What's reassuring about all this is that even though it (multiple tonguing with SC/TCE) is difficult, it seems that others have been successful and that I should not give up.
Reply to goldenhorn based on last evening's workout: I recall that had heard the advice 'trying to move your tongue too much. Either that or you have too much tension in the tongue' 55 years ago when first learning triple tonguing the old way, further back in my mouth. Last evening it helped a great deal to focus on this piece of advice.
Thinking about the tongue position was not as helpful. I think I am getting used to the new way of playing (8 months) and it is becoming more automatic. I did notice that my tongue is higher. It is firmly against the lower lip and only incidently grazes the top of the lower teeth. Trying to touch the eye teeth pulls it to drop down and not sufficiently support the lip. Thus it feels more like my old way of playing, where multiple tonguing was faster but lip support was less or none.
I would guess that my tongue is possibly doing so of the work that, until it gets really strong, it will continue to have tension. This reminds me of the archer Herrigel in 'Zen in the art of archery' who learned how to get past the tension in his arm.
The advice 'Try keeping the tongue anchored to the eye teeth and just let it drop slightly in the center to attack. Think about minimizing the movement and keeping the tongue as relaxed as possible' will likely do the job.
But to me, at this time, it seems that multiple tongung is the Achile's heel of SC/TCE. Back to the practice room.![Range Range](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125593187/483323611.jpg)
Reply to goldenhorn based on last evening's workout: I recall that had heard the advice 'trying to move your tongue too much. Either that or you have too much tension in the tongue' 55 years ago when first learning triple tonguing the old way, further back in my mouth. Last evening it helped a great deal to focus on this piece of advice.
Thinking about the tongue position was not as helpful. I think I am getting used to the new way of playing (8 months) and it is becoming more automatic. I did notice that my tongue is higher. It is firmly against the lower lip and only incidently grazes the top of the lower teeth. Trying to touch the eye teeth pulls it to drop down and not sufficiently support the lip. Thus it feels more like my old way of playing, where multiple tonguing was faster but lip support was less or none.
I would guess that my tongue is possibly doing so of the work that, until it gets really strong, it will continue to have tension. This reminds me of the archer Herrigel in 'Zen in the art of archery' who learned how to get past the tension in his arm.
The advice 'Try keeping the tongue anchored to the eye teeth and just let it drop slightly in the center to attack. Think about minimizing the movement and keeping the tongue as relaxed as possible' will likely do the job.
But to me, at this time, it seems that multiple tongung is the Achile's heel of SC/TCE. Back to the practice room.
![Range Range](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125593187/483323611.jpg)
Start off learning the double tonguing runs as 8th notes slowly and when you have that down then double tongue the 16ths slowly and bring up the speed little by little. Just make sure to keep the air flowing and you'll get there. I've been at it a while but I've made a lot of progress.