Performance
Double Tonguing on the Saxophone
Citation: Murphy, Sean. Double Tonguing on the Saxophone. The Instrumentalist, Nov. 2012, Vol. 67, No. 4.
Article Title: Double Tonguing on the Saxophone
Author: Sean Murphy
Instrument: Saxophone
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
A. Double tonguing
1. Becoming common practice for saxophones
2. Composers now write pieces that requires new techniques
B. Importance
1. Incorporate repetitive activities for endurance and muscle response
2. K sound
3. Must be isolated and practiced long before using it seriously
C. Steps
1. Verbalize "k" sound
2. Release of air stream behind "k" sound
3. Add mouthpiece and neck combo
4. Do not over practice, will weaken, take rests in between
5. Use only "kuh" syllable when tonguing
6. Vary accents
D. In practice
1. Steps and activities used to develop skill now become a warm up
2. "Kuh" should match the "tuh" syllable sound
3. Articulation available ranges from biting tak-kat to smooth dee-ga
4. Technique must be developed before musical applications
E. Demands
1. Musical phrasing and speed
2. 2 different tonguings necessary
3. Used to create same movement as bows of string instruments
4. Keys: flexibility, slow practicing, and maintaining the flow of technique
5. Be careful of mechanical tonguing that looses musical phrase
F. Tips
1. Foundation of good single tonguing first
2. Could use word "ticket" to fee motion and syllable
3. Isolate notes in the middle to low register
4. Range will expand in time, higher notes more difficult to grasp clearly
5. Practice exercises for developing the range and speed with double tonguing
6. Incorporate double tonguing in to scales and patterns
7. Practices exercises both slurred and articulated to encourage air support
8. Experiment with different ways of practicing
9. Flute exercises make good saxophone double tonguing passages
10. Used if single tonguing is inadequate for fast passages.
G. Usefulness
1. Double tonguing highlights problems such as tension in the mouth, tongue and throat
a. Can cause non-resonant tone, difficultly with lower notes, and poor, inconsistent articulation
b. Uneven air stream or set-up with too much back pressure is culprit
2. Preferences for tu-ku or da-ga gives variety in articulation
3. Mouthpiece and reed choice also effect success at double tonguing
4. Single tonguing improves when developing double tonguing
Article Title: Double Tonguing on the Saxophone
Author: Sean Murphy
Instrument: Saxophone
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
A. Double tonguing
1. Becoming common practice for saxophones
2. Composers now write pieces that requires new techniques
B. Importance
1. Incorporate repetitive activities for endurance and muscle response
2. K sound
3. Must be isolated and practiced long before using it seriously
C. Steps
1. Verbalize "k" sound
2. Release of air stream behind "k" sound
3. Add mouthpiece and neck combo
4. Do not over practice, will weaken, take rests in between
5. Use only "kuh" syllable when tonguing
6. Vary accents
D. In practice
1. Steps and activities used to develop skill now become a warm up
2. "Kuh" should match the "tuh" syllable sound
3. Articulation available ranges from biting tak-kat to smooth dee-ga
4. Technique must be developed before musical applications
E. Demands
1. Musical phrasing and speed
2. 2 different tonguings necessary
3. Used to create same movement as bows of string instruments
4. Keys: flexibility, slow practicing, and maintaining the flow of technique
5. Be careful of mechanical tonguing that looses musical phrase
F. Tips
1. Foundation of good single tonguing first
2. Could use word "ticket" to fee motion and syllable
3. Isolate notes in the middle to low register
4. Range will expand in time, higher notes more difficult to grasp clearly
5. Practice exercises for developing the range and speed with double tonguing
6. Incorporate double tonguing in to scales and patterns
7. Practices exercises both slurred and articulated to encourage air support
8. Experiment with different ways of practicing
9. Flute exercises make good saxophone double tonguing passages
10. Used if single tonguing is inadequate for fast passages.
G. Usefulness
1. Double tonguing highlights problems such as tension in the mouth, tongue and throat
a. Can cause non-resonant tone, difficultly with lower notes, and poor, inconsistent articulation
b. Uneven air stream or set-up with too much back pressure is culprit
2. Preferences for tu-ku or da-ga gives variety in articulation
3. Mouthpiece and reed choice also effect success at double tonguing
4. Single tonguing improves when developing double tonguing
Tips on Coping with Performance Nerves & Stage Fright
Citation: Thomas, Pete. Tips on Coping with Performance Nerves & Stage Fright. Taming the Saxophone, 2003. <http://tamingthesaxophone.com/stage-fright-performance-nerves.html>.
Article Title: Tips on Coping with Performance Nerves & Stage Fright
Author: None
Instrument: Thomas, Pete
Magazine or Journal Title: Taming the Saxophone
Summary:
A. Everyone has stage fright
1. Never really goes away
2. Some amount of it can help performer
3. Too much can get in the way of a good performance
B. Tips
1. Practice until you no longer get anything wrong
2. Don't take a big breath before you go on stage, breath moderately and evenly, exhale not inhale
3. Imagine audience are your friends and family
4. Stay away from drugs and alcohol
5. Allow mistakes; they are inevitable and the audience won't notice
6. Concentrate on when you last played the piece well
7. Recognize the audiences applause, they got something from your performance
8. Wear comfortable clothing that makes you feel like a performer
C. Experience
1. Gradual build up of the fear of failure
2. Just go for it!
3. You'll get nervous in places you think you won't, so prepare and be confident always
Article Title: Tips on Coping with Performance Nerves & Stage Fright
Author: None
Instrument: Thomas, Pete
Magazine or Journal Title: Taming the Saxophone
Summary:
A. Everyone has stage fright
1. Never really goes away
2. Some amount of it can help performer
3. Too much can get in the way of a good performance
B. Tips
1. Practice until you no longer get anything wrong
2. Don't take a big breath before you go on stage, breath moderately and evenly, exhale not inhale
3. Imagine audience are your friends and family
4. Stay away from drugs and alcohol
5. Allow mistakes; they are inevitable and the audience won't notice
6. Concentrate on when you last played the piece well
7. Recognize the audiences applause, they got something from your performance
8. Wear comfortable clothing that makes you feel like a performer
C. Experience
1. Gradual build up of the fear of failure
2. Just go for it!
3. You'll get nervous in places you think you won't, so prepare and be confident always