The reason for the development and employment of double tonguing is quite simple: it enables the player to articulate faster than is possible with the single tongue. At speeds which are near the upper limit of the single tongue, it allows the player to articulate in a more relaxed manner. This, of course, arises from the fact that articulation occurs in two separate places. Playing sixteenth notes at quarter note = 132 with the double tongue, the tip of the tongue and glottal areas articulate at only quarter note = 66.
For those of us not blessed with a quick single tongue, a well controlled double tongue is of tremendous importance. I must emphasize that double tonguing has to be indistinguishable from single tonguing and capable of execution slowly enough to reasonably overlap the range of the single tongue. I can double tongue, with full control, as slowly as sixteenths at quarter note = 96 and my single tongue tops out at quarter note = 116. This gives me great flexibility in my choice of articulation. It is just as important to practice at the bottom of your speed range as at the top.
All this requires following a logical series of steps and the
exercises of some patience. In my own case, I suffered nearly
a year of self-misdirection until I began study with Frederick
Moritz. He gave me the key to solving the problems which I had
encountered: from that point, it took only three to four months
to achieve good control and reasonable velocity. Continuing study
then resulted in greater speed and control. The bassoonist who
undertakes study of double tonguing must not be easily discouraged,
for when the pieces finally fall into place, progress can be startlingly
rapid.
Attack/release points...
The front articulation point
is the tip (more or less) of the tongue. You should not alter
the placement or action from that of single tonguing in any way.
Breath support is no different from single tonguing: you do not
have to blow harder. Take care to keep the tongue as relaxed as
possible at all times.
The rear articulation point is near the glottal area of the throat and is accomplished by the back of the tongue. This is the critical part of the technique, where success or failure are bred. It is first necessary to locate where the actual point of articulation lies. To do this, pronounce " gee " (with a hard g), " kee " or " kuh " several times. Feel the exact spot at which this takes place and make sure to keep it happening at that precise location. This is tremendously important, as it contributes to pitch stability and the precision and quality of attack.
There are four things to watch. First, be sure to keep the tongue and throat relaxed. Second, be certain the jaw does not move: it is just as harmful here as in single tonguing. Third, although there will be a small amount of movement of the tongue muscle as a normal product of the technique, keep this to a minimum. Fourth, keep the throat as open as possible.
Syllables for double tonguing...
Choosing the front syllable is
quite simple: it should be no different than that used in the
single tongue. "Tah", "tuh" and "dee"
are the prevalent syllables. I prefer to use "dee" for
single and double tonguing as it does not give such a hard attack.
just as in the single tongue, keep the articulation relaxed and
flowing, as if tongue and notes were riding on a stream of air.
In the choice and execution of the back syllable, there are several problems which routinely confront the beginner in this technique. These include pitch drop, failed or explosive attacks and general inconsistency of the weight and separation of attacks.
Probably the greatest difficulty is pitch control. There are two main causes. The first is excessive downward movement of the rear of the tongue. The amount of pitch drop is directly related to the amount of tongue movement which is partly a product of the syllable chosen for articulation. I have found through my own experiences in learning to double tongue and teaching it to others, that using a glottal (back) syllable of "kah" or "kuh" leads to scooped glottal attacks.
Using "gee" or "kee" reduces movement of the back of the tongue, develops higher placement of the air stream and consequently yields greater control of the pitch. It is entirely possible to develop pitch stability using other syllables, but it takes much longer. I use "gee" in most situations as it gives a more liquid articulation. Where a drier staccato is desired, I use "kee". Both are open ended in that they have a vowel sound at the end which contributes to proper air flow and placement in the throat. Beware of over emphasizing the rear attack as it can easily tie up the tongue.
Failed or explosive glottal attacks are also eliminated by selecting the open ended "gee" or "kee" syllables and by placing them as far forward in the throat as possible. A failed attack is simply the result of not interrupting the flow of air. Interrupting the air flow is most easily done toward the front of the throat as the tongue must move less in order to accomplish the task. It is no coincidence that "dee" or "kee" work so well since their natural placement is much more forward than that of "kah" or "kuh". An explosive attack is generally caused by a gross, uncontrolled movement of the back of the tongue, something that is much more likely to happen using syllables that occur deeper in the throat.
To put this information to use in learning to double tongue,
I recommend the following, step by step approach. It is presented
in outline form for easier access.
1. Duple Rhythms
A. Without Bassoon or Reed
1. Front attack. Practice single tonguing which is not too separated.
2. Glottal attack.a. Pronounce glottal syllable "gee" 10 to 15 times.
i. Place "gee" as far forward as possible.
ii. Do not let jaw move.b. Repeat a., now keeping air flowing after the attack is made ("gee").
B. With Bassoon and Reed.
1. Repeat Al.
2. Repeat A2.a. Try to move tongue as little as possible.
b. Support, but do not overblow. Keep air flowing as if voicing the "ee" in "gee".C. Combining Front and Glottal Attacks.
1. Front articulation.
a. Play a C major scale, c to c1, up and down in at 76-84.
i. Note consistency of attack.
ii. Note steadiness of pitch.2. Glottal articulation.
a. Repeat C1 using "gee".
i . Do not accept sounds inferior to front articulation in pitch stability, consistency of articulation or timing of attack.
ii . Compare frequently with front articulation.
iii. If difficulty occurs, repeat 1B.3. Alternating Front and Glottal Articulation.
a. Begin scale equally using front and glottal syllables ("dee"-"gee" and "gee"-"dee"). Practice in all keys and extend range outward.
i . Keep syllables of equal strength.
ii. Strive to make two syllables indistinguishable in control and stability.
iii. Many passages require starting on "gee". I cite two.b. Repeat 3a in eighth notes at quarter note = 76-84.
c. Repeat 3a in sixteenth notes at quarter note = 76-84.
d. Repeat 3a-c, increasing tempo of.
II. Triple Rhythms in 6/8.
1. Practice 3b. in 6/8 with accent on every fourth attack.
("DEE"-"gee"-"dee"-"GEE"-"dee"-"gee") = 76-84.a. Do not overdo accent. Let the accent grow in strength.
b. Keep the accented glottal syllable in same place as unaccented.2. Repeat at = 84-96.
3. Repeat at = 104-120.
4. Continue to increase speed.
About the writer...
George Adams, Professor of Music at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, recently completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Texas, Austin.