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RE: Tonguing(Dee, Ken, Daniel, Etal)

Author: Dee
Date: 1999-05-11 20:44

Ray Swing wrote:
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Until I found Sneezy a couple of years ago, I never knew clarinets (or for that matter reeds) could double and triple tongue. Having never encountered any music I couldn�t single tongue, I never thought about having to find a method for tonguing faster. The fastest single note tonguing I�ve ever encountered was in marches such as the El Capitan by Sousa, Altissimo F 16th�s at 120 for three measures. The only other fast tonguing of note groups was in Russian Sailors� Dance, which are 8th notes at about 160 / 180. And the only fast tonguing of runs would be The Mozart. Of these I only sometimes have a little difficulty with The Mozart. My problem with The Mozart is not tonguing speed but the synchronization of the fingers with the tonguing. I decided I would try to learn Double tonguing and started practicing it � hour at my practice sessions. Well after two such sessions my tongue was bleeding enough that I have quit for the time being. Especially since one of my concerts was the next day. So, my questions are as follows:
1 - What music have you played where you need to double or triple tongue?
2 � What method do you use to double / Triple tongue?
3 � Does your tongue bleed after practicing Double tonguing?

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I only single tongue. I've tried double and for me it is SLOWER than single. When I did work on it, I didn't have any trouble with my tongue bleeding.

If your problem is synchronization of tonguing and fingering as you seem to indicate, then double tonguing won't solve that problem anyway.

There is an excellent description of a synchronization development technique in Danial Bonade's clarinet compendium. If you don't have a copy, try to get one. I have described the exercise on the board in the past so if you search the archives you may find it. If not, let me know and I'll repost it. Unfortunately, I don't have the time at this particular moment to go into it.

I sometimes tend to lose synchronization after a measure or two myself. That's because I don't work the drills often enough or long enough and so don't have the mental stamina to keep it going.

Also congratulations on even noticing that it could be synchronization. Many people think that the problem is tonguing when synchronization is the real cause.

One teacher also gave me a helpful hint. Many times the FINGERS are lagging because the subconscious erroneously thing the tongue is slow. The person works harder to tongue faster and the problem gets worse because the tongue is even further ahead of the tongue. So when you are playing fast tongued passages, don't think about the tongue just set the tongue in motion and forget it. THINK ABOUT SPEEDING UP THE FINGERS. This would be in addition to the Bonade exercise (probably the most valuable technique to develop good synchronization that I have ever seen).

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