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Re: Which is the default: tonguing, or slurring?

Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2008-03-24 19:24

Yankee Doodle is generally tongued. However what you need to learn is to have as little space between notes as possible; this is what is called legato tongueing. All wind instrument players have to learn to do this, and now is a great time.

What you do is to just interrupt the airstream, very gently, with your tongue, instead of "stopping" the airstream with your tongue, which would produce the results you describe. You don't need to use your tongue as "strongly" as you would if you, for example, are starting a piece with a note labeled Forte. It's just the barest interruption of the air you are putting in the instrument, and it will sound a lot better than the spitty sound once you get the hang of it.

Any advanced wind player should be able to demonstrate these two things for you on their instrument. Maybe there is someone in your band who can show you legato tongueing.

Here's an example that will show you the idea:
Suppose you see a friend across the street and you want to get his attention, and you yell, "TOM!" That is a pretty strong tongue to say the T.
Then, you are trying to get your cat to come sit on your lap, and you call softly to her, "Kitty Kitty." ....the t's in the middle are more like a legato tongue.

EBH

Post Edited (2008-03-24 19:36)

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