WHAT IS ANCHOR TONGUING??

[jacqueline foster]

Could someone please explain?? :^)

[brian...@my-deja.com]

In article <8j5nc0$3lg$1...@slb6.atl.mindspring.net>,
"jacqueline foster" <cle...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Could someone please explain?? :^)

Some people tongue with the tip of their tongue. Others, myself
included, anchor the tip of their tongue behind their bottom teeth and
arch an area of their tongue slightly farther back forward to tongue.
I'd say the part of my tongue I tongue with is about 1/4 inch or so
back. I don't consider either method superior to the other.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[Mark Charette]

<brian...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8j6qp1$mrt$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...

> In article <8j5nc0$3lg$1...@slb6.atl.mindspring.net>,
> "jacqueline foster" <cle...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> > Could someone please explain?? :^)

...

> I don't consider either method superior to the other.

However, almost all high-end clarinet teachers will attempt to eliminate
your anchor tonguing ...

I'll let that speak for itself.
--
Mark Char...@sneezy.org
"Personally, I find the idea of running something that comes in thru
email is as wise as checking to see if a gun is loaded by pointing it
at your head and pulling the trigger. " - Rick Widmer

[Jack Stanley]

I was taught anchor tonguing by my last teacher. It produces a
nice sounding "pop" when you tongue. However, I have not been
able to get my tonguing speed up very high using this method. I
find the tonguing point too far back on the tongue and cannot
generate much speed. So, I've recently switched over to a normal
tonging style. It seems much more versatile - I can generate
a heavy or light style now. I can switch off from a "duh" sound
to a "tuh" sound also, It does take some work to get a nice
tonguing sound out, though.

Jack

[brian...@my-deja.com]

>
> However, almost all high-end clarinet teachers will attempt to
eliminate
> your anchor tonguing ...
>
> I'll let that speak for itself.

Gee, I guess that means Mitchell Lurie can't be much of a clarinet
player.
Personally, I try to avoid dogma. People are not all the same. Any good
teacher will make suggestions, but the important thing is to find a
method that works. I'm a professional musician, mainly saxophone, and a
private teacher. I've never had a saxophone or clarinet teacher try to
change my tonguing. When teaching beginners, I tell them about both
methods. I consider any teacher who insists on doing things only one way
inferior.

[Rich R]

Well said. I've found that there is alit of elitism in clarinetists
these days. I'm an older player and former professional (maybe again)
and I've seen quite a change in attitude of musicians these days. From
if you don't play a Buffet - to how to tongue a note. I just tend to
ignore the poor sould and hope they learn to be more open - could learn
something! (Heaven Forbid!!!)

Anyway, the trend is away from anchor tonguing. I tend not to and do
not recommend it to advanced students. It does slow down the tongue
speed. If you can do it it is great, but most (like me) cannot
generate enough speed to make it work on faster passages - end up
tonguing every other or less - at my age lucky to get that, even!

It is easier to pick up and probably good for beginners (younger
ones). However, I'd reccommend going away from it if one is interested
in quick stuff (which I'n not all that impressed with anyways). \

Still kind of a what you want to do and the type of music you want to
play. Does make a difference.

Rich R.

[Patricia Smith]

Perhaps another route to go, is that if you can do both, so much the better.
Any mode of articulation is merely a tool to use to create musical effect
and communication. I do not anchor tongue because, as in the case of double
tonguing, I am not comfortable doing it, and right now, I don't have a need
for it and can get the effects I need by using the tools already at my
disposal.
Speaking of double tonguing, I find it is very easy for me to double tongue
on flute...I have not tried an anchor tongue on flute. That will probably
be easy too. It must have to do with how much mouthpiece I use, or
something that I do not feel comfortable using these items with the
clarinet. At least they are not like circular breathing, something I am
simply not physically capable of doing, no matter how hard I try.
All this said, it pays to stay open to new ideas.
Cheers
Patty Smith

[amos...@my-deja.com]

Patty,
As for anchor tonguing on the Flute, I don't think you will be able to
do it with enough control since part of the production of sound on the
flute is the air flow through the air chamber(mouth) and anchoring the
tongue will greatly disrupt the flow passage. On Clarinet since the
reed serves to channel the air, anchoring the tongue will not disrupt
the air flow since the entrance to the mouthpiece is further back in
the mouth. On the flute the air will pass over the tongue and by
anchoring the tongue we place a more restricted flow producing a
tighter and thinner sound.

