Double Tonguing Syllable Mixing

[ADziuk]

So one of the problems I usually find with my students in getting a functional double tongue is that typically the "ta", "da," etc "first" syllable is stronger of course than the "ka," "ga" whatever you want to call it.

I know people debate a lot whether or not to use ta-ka vs. da-ga as a way to imagine the syllable to produce the desired result.

I have had a lot of success lately with students by mixing the two. I ask them to do da-ka, softening up the first syllable and hardening up the second. It seems to smooth things out faster. After they get rolling I stop talking about it anyway and just focus on the sound of it, but this does seem to be a better first step so far.
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"Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength."

[enricodemilito]

In my opinion the best way to find which syllables to use is going by the sound.
Technically the quality of the sound should not change from single to double tonguing, that means that the first syllable you might use is the one you normally use in the simple tonguing and the second is the one which will leave you free to have the nearest sound.
I also find very efficient to work on the syllables away from the instrument and as I get back to it, pretend that I'm still just speaking.
Anyway this is just the way I think about it.

[pmelvin]

One of my teachers-- I think it may have been Rick Giangiulio or Mark Gould-- had me reverse the syllables and purposefully make the K harder than the T. It was a tremendous help to me and my students and only takes about 5 minutes a day.

[Chris OHara]

I generally have all of my students do several combinations. For double tonguing we do: ta, ta, ta, ta, ta - then: ka, ka, ka, ka, ka - then: ta, ka, ta, ka, ta - then: ka, ta, ka, ta, ka.

I find that having them work on the K sound alone is very helpful for evening out the balance.

For triple tonguing they do every combination I can come up with: tatata, kakaka, tataka, kakata, takata, kataka, etc. After doing this process students won't have problems with tricky passages (Soldier's Tale even gets a bit easier!).

Good luck!
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Christopher J. O'Hara
Bach/Conn-Selmer Performing Artist
Denis Wick Performing Artist
www.chrisjohara.com

[ChazzCanney]

I agree with Christopher-- all students are different, so many different combinations of syllables should we tested out.

[juju831]

I think it's helpful to practice both. And also with the K and T mixed. Such as KTK and KKT just to get the K sound nice and crisp. Your goal is to get them eventually get them even enough where you can't tell the difference. All the teachers I've had, have told me to practice both ways.