cough, tongue, cough ... etc. Other ideas may work as well ...
A million years ago, when I was a kid, HS students weren't expected to double tongue at all ... and circular breathing was treated as only a myth, as it was never witnessed by any of us, and certainly not taught by anyone I knew.
Tom
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Author: jrain54
Date: 2015-10-24 03:58
Thank you so much!! It's also nice to know I'm not the only person in the world who has had this crazy problem!
I'm definitely going to start incorporating the proper technique in my practices from now on. My audition piece I might just play how I have always played, because I want that to be comfortable and good - though I will definitely keep in mind what you've said. I had a practice about half an hour ago and I played all of my pieces using the tip of my tongue on the reed - it will definitely take getting used to.
And (unfortunately) it will most certainly take time I am sure, which I guess I will just have to be patient with.
Thanks again for the lovely reply!!
Jess
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