Double-Tonguing, Tongue Tied?

[apleasuretoburn]

I've just started working on double-tonguing recently, and so I've been practising doing it slowly on middle-register notes and scales, but I find that my tongue gets tired really quickly. I should also mention that I am, to a degree, "tongue-tied". I was just wondering if the reason I'm having difficulty with it has anything to do with my being tongue-tied, or if it will come along reasonably once I continue to build strength in my tongue?

Also, for anyone who has worked on Mozart's Concerto in G Major, do any of you double-tongue passages in the first movement? I've been working on the movement slowly, but I'm trying to bring up the tempo now. As I've been playing the movement faster, I'm noticing that my single-tonguing is sounding sloppy, and so I was wondering if double-tonguing would help clean up any of that?

[LaDanseuse]

I had that problem too when I started double-tonguing. Don't worry. Double-tonguing doesn't happen overnight. From personal experience, the key to double-tonguing is repetition, time, and a whole lot of patience. Do it at a slow tempo (ie 85 bpm) and work your way up.

And I don't think it'll clean up your single-tonguing. They seem to be two separate entities. But that's just me. In fact, I've noticed that if I single-tongue right after I've double-tongued, my single-tonguing get kind of screwed up. (Due to my previous lack of skill in double-tonguing, I've developped a crazy fast single-tongue )

[apleasuretoburn]

Thanks! Also, I'm not sure if I was really clear, but even though I know that learning to double-tongue won't necessarily clean up my single-tonguing, I was just wondering if it would sound better to double-tongue that specific piece. But again, thanks for the advice, I'll keep working at it!

[rikk22]

i can double tongue single notes but i cant douible tongue scales and such

im getting frustrated

[sherbert789]

I've played that piece and I double tongue EVERY 16th note that isn't supposed to be slurred. I have no idea how it would be humanly possible to play that piece up to tempo single tongued! Just practice doing like scales double tongued, and eventually you'll get really good at it and you won't be able to tell your single tonguing from your double tonguing!

[FOXOMATIC]

I can double tounge through a scale or arpeggio OK, but if I do it slowly, I notice there is tone difference between first and second note. You know, my tounge is basically saying "doodle" to double tongue. The "doo" part sounds fine, but the "dle" half of the word/note is shallower sounding because my tounge is near the roof of my mouth. I don't really notice it while double tounging fast, so maybe that's why I never see or hear any comment about it from other flutists. And I don't need to double tounge when playing slow, so maybe it is a non-issue. Has anyone else noticed this? Is there a way to overcome it?

[flutepicc06]

I don't know how slow we're talking, but the best solution is not to double tongue until it's absolutely necessary. Work the single tonguing to get it as fast as possible, and then start double tonguing only when you physically can't single tongue for the rapidity of the notes. You might also try different syllables to get a more even tongue (Duh-guh and tuh-kuh being the usual suggestions, but others can work too). Also try double tonguing backwards, with the emphasis on the second syllable (K-T-K-T-K-T rather than T-K-T-K-T-K). That should get the second syllable to the point that it eqauls the first, and allow a better match.

[fluteguy18]

Yeah.... single tongue whenever possible. I know in a piece I am playing right now I have to double tongue (its a symphonic band piece that is something along the lines of 3 dance movements by Khatchachurian [spelling??!!!] and it is almost impossible at the speed we are playing it even with double tongueing). Although it doesnt help that I dont have a very good flute, so that is probably part of the problem.

[concertino]

doing it both backwards and forwards is good, and some times, if you play it slurred, than I have found that it can be easy to find out which phrases are harder to play.

[dalghakk]

well i think it is something between ta ka and da ga !!!and in middle scales tongue in the middle not in front for both of them da and ga because if you make it in the front of your tongue you wouldnt have enough arir pressure for a nice sound !!!! somehow where ever on our tongue that we have ta we should have ga too !but in third scale may be you will need to make it a little forward !! in different pieces it changes how you double tongue and in different notes ( low or high ) it changes too !!!
and i think you sould use it for speeds more than 100/115 !!!
And i forgot to say that tonque must be most relaxed !! no pressure at all and u will see the speed will increase and it will And should go on automatically and so easy !! make the air pressue more in order to need less pressure on our tongue !! u will find it !!!! TRY

[golden ass]

Listening to Pahud play this concerto -- I don't think one should have to double-tongue to reach that tempo, or even slightly faster.

[strika11]

Check out Nina Perlove's articulation masterclass on youtube, she is very useful with double tonguing and give lots of exercises to do.