fast rythm for a slow player! Help!

liloleme · Post by **liloleme** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:00 pm

I''ve recently began working on a
really difficult flute solo. Overall it''s going great but I have one problem
area with it. There are about 4 measures of double tonguing sixteenth notes at a
pace of quarter notes = 84. Basically I''m just finding it really difficult to
play these notes so fast. Anyone have any tips to help me practice and
eventually get this section fast enough? thanx a million [:)] [:)]

damjan · Post by **damjan** » Sat May 17, 2003 11:41 pm

Basically, just slow it down,
practice to your metronome, make sure the notes are steady and even and then
bring it up to speed. The good thing about double-tonguing is that you can
practice it without the flute throughout the day. Just keep doing ta-ka-ta-ka.
More importantly, try practicing the back of your tongue (the "ka" part) by
itself by going ka-ka-ka-ka etc., since the back tongue is weaker than the
front. This will even out the double tonguing.

boglarka · Post by **boglarka** » Sun May 18, 2003 4:04 pm

Double tonguer! Practice double
tonguing in front of a mirror and make sure only your tongue moves (moving the
lips, the jaw, the mouth, etc. will slow you down and are incorrect to do
anyway). Experiment with different vowels (taka, tiki, tuku). Practice
"backwards" SLOWLY!!! (kata or kiti, etc.). Double tonguing takes a while to
develop but do not give up! Once you've mastered this, triple tonguing won't
take as long! Happy fluting!

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon May 19, 2003 12:33 am

Another articulation you might
want to try is "doo-goo". That's the one I use for Double-Tounging, and while
it may not be the best method, it still works pretty well. Oh, and the metronome
will help a lot. Keep at it and you will get it. "If you practice as you wish to
perform, you will perform as you have practiced" (not mine). Cass <><

liloleme · Post by **liloleme** » Thu May 22, 2003 3:06 pm

Thanx for all the advice [:)] I
guess Ill definetly be doing a lot of practicing. hehe.. not like thats nething
new [;)] well thanks again -me [:)]

flute friend · Post by **flute friend** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 9:17 pm

First start by playing the part
slowly and slowly work your way up till you can play it fast it may take a long
time and lots of practicing but I know you can do it!! I wish you the best of
luck!! -Flute Friend[:)] [;)] [:p]

flute friend · Post by **flute friend** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 9:19 pm

First start by playing the part
slowly and slowly work your way up till you can play it fast it may take a long
time and lots of practicing but I know you can do it!! I wish you the best of
luck!! -Flute Friend[:)] [;)] [:p]

krisgmusic · Post by **krisgmusic** » Mon Aug 25, 2003 1:51 pm

Practice double tonguing away from
the piece to ease your frustrations at first. Use whatever key the piece is in
and then practice eighth note double tonguing (1+2+3+4+ as TKTKTKTK) and do it
slowly on one pitch of the scale for each whole measure. Then try doing a whole
measure of sixteenths on each piech for a whole measure, still slowly. Then do
one count per pitch, eighths, and work up to one count per pitch, sixteenths.
ALL SLOWLY. Once this is going well, slowly but surely move up the metronome.
Once you do all of this, go back to the piece and practice the hard excerpt
slowly and evenly. You'll find that technique practice away from the piece
helps tremendously. Krisgmusic

roygbivlaw · Post by **roygbivlaw** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 12:35 am

sometimes the problem is your
fingers, not your tongue. have you tried reworking the passage all slurred?
you'd be amazed at the little things that you don't catch when you put the
articulations in. my teacher often makes me practice fast passages all slurred
and then add the tongueing back in after 10 or 15 repetitions. it helps a LOT.
just a suggestion.

lhampton · Post by **lhampton** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:02 am

Practice it slow, slow, slow. And
also do work with your tunging. I have the same prob. w/ a piece I have to work
up for a competition. My teacher always says to practice it at your base, or the
tempo you can already play it at, and play through it three times, perfect. but
rest in between. Then move your meteromne tempo upp a notch, a notch could be ne
where frum 5 beats per minute to 1 beat per minute. Don't cheat your self. And
play it three times perfect at that tempon. So on and So forth. In a way, Only a
1 beat per minute notch is helpful. It tricks your brain into thinking that the
tempo hasn't changed! And just keep practicing. Leanne

krichards · Post by **krichards** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 12:00 pm

Along with all the good advice
about tonguing, you might want to try this. I had been taught to slow these
passages right down and then gradually speed them up too. Recently, someone
suggested I try something a little different. Play it full speed but add a note
at a time to the passage. Play the first two notes over and over. Then add the
third and keep working on it until you've go it. Then add the fouth, and then
the fifth and so on. I'm not sure this will help...I'm just experimenting with
it myself. So far, it seems to be working pretty well. I like roygbivlaw's
suggesting of slurring the whole thing before adding articulation...a lot of
times, it is your fingers to blame!