jdostie

I just received a copy of "Brass Playing Is No Harder Than Deep Breathing," and read through the text. We'll leave aside the difference in breathing that I was previously taught and go to tonguing. I've read before about having the tongue at the back of the bottom teeth, but never (at least not that I noticed) recognized anyone saying that tonguing should be done with the back of the bottom teeth.

If I am reading this correctly, this would have the arch of the tongue strike the roof of the mouth (similar to K tonguing, but farther forward on the tongue), rather than using the tip of the tongue and in tu or da where the tip of the tongue is behind the top teeth which is natural for those syllables... It refers the reader to "Tongue Level Exercises" which I don't have, and I just had a lesson today so I won't see my teacher for about two weeks. But, this would be a dramatically different approach to tonguing than I have ever used.

Am I misreading this application? I don't even want to try this until I know that I've read it correctly. On the one hand, that kind of tongue position might be more conducive to higher register work? On the other hand, would not articulation be more difficult.

It seems to be too fundamental for me to have had a faulty understanding all this time, and also too drastic a difference at the same time!?!

Edit ___________
So, maybe I do this sometimes and have not realized it, I am sitting here making syllables, and I can do this, but I also use the tip of the tongue . . . I guess I'll have to run through some exercises. In the mean time, if someone has further thoughts on this subject, I'm all ears, er eyes.