Double Tongue tips

[Tuba5547]

What are some methods to develop Double Tongue.

[toobagrowl]

Double tongue = Tu-Ku-Tu-Ku; with "Tu" on the tip of the tongue, and "Ku" on the back of the tongue, going back and forth. Keep it 'light', and start out slow. Like most things, it will take some time to develop.

[dwerden]

The goal is to make double-tonguing sound like single-tonguing. So once you get the basic idea, try this exercise.

Single tongue 4 16ths and a quarter note on one pitch, about as fast as you can single tongue. Play Ta-Ta-Ta-Ta-Taaaaaa. Next use double-tonguing on the same note at the same tempo, like Ta-Ka-Ta-Ka-Taaaaa. Try to make the 2nd set sound like the first. Keep repeating. Make this part of your tonguing practice every day; it helps to improve the quality.

[pgym]

Take up cat herding: "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty!"

[Wes Krygsman]

I use words to practice the syllables, then I whisper them, then try to wind pattern them. Start slow and gradually (very gradually) get faster.

Double tongue i say "dig-a-ditch", "di-ga-di-ga-ditch, di-ga-di-ga-ditch, di-ga-di-ga-di-ga-di-ga-di-ga-di-ga-ditch"
or
"tiki (tee kee) torch"-"ti-ki-ti-ki-torch, ti-ki-ti-ki-torch, ti-ki-ti-ki-ti-ki-ti-ki-ti-ki-torch

using the rhythm in sixteenth notes in 4/4
(1e&a,2, 3e&a,4, 1e&a,2e&a,3e&a,4)

I do mix and match those 2 words as well, i use "ti-ga-ti-ga-torch" and "di-ka-di-ka-ditch" to find what works best for my student's tongues

for triple tonguing, use the word "dedicate" or "Tedicate"

de-di-ca-de-di-ca-dedicate

using the rhythm in 8th note triplets on each beat in 3/4

[GC]

Where in the mouth does the "ka" need to be placed? Back in the throat, or as far forward in the mouth as possible?

[alfredr]

Double tongue tips = "White man speak with forked tongue."

[happyroman]

A significant issue when learning multiple tonguing is that the tongue tends to elevate in the mouth, which cuts off the air flow to the lips, causing deterioration in the sound. Begin very slowly, much slower than you can single tongue, and focus on maintaining the low vowel sound (in your head), either OOH or AHH and keep the consonant very light. Good articulation should be 90% vowel and 10% consonant. When you can double tongue repeated notes with the same quality of tone as single tonguing, speed up the tempo a little and repeat.

[AndyCat]

Try playing your normal rehearsal/practice with ka instead of ta. Articulate using ka for a while.

[southtubist]

Multiple tonguing sorta came naturally for me, never really need to practice it much to maintain the skill. I don't think of it as syllables, like "tu ku" or "tu tu ku". I think "front back" or "front front back". Not sure why I do it that way, but it works for me. The Arban's exercises are good, as well as saying the syllables when you're trying to fall asleep or something like that.

[Michael Bush]

Consonants are over-rated.

[Michael Bush]

Pac-Man at the pizza parlor arcade

I wonder if to the OP this is a list of meaningless terms. But all of us "of a certain age" know exactly!

[roweenie]

Pac-Man at the pizza parlor arcade

I wonder if to the OP this is a list of meaningless terms. But all of us "of a certain age" know exactly!

My favorite was "Asteroids" (no double-tongueing, just a really cool game......)

[FarahShazam]

Arbans. Follow it slow and steady. It's how I learned.

OMG, elephant. That'd brilliant!

[Wes Krygsman]

This video of Sarah Willis playing an natural horn in F in an MRI machine is very cool to finally see what happens inside the mouth as we are playing. This is what happens in her mouth, not necessarily everyone's of course, but getting a general idea is helpful.

Skip to #19 or 6:30 into the video for double tonguing.
https://youtu.be/MWcOwgWsPHA

[tofu]

This video of Sarah Willis playing an natural horn in F in an MRI machine is very cool to finally see what happens inside the mouth as we are playing. This is what happens in her mouth, not necessarily everyone's of course, but getting a general idea is helpful.

Skip to #19 or 6:30 into the video for double tonguing.
https://youtu.be/MWcOwgWsPHA

That is fascinating.

[k001k47]

The majority of folks I've met that have trouble double tonguing have a speech impediment - if only a mild one -, weather they realize it or not.

[Donn]

Double tongue technique is never a problem for me, as I don't have any real ambition to do it. One of the reasons (besides no apparent need for it) is illustrated by the video, and so far I don't see any consideration of it here. Note how much space normally in the mouth. Particularly on lower or louder notes, though not 100% consistently. Except when double tonguing, where the tongue completely fills the mouth. Does that feel right? For me, not so much. I think tuba players probably normally play with much more air and less tongue in their mouths than horn players.

[FarahShazam]

Statistically...

IF you are double-tonguing with a tuba more than a dozen notes,

the gig probably isn't for dough.

How do you mean?

[MaryAnn]

The usual advice is to start slowly with the requisite syllables. Since I learned brass as a middle aged adult, I sort of made up my own methods. What I recommend is to find a note that is not a strain to play and just do a double: TUKU as fast as you can, stop, and repeat ad nauseam (just the one double, TUKU) until it is boring. Then do four: TUKUTUKU. Ad nauseam. Then six....but FAST. When you can go FAST on a single note without falling apart, you have the basic technique down and can take it from there, coordinating with changing notes. Works for me, has worked for some others I have told about it.