S-Money

I was wondering if you guys could try to help me here.
About a year ago, I was playing on one of the most god-awful embouchures ever. Lips were rolled under my teeth, horn was off to the side... it was very bad. I had amazing range, and could double and triple tongue with the best of them... but my sound was just bad bad bad... and for the 2 years prior to my decision, I wasn't improving. Well, as a freshman in college last year, I decided that I couldn't keep playing like this, so I talked to my teacher, took the horn off my face, put it on correctly, and restarted.

Now, about a year later, I have surpassed where I was completely. I am a much better player for this change... of course, my range is nowhere near what it used to be, but that will come in time. My teacher says I've been making amazing progress from last years reset.

Anyway, since then, my tonguing just hasn't been improving. I've been trying any of the most basic beginner exercises, from Arbans to Getchell, single tonguing them slowly, doing everything I've been taught, but nothing has been getting better. I've been trying the "pooh" or "boo" sounds to start, I've been doing breath attacks into tah attacks, among many other things, but they just don't speak for me. Theres no delay, its just not a clean attack. Every once and a while ill hear something i like, but it never happens consistently. I have the sound I love when i sustain notes, but i cant get these fronts to them anywhere near correct.

Any advice or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

RS

tpter1

S-
Try this: if you can roll your R's or flutter tongue, try flutter tonguing whole scales. Softly. Also try this while buzzing the mouthpiece. The idea is that good "popped" articulations are placed similar to the flutter tongue placement. Also, in the Arban book, on those little sycopation etudes, try flutter tonguing certain notes or beats within the bar.

It will take a few weeks, but you sound like you're pretty patient.