Claude Gordon - Practice routines.pdf

INTRODUCTION > Eee

THE TONGUE One of the most vital elements of playing a brass instrument is the tongue. lf you did not have a tongue, you vr,ould be unableto produce morethan onetone. It is the tongue that channels the pitch, just as in talking the tongue shapes the difierent sounds of the syllables. A little experimentration will prorc that unless thetongue moves, the sound willnotchange in either directbn, up or down. lf you play any given note and brce it sharp, the tongue willrise in your mouth. The same happens when fo rcing a note fl at: the tongue will drop or lower. lf you ny Aww," you cannot change to the sound "Eee" unless the tongue mo\€s up. lf you ay "Eee," you cannot change lo 'Aww" unless the tongue drcps or flattens out. From this, one realizes that the tongue channels the pitch and that it ac*ually has a difierent position br every note on the instrument. This difiercnce is so minute at times that il is hardly discemable. Therebe,

the knack of playing must come from the adualbel and not frcm theory. The purpose of these studies isto helpthe student gain this knack or bel by training the tongue to lock into its prcperplaceto produceeach sound. Whenthis is accomplished, the high rcgister is just as easy to produce as the middle rcgister. Also the player begins to hd eacfi rpte so he never misses, even though he may be hged with the most difrcult of interuals. Alfrough I harae heard endless discussions and arguments stating that tonguing is difierent than slurring, tris is simply untrue. The'tongue must be in a certain position to prcduce any given note, whether sluned or tongued. Example: Place the tip of the tongue against the lower teett never rigidly, dn lightly wiftorX pressing. Say AW Eee" while maintaining the tongue in this position. Notice the morement of the tongue. Nory say "Iaw, Eee, Taw, Eee" while lighty pressirg fte tip against the lower teeh. Notice the movemenrt of the torgue. Nor take your instument and do the same exercise as bllows: Place the tip if the toqgue against the back

of the

lorrrrer

Eent, lightly, not rigidly. Keep the tip

there. Play the bllowing a