Single tonguing

[XtremeEuph]

I guess patience is key, im slowly getting along. My secure 80 is now in the 90's off the horn (quarter=90-96 sixteenths)!!!

[XtremeEuph]

ok, thanks again Brian

[MaryAnn]

Well, sheesh. I just timed myself for how many single tongues I could do in ten seconds and it was 50 or so. That is a LOT slower than what you're complaining about. But my double and triple tongueing covers the gap nicely....and only once in orchestral music can I remember coming across a passage that tripped me up, where the double tongueing didn't work either.

Huh. BTW, playing tuba actually sped up my single tongueing on horn; having to move so much "more" tongue to get the articulation clean on tuba, musta strengthened some muscles.

Anybody have an opnion on whether tongue size affects the max tongueing speed? I remember seeing a horn player whose tongue looked like a little snake tongue, it was so skinny. My dental hygenist told me of a guy whose tongue was so big it was hard to clean his teeth.

MA, who is unsure whether it's "tongueing" or "tonguing" because neither one looks right

[XtremeEuph]

Well, sheesh. I just timed myself for how many single tongues I could do in ten seconds and it was 50 or so. That is a LOT slower than what you're complaining about.

....actually that is close to the same

[XtremeEuph]

speaking of which, the piece that brought this problem to attention was morceau symphonique. ....... this is a recording of David Werden playing it .......................the 16ths honestly sound double tongued to me even though he doesn't need to. Am I just hearing things? It seems that way anyway... http://www.dwerden.com/SoundFiles/morceau.ra

[XtremeEuph]

AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



(rips hair out)

[ufoneum]

Xtreme,

I had a difficult time achieving a fast single tongue. I do believe that it is possible for everyone single tongue. If you have ever sat through a Pat Sheridan lecture, he will tell you that everyone can physically tongue AT THE SAME SPEED. What differs is the level of COORDINATION that you can get. He goes on to explain a few simple exercises.

1.)Coordination. If you observe vocal people, they are stellar at this. With the added diction of words, they use a simple exercise that we can use to increase our coordination. It is called 'red-leather, yellow-leather'. Now, imagine the main theme from the opera Carmen and sing along - slowly... "Red-leather yellow-leather red-leather yellow-leather red-leather yellow-leather red <breath> <repeat> <breath> <repeat> end. Simple exercise. Much easier to show than explain on a BBS.

2.)Practice your tonguing AWAY FROM THE HORN. I find that most of my students tongue way too hard, thus "over-tonguing" and making themselves tired. Use the sylalbles. Do - toe - whatever you want.

3.)Start slow quarter = 80 or even slower. If you use a simply exercise like this one [Q ee ssss ssss] get it, right? or somethine like this [ess ess ssss ssss] you will notice if you concentrate on your breath through the sixteenths and take a QUICK breath after the eighths, you will not tongue as hard. Don't make TONGUING the focus of the exercise, instead make BREATHS the focus.

A fast single tongue is essential to good technique. Some players simply facilitate their rep with a double tongue. But, what if you are playing with a woodwind quintet where the bassoon players can't double tongue, but can single tongue sixteenths at 160? How are you going to match up? Something to think about, but it is great that you are thinking about it now. It is nothing that you can't fix with a little patience, some time, and a metronome. Best of luck, PM with any questions.

- Pat Stuckemeyer

[XtremeEuph]

, y ou guys just bought the lil boy a lolli pop