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Clarinet Tonguing Tips: There's More Than One Way to Articulate
with David Gould
Date Posted: May 27, 2016
Over the years I have heard many different levels of single reed students all over the world. Whether in the USA, Asia, or Europe, I have noticed that tonguing is often a weakness with younger players. I have come up with a few concepts that I think can make a big difference with little effort.
Tah and Dah
If you have studied a single reed instrument from an early age, you have most likely used the syllable tah. Good old tah can get the job done, but it can often create an accent on the note or even a squeak if done too hard.
Truth be told, in my own playing, I use tah for a note with an accent on it. If you are committed to tah, but want to soften it up a little, try dah. This softer syllable will lighten up the aggressive character of the attack.
Tee
Have you ever considered tee?
This syllable is softer but still precise. This can be used for a rapid succession of tongued notes. It keeps the tongue pointed and yet almost relaxed to do its job. It also keeps the tongue high in the mouth. This can help keep pitch consistent.
Dee
My default syllable has become dee over the years...
It has a soft attack and helps me keep the tongue relaxed. This also allows me to tongue more rapidly then dah or tah syllables. It also keeps my tongue position high and forward to help with keep my intonation more consistent.
Air Attacks
Lastly, another option for the courageous are air attacks, meaning, using the air speed and embouchure pressure to control the beginning vibrations of the reed and ultimately the start of the sound... In other words an attack without tongue.
This can be practiced by starting a note with only a soft slow stream of air. Slowly increase the speed and volume of the air to find the moment where the reed catches and the tone begins.
"No matter what sound you want or type of articulation you will use, air pressure and support is paramount to good playing." - David Gould
Final Thoughts
All of these can work and they can achieve a variety of colors in the articulation, but never forget the most important part of articulation - proper air support behind the tongue.
No matter what sound you want or type of articulation you will use, air pressure and support is paramount to good playing.
Air pressure will always take the edge off an attack and make sure that the tone will follow the tonguing syllable. Remember to always support with a deep, low breath that is being driven up and out the oral cavity, through the clarinet, and out to the audience.
Good luck, and practice slowly!!!
About David Gould
David Gould has been a featured concerto soloist in America and Europe in works by Brotons, Bruch, Debussy, Mozart, Hickey, Weber, and Strauss.
Mr. Gould has performed as a guest artist with the American Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Mariinsky Theater Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, National Symphony, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Lukes, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Stamford Symphony. He is currently third clarinet and bass clarinetist with the American Ballet Theater Orchestra in New York City.
He has performed under the direction of many of today’s leading conductors including Marin Alsop, Marco Armiliato, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniele Gatti, Valery Gergiev, Alan Gilbert, Bernard Haitink, Paavo Jarvi, James Levine, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, John Nelson, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Krzystof Penderecki, David Robertson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gerard Schwartz, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, and Jaap van Zweden.
Mr. Gould is committed to the music of his time and has commissioned and given numerous world premieres including works (chamber music and concertos) by Peter Bannister, David Bixler, Salvador Brotons, Paquito D’Rivera, Christian Ellenwood, Hayes Greenfield, Sean Hickey, Michael Markowski, Ranny Reeve, Alexandre Rydin, and Phil Woods.
As a chamber player he has performed with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the iO String Quartet, Nancy Allen, Philippe Cuper, Carol Wincenc, and the Polish Wind and String Players Ensemble. He founded Ensemble 54 (clarinet quartet), and is a member of the Fuse Trio.
He has taken part in recording sessions for the soundtracks of major motion pictures and documentaries Building Alaska 2009, True Grit 2010, Extremely Loud Intolerably Close 2011, Zoolander 2 2016, A Dog’s Purpose 2017, Mother 2017, The Greatest Showman 2017, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 2018, Jessica Jones 2018, The Goldfinch 2019, Joker 2019, Noelle 2019, West Side Story 2019, In the Heights 2020
Gould has performed in the pit of many Broadway shows including La Boheme, West Side Story, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the Roof, Pipe Dream, On the Town, Dr. Zhivago, The King and I, and My Fair Lady.
He has given master classes, concerts, or lectures at many prestigious schools such as Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory, Boston University, the Colburn School, Curtis Institute of Music, the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, the New England Conservatory, UCLA, and the University of Michigan. Gould was adjunct lecturer of clarinet at the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music from 2004 - 2013.
Mr. Gould has edited and corrected etudes by Alessio, Labanchi and Stark, and pieces by Rene de Boisdeffre, Cyrille Rose, and Paul Jeanjean for International Music Diffusion (IMD). He has recorded for Naxos, Mode Records, and MSR Classics. His debut recording The Forgotten Clarinet (2014) garnered critical acclaim in the clarinet community around the world.
He is a graduate of the Juilliard School, having studied with Stanley Drucker and David Weber. He was awarded the Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship, to study music in France. He attended the Académie Internationale de Musique et de Danse de la Lozère and studied with Jacques Lancelot. Living three years in Paris, David Gould studied at the Conservatoire Paul Dukas in the class of Michel Arrignon and later at the Conservatoire National de Region de Versailles in the class of Philippe Cuper.
He completed both Superior and Honor level studies earning unanimous first prizes with special felicitations of the jury.
Throughout his performing career Mr. Gould has had a significant relationship and concurrent professional career working with Vandoren, the French manufacturer of the world’s finest reeds and mouthpieces. For over 20 years he has aided in the development of new products as well as their marketing and promotion. He serves as the Artist-Relations manager, product specialist, director of the Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition, and is the director of the Vandoren Musician’s Advisory Studio in New York City for DANSR inc.
David Gould is a performing artist and clinician for Buffet Crampon and Vandoren.
To learn more about David Gould, visit www.dgclarient.com