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 Slap tongue
Author: jez 
Date:   2002-06-03 14:55

I've been listening to old recordings of Rudy Wiedoft on the saxophone and, apart from being in total awe at his command of the instrument, am reminded that the slap-tongue is something I've just never been called upon to use, so have no idea how it is done.
Can anyone give me some ideas how to start please?
Humbly,
jez

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: tim k 
Date:   2002-06-03 15:15

Lay your tongue along the reed, create suction, pop your tongue off the reed--like making a slicking sound with your tongire against the roof of your mouth.

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: tim k 
Date:   2002-06-03 15:16

Let's try that last phrase again--like making a clicking sound with your tongue against the roof of your mouth.

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: ron b 
Date:   2002-06-03 17:09

Joe Darensbourg (clar/sop sax) was a master slap tounger :) I think he made a few recordings using the technique; I don't happen to recall which ones now but I 'think' Yellow Dog Blues was one. He demonstrated to me how to slap tongue once and I thought I understood because he made it seem so easy. I tried to do it later, never got the hang of it and gave up. Maybe it's time to have another go at it.
When you say, 'create suction', Tim, I take it to mean very *little* suction - correct? Do you then blow at all, or just leave it alone after the 'pop'? I guess blowing would kill the effect... :|

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: Ken Shaw 
Date:   2002-06-03 18:10

jez -

Sigurd Rascher was a master of the slap tongue (of course on alto sax). A number of pieces written for him called for it. He could do it very loud or very soft, but mostly as a pitched click used in a witty way. I heard him live several times, but didn't get a chance to ask him how he did it. It sounded like a T-K, possibly in a "blowing" style (i.e., a "T" followed as closely as possible by by a stopped "K" as in flute or brass double tonguing) or, more likely, in a "sucked" style (as if you were saying "tsk tsk"). I've never had much luck doing it on clarinet.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: tim k 
Date:   2002-06-03 22:46

It's been years since we played around with slap tonguing on sax, but as I recall you can blow as you slap, which starts the note with a pop, or you can slap with just a puff from your diaphragm and get a pop with pitch. I do remember it takes a lot of practice.

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: Ellie 
Date:   2002-06-04 14:31

It's quite hard...... I get a sore tongue everyime I practise it!

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 RE: Slap tongue
Author: Mark Pinner 
Date:   2002-06-05 03:39

Use it all the time especially on the bottom end of the tenor sax. You just use a long flat tongue and try to make the sound TUNG or TUNK and remember air support. No air means out of tune.

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