flute single tonguing

ClariFlute · Post by **ClariFlute** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 6:05 pm

I was told that you are supposed to tongue every note besides the ones in the middle and end a a slur. Is that right?

BiGSCARYMONSTER · Post by **BiGSCARYMONSTER** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 2:53 pm

You tounge every note except the tied ones and slurred ones. On the tied ones and slurred ones you tounge the first note only

Lydia · Post by **Lydia** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:45 pm

ohhhhh This one is helpful

I just started using the single tonguing 2 days ago. I am amazed at how much better every note sounds now. Much more accurate and consistent tones with the tongue ! Of course now that you just told us that we aren’t supposed to tongue every note, I will have to learn how to stop heh. It is so automatic now.

And I found the third octave too! I was wondering how the heck I would ever get there. With tonguing it just happened, and then I realized that if I tightened my embrasure a bit while tonguing, that the 3rd octave became easy and consistent as well.

I started playing Danny Boy the other day, I love that song so much. I was having alot of trouble with it. Tonguing improved it alot. Today it just started to sound decent, after about 20 hours and 300 repeat playings heh. Today I hit a whole bunch of the notes perfectly for a long stretch and my eyes filled all up with water. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it sounded. Hopefully I wont cry every time I do good tho. It's prolly not a good habit to get into heh. It just felt SO wonderful to be doing it finally after so much awful sounding

practice

Starqle · Post by **Starqle** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:33 pm

With the notes under a slur, you generally don't tongue them but for the very first one. The exception is when a note is repeated; then you tongue the second note unless there's a tie underneath the slur connecting those notes. There’s more exception, like when there are staccato marks underneath slurs... but I doubt you’ll see any of those any time soon, so don’t worry about it.

ClariFlute · Post by **ClariFlute** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:32 pm

Actually i have seen staccato marks under a slur (i'm not a beginner

). How do you do that?

Starqle · Post by **Starqle** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:06 pm

Well, it depends on the style of the piece/passage. Either tongue VERY lightly (slur it, just put your tongue in the way at times... if that makes sense) or use your diaphragm to separate the notes (say "ha").

And sorry

I just assumed you were a beginner because generally tonguing is one of the first things someone learns.

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:02 am

Wouldnt you play the notes stacato and play it as a slur?

Starqle · Post by **Starqle** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:33 am

*shrugs* This is what my flute teachers told me. The one I'm studying with right not is a professor - I'd think she'd know.

The thing is, you CAN'T play notes staccato (short and tongued) and slurred (connected completely with air) at the same time.

ClariFlute · Post by **ClariFlute** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:08 pm

[quote=And sorry

I just assumed you were a beginner because generally tonguing is one of the first things someone learns.[/quote]

Thats okay. I know how to to tongue, but i just didnt know if you were supposed to tongue every note, or just the ones at the beginning of the slur. Before, i would slur every note and only tongue the note at the beginning of the slur.