On clarinet as far as teaching goes I never taught anchor tonguing
since even on clarinet I find it very restrictive to a relaxed movement
of the toungue which in turn leads to relaxed playing.

As for Circular breathing try this technique to learn.

Go to a sink and take a mouthful of water,
lean over the sink and let the water run from your mouth, as the water
is draining out, breath in through your nose.
Do this for several days until it is very comfortable, then try forcing
the water out using the cheek muscles
After you can force the water out very hard (like a squirt gun)and
breath a full breath in quickly then is the time to try it on a wind
instrument. Try Clarinet first since it has a fair amount of resistance
naturally. At this time don't be concerned with pitchtone or anything
just keeping the sound as you transition from breathing in(and blowing
with the cheek muscles) to blowing nad back to breathing in again.
You might want to go the a softer reed to begin with since the muscle
control will be very unnatural.

Good luck

In article <Zo265.9221$NP5.1...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net>,

[Mark Charette]

<brian...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8j9ev9$kqk$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...

>
>
> >
> > However, almost all high-end clarinet teachers will attempt to
> eliminate
> > your anchor tonguing ...
> >
> > I'll let that speak for itself.
>
> Gee, I guess that means Mitchell Lurie can't be much of a clarinet
> player.

No, it means what it said. Almost all high-end clarinet teachers will
attempt to eliminate your anchor tonguing. It is seldom taught or encouraged
anymore (if it ever was). That's a fact. That doesn't mean people don't use
it, it doesn't mean that no professionals use the method. It's not elitist -
it's how it is.

> I've never had a saxophone or clarinet teacher try to
> change my tonguing.

Perhaps your tonguing, whatever method you use, is good enough. Perhaps
there were other reasons.

> When teaching beginners, I tell them about both
> methods.

I wouldn't teach any beginners both methods. They're confused enough to
begin with ...

> I consider any teacher who insists on doing things only one way
> inferior.

Gee, I guess that mean Robert Marcellus couldn't have been much of a
clarinet teacher.

Personally, I learn what I can from everyone.

--
Mark Char...@sneezy.org
Webmaster, http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet

[brian...@my-deja.com]

> Perhaps another route to go, is that if you can do both, so much the
better.
> Any mode of articulation is merely a tool to use to create musical
effect
> and communication. I do not anchor tongue because, as in the case of
double
> tonguing, I am not comfortable doing it, and right now, I don't have a
need
> for it and can get the effects I need by using the tools already at my
> disposal.
> Speaking of double tonguing, I find it is very easy for me to double
tongue
> on flute...I have not tried an anchor tongue on flute. That will
probably
> be easy too. It must have to do with how much mouthpiece I use, or
> something that I do not feel comfortable using these items with the
> clarinet. At least they are not like circular breathing, something I
am
> simply not physically capable of doing, no matter how hard I try.
> All this said, it pays to stay open to new ideas.
> Cheers
> Patty Smith

I anchor tongue on sax/clarinet because I have to. The shape etc. of my
mouth/tongue prevents me from doing otherwise. On flute, since there is
no mouthpiece in the mouth, I tongue the regular flute way. I've never
seen anyone even mention anchor tonguing on flute.

[Paul Lindemeyer]

brian...@my-deja.com wrote:

> I anchor tongue on sax/clarinet because I have to. The shape etc. of my
> mouth/tongue prevents me from doing otherwise.

I'm in the same category -- volume of tongue relative to size of mouth
cavity is too large to put the tongue very far back in the mouth without
blocking the airstream.

I also have a severe overbite, ok for clarinet but less than ideal for saxophone.

In a perfect world, people like us would have been encouraged to take up
percussion.

--

LINDEMEYER PRODUCTIONS INC.
Orchestras Ensembles Graphic Design
C.G. CONN Saxophones "Choice of the Artist"
Paul Lindemeyer <pau...@cyburban.com>

[brian...@my-deja.com]

> I'm in the same category -- volume of tongue relative to size of mouth
> cavity is too large to put the tongue very far back in the mouth
without
> blocking the airstream.
>
> I also have a severe overbite, ok for clarinet but less than ideal for
saxophone.
>
> In a perfect world, people like us would have been encouraged to take
up
> percussion.

My actual problem is that my tongue attaches to the bottom of my mouth
right behind my lower teeth. I can't even stick my tongue out.

[Edward Branham]

I had the same problem. When extremely young, my parents took me to a
doctor who snipped the thingy under the tongue back. I can stick it out
now!