Articulation and coordination
- Use the tongue to articulate notes at a regular pulse:
- playing with clarity and flexibility of tonguing over a large range, incorporating multiple tonguing techniques and extended techniques such as flutter tonguing
- coordinating hand and tongue with ease and control at a variety of tempi
- Play melodic slurs with ease and control at a variety of tempi and over the full range of notes
Explore and develop the ‘back tongue’ by playing monotones, scales and well-known pieces using only the back tongue.
Various consonants may be used, e.g. D G D G D or Du Gu Du Gu Du, T K T K T or Tu, Ku, Tu, Ku Tu, etc., depending on the instrument and the musical style.
Ask learners to practise double and triple tonguing at very slow speeds to help develop consistency of attack, e.g. scales using ‘Piccadilly Circus’ (TKTK T T or KTKT K K) on each note.
Encourage learners to play well-known pieces, e.g. ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, substituting multiple-tongued rhythms. (TKTK TKTK TKTK T),
(or TKT TKT, etc.)
Ask learners to practise known scales with a variety of different articulation groupings, e.g.
Learners should be encouraged to develop the technique of mixing legato tonguing and slurring while maintaining consistency of sound.
Explore the progression of this Learning Objective
Continue exploring the current Programme of Study
