 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Brian
Date: 2002-03-19 08:51
Hey fellow clarinets,
I am a freshman at The University of Akron studying for Music Education and Performance. I have a clarinet class presentation to do on "tonguing from a pedigogical basis." if anyone knows where I can find info on this, or would like to put in their two cents about it, it would be of great help. I need 4 sources. 2 old and 2 newer.
Thanks for any input,
~Brian
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-19 11:59
Brian...Check "The Art of Clarinet Playing" (Stein) and "Guide to Teaching Woodwinds" (Westphal) as 2 very informative sources.
A good on line article to read is the one by Michael Moors:
"http://www.ocr.sneezy.org//articles/moors3.html"
These are a few good places to start, and will get you rolling...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jez
Date: 2002-03-20 13:03
The article by Michael Moors seems like a very clear distillation of the advice given in many books that we have all seen many times.
However I would have to say that a lot of it is WRONG, or it certainly doesn't work for me.
"Place the tongue 1/4 of an inch back on the reed"
If this means that there is a 1/4 inch of free reed inside the mouth behind the tongue then I have to put my embouchure into such an unnatural position that I can barely produce a sound. I think the tongue should definitely be in contact with the tip of the reed and maybe go forward 1/4 inch (or less) from there. Tonguing further down doesn't stop or start the note immediately and produces a Thwooarrr sound.
"Pronounce a tee sound to start attack"
I believe this promotes a too-active use of the tongue.
The tongue does NOT start the note, the air column does. If the tongue is touching the reed it can't vibrate, if it's not, it can. The analogy with a garden hose is a very good one; you can't therefore state;
"The tongue should be released precisely with the start of the air"
That would be like trying to switch on the tap (faucet) at exactly the same time as releasing the thumb, a pointless exercise.
"Only the tip of the tongue moves"
Think about this. Can you do it? It seems to suggest pivoting about some central point and waggling just the tip, an action which leaves one with a curious sense of being, in some way, disabled and certainly can't be done with any control or speed.
My belief is that much more emphasis should be placed on the breath than the tongue. I start pupils off by learning to STOP the sound with the tongue (the essence of staccato playing) Then after a momentary gap, while keeping pressure in the breath, if the tongue is released the air-column will re-start the note.
"The tongue acts as a valve"
This is dead right. It's on or off. How you effect the transition is almost irrelevant. Thinking about pronouncing consonants is, at best, misleading, at worst destructive.
I know these ideas go against conventional wisdom and contradict the advice of many eminent players and teachers, but I'm convinced that they represent more accurately the way things really work in practice.
Comments?
jez
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2002-03-21 11:03
Here are some study notes that I use in master classes.
Mark Pinner LTCL B.Mus.Ed
Tongueing
The training of the tongue is another important aspect of wind instrument playing and is often neglected. There are number of different ways of using the tongue and each needs some form of training or development.
The beginning student needs to learn how to use the tongue to start a note. The tongue is placed on or near the tip of the reed and rapidly released to allow the reed to vibrate. It needs to be coordinated with the flow of air and functions as an escape valve. Various syllables can be mimicked to train the tongue to work correctly such as TAW, TA, TO, TE TI depending on the pitch of the note from high to low.
If a student is experiencing difficulty using the tongue at the beginning of the note they should be encouraged to practise cutting the note off with the tongue starting with long notes and then gradually moving to short notes playing closer together and then moving to rapid repeated notes. The tongue will then begin to start not finish the note. The syllable AAHT or UT should be used
Speed
The next aspect of tongue training that needs to be addressed is the gaining of speed. It should be remembered that the tongue is actually a muscle and training of this muscle is the same as training muscles in the sporting sense. Repetition and rest are essential. The tongue should be pushed until it starts to tire and then rested with the process repeated a number of times.
The most useful way to achieve this training is by using repeated tongueing patterns on different degrees of scales major, minor and chromatic as well as modes, arpeggios, dominant and diminished sevenths as shown below.
Coordination
The tongue must also be coordinated with the fingers. An easy way to practise this is by the use of scales and arpeggios or other technical work. Scales may be played with many articulation patterns and indeed these are often set in grade examinations. The common variations of scales being all tongued, all slurred, two slurred two tongued, two tongued two slurred but other variations are possible.
Other Articulatons
Many other uses are expected from the tongue. Common examples can be found in the solo repertoire as well as in stage band and concert band music. The interpretation of these is often directed by the teacher or musical director but the student can also practise their won interpretation of these by use of the following exercises using arpeggios or sevenths. The arpeggio used should be varied by the student but should cover as many keys and as much range as possible as well as all dynamic ranges. Different articulations can also be applied to scales.
I have other stuff on air support etc..
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brian
Date: 2002-04-20 17:51
Thank you very much for all that answered. I got an A on the presentation and was told it was the best in the class. Not bad, eh? To all of you who replied, I gave you credit for your comments.
Thank you again.
~Brian
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
