# Any double-tonguing tips?



## Chapuunka (Mar 26, 2010)

We're playing a song in band that has long streams of eighth notes at 154+ tempos, so I figured now would be a good time to try to learn double tonguing, but it's kinda hard. I probably just need to practice, but are there any tips that any other music people could suggest?

If it matters, I play French horn.


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## ianini (Mar 26, 2010)

Chapuunka said:


> I probably just need to practice



Kind of just answered your own question...


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## Slowpoke22 (Mar 26, 2010)

What a great place to ask such a question.


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## Chapuunka (Mar 26, 2010)

Slowpoke22 said:


> What a great place to ask such a question.



I thought so.


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## ianini (Mar 26, 2010)

http://www.guitartrade.org/ Looks like a good place.


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## Chapuunka (Mar 26, 2010)

ianini said:


> http://www.guitartrade.org/ Looks like a good place.



1. I'm not willing to create an account on a new community just for one question.

2. Unless I'm extremely confused about how guitars work, no tonguing is required.

Also, I'm not expecting a perfect response, or a real response at all, but it's worth a shot. If you don't want to read threads about double-tonguing than don't click on threads about double-tonguing.


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## masterofthebass (Mar 26, 2010)

Chapuunka said:


> We're playing a song in band that has long streams of eighth notes at 154+ tempos, so I figured now would be a good time to try to learn double tonguing, but it's kinda hard. I probably just need to practice, but are there any tips that any other music people could suggest?
> 
> If it matters, I play French horn.



practice is the only thing that you can do. Saying Ta-ka over and over and over is the way it works, so just do that. Eventually you'll be able to apply it to your instrument.


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## Neo63 (Mar 26, 2010)

hmm I play trumpet and I can't really double tongue but I've always wanted to learn. I'm interested in this as well.


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## Chapuunka (Mar 26, 2010)

masterofthebass said:


> Chapuunka said:
> 
> 
> > We're playing a song in band that has long streams of eighth notes at 154+ tempos, so I figured now would be a good time to try to learn double tonguing, but it's kinda hard. I probably just need to practice, but are there any tips that any other music people could suggest?
> ...



I was afraid of that... But oh well, nothing good comes without work. Thanks for the help though.


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## mr. giggums (Mar 26, 2010)

Chapuunka said:


> I play French horn.



I do too


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## chinesed00d (Mar 26, 2010)

say "Ta Ka" .... don't worry about how it sounds, just do it as fast as possible. With practice it'll be really clear. (i play trumpet)


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## (R) (Mar 26, 2010)

double tonguing is not the issue here. It is how you tongue. Practice not moving your throat as you tongue make it a steady attack and a quick release. This is what my Bassoon teacher told me so IDK if this works 4 french horn


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## Kirjava (Mar 26, 2010)

I thought this thread was gonna be about something else.


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## Chapuunka (Mar 26, 2010)

chinesed00d said:


> say "Ta Ka" .... don't worry about how it sounds, just do it as fast as possible. With practice it'll be really clear. (i play trumpet)



So I shouldn't worry too much about how it sounds right now? That was one of the weirdest things about it because it sounds like I'm using my whole tongue to stop the air on the ka part.


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## Hypertext Eye (Mar 26, 2010)

Get a metronome. Set it to a slow speed. Practice. When you are comfortable, increase speed.

Also, spend some time K tonguing exclusively (again, start slow). Ideally there should be no audible difference between your T and your K regardless of the speed.


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## Ranzha (Mar 28, 2010)

Double-tonguing eighth notes at 154 is not necessary.
I can single tongue this easily.

anyway, here's how I learned to double-tongue:
I actually started playing trombone (not French horn) just over a year ago and actually started playing notes with "kə" before I knew that "tə" was proper.
Even so, "kə"ing is not very hard. Just try playing using only "kə".
Then, as Hypertext Eye said above me, set the metronome to a slow rate and practise. Over time, speed will increase.
Once you've found a breaking point, practise at that speed.
This speed for me is approximately sixteenth notes at 120 (480 articulations per minute).

My real trouble is single-tonguing. XD
Backwards?


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## Cyrus C. (Mar 28, 2010)

Did anyone else think this was actually a thread about double-turning & he just made a typo?


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## kunz (Mar 28, 2010)

start by saying it slowly and gradually speed up. 
I play trumpet and had to learn to do it in short bursts for hummel but this should help you, good luck


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## Logan (Mar 28, 2010)

Kirjava said:


> I thought this thread was gonna be about something else.



Only you Kir.... Only you... *sigh*


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## Carson (Mar 28, 2010)

A couple tips:
Think about what your tongue is actually doing when double tonguing. You are alternating tonguing with the tip of your tongue(ta) and the back of your tongue(ka). Think about your tongue making a rocking motion as you are doing this.

There are two excellent (and simple) exercises for practicing this. The first has already been mentioned a couple of times... it is just setting the metronome fairly slow and gradually increasing the tempo as you become more comfortable.

I wish I had Finale installed on this pc, but I don't, so I will have to describe this one instead. The exercise is four measures long in 4/4 time. 
1st Measure: (Sixteenth note followed by a dotted eighth note rest) x3
2nd Measure: (Two sixteenth notes followed by an 8th rest) x3
3rd Measure: (Three sixteenth notes followed by a 16th note rest) x3
4th Measure: Four beats of straight sixteenth notes.
As you can probably guess... the tonguing for the 1st measure is [ta - ta - ta -ta], 2nd measure is [ta ka - ta ka - ta ka - ta ka], 3rd measure is [ta ka ta - ta ka ta - ta ka ta - ta ka ta] and the last measure is straight up double tonguing. 
As before, start slow and work your way up. Do NOT increase the metronome until you are comfortable with the current tempo.


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