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Just curious what your maximum single-tonguing speed is.

Also, I vaguely remember Steven Mead talking about different types of tongues and how they may limit or help the player. Does anyone have the details on this?

FAST!! Just kidding. I can go to 120-125 before I have to switch to double.

Ralph

I can single tongue up to 130 or more, but for a long stretch of notes it's more like 100-110 So, I voted 110

Just walk around all day saying "tah tah tah tah tah tah tah tah" or "toe toe toe toe toe toe toe toe" (at least 8x per set, I usually do about 64, accenting every 8th one.). You can then take the vocal cords out and just make it tongue and air - it is not as obvious that way. You will be surprised at how fast you can get in couple of weeks, if you are not committed first.

Let me add that having a well developed and flexible embouchure (read: strong chops from practicing) helps in the application of tongue and air to the tuba. I find I can consistently single and multiple tongue faster on tuba than trombone, just because more of my time is devoted to the former.

I only vaguely remember Steven Mead talking about different types of tongues. However, when he came to USM a few years back, he recommended the following to the students:

Be able to single tongue 16ths up to 126 bpm and double tongue 16ths down to 108 bpm. I'm sure these numbers could be adjusted depending on the player, but his main point was to have an overlap with single and double tonguing.

EO

I am currently at 120 bpm and can maintain this for about an 8 bar phrase.

Ed Owen wrote:Be able to single tongue 16ths up to 126 bpm and double tongue 16ths down to 108 bpm. I'm sure these numbers could be adjusted depending on the player, but his main point was to have an overlap with single and double tonguing.

I have just the opposite. My fastest single-tongue technique is slower than my slowest clean double-tongue technique. It's a problem, particularly on marches with 16th-note dogfights. At faster than march tempo, I can double-tongue them fine. At true marching tempo, though, it's a struggle.

Rick "working on it" Denney

Hey,
my single is real slow (I think for it to be good, like 110 ish) but my double can go down there with no problem. I double toungue all over the place (even the ride). i seem to remember one of my teachers saying that Gene Pokorny has a slow single, but can double anything, and well it hasn't stopped him any.
Bill

I don't know why mandrake, but I find your avatar very disturbing and I don't like looking at it.... not your fault, don't worry.





As far as my tounging speed, I don't know, I have never really thought about it like that...... And right now I am much more focused on tone and tone production than tounging.