David_N

Hey

Our orchestra has started playing this and im kind of stuffed cos it has this flutter tonguing part and i can't flutter tongue, like i physically can not do it, i must be retarded or somthin but yeh. We didn't play through that part last rehearsal but im kinda scaird cos we have rehearsal tomorrow . I dont know how to tell my conductor that i cant flutter tongue, cos he doesn't like me already cos i threw a marshmellow down the Tuba couple of weeks ago and i dont think he found it as funny as i did

Anyway Cheerio

stephenwright

I can't flutter tongue either. I put it down to the fact that I'm incapable of producing a rolling "r" sound. When I come up against flutter tonguing i just do whatever comes naturally!

Stephen

tpter1

1. Let's remember that there are alot of professional musicians here that can and will help you if you present yourself with the right attitude.
2. Demoralizing yourself wil not aid your growth...you must have something on the ball to be in a group that is good enough to play Till Eulenspiegel.
3. "Retarded" is not a word I find appropriate to describe anyone...we all come at things differently and posess varying strengths and weaknesses.
4. Your conductor most likely doesn't hate you for what you did... he probably just thinks it was rather foolish and possibly damaging to a rather expensive instrument.

Now...the flutter tonguing issue... can you make a gurgling noise? If you can't roll your tongue (there is a percentage of the population that cannot, so you are not alone in this), that works as a substitute. You may try singing a different note than what you are playing, too.

I am sure others will graudally chime in with more to say or put these points across a bit more eloquently than I did.

CJH

I couldn't flutter toungue for a long time. I'm one of those people that can't roll their r's. However I eventually figured out how to flutter toungue, through the process of trial and error.

Start by saying a constant "th" sound, off the trumpet. As you are doing this, experiment with airspeed, the position of the tip of the toungue, the arch of the toungue, and the tension of the toungue. Eventually, you should find the right combination of things and be able to get a brief flutter effect. Keep practicing it and you'll eventually be able to do it continuously, and control it enough to do it while playing.

I still can't roll my r's, but I can flutter fine on a trumpet. I'm pretty sure anyone can learn to do so with enough persistence. it seems to be just a function of toungue tension and position, and airspeed.

stephenwright

Ah cool this is interesting, I shall experiment. I'd kinda given it up as dead and have been sorta growling through my trumpet as the nearest thing I could find, I shall see what I can do!

Stephen

CGUM

I too could not flutter tounge. I also had a hard time in italian because I couldn't roll the r. Though I decided to practice it and figure it out. And low an behold I learned how to do it. Is it perfect? It's not quite fine tuned yet, but I can do it. It's just takes a bit of patience and an inquisitive mind.


Good Luck,
CG

Bill Dishman

For many years I avoided flutter tonguing as I was not proficient at it.

Decided one day to seriously learn to master this skill like any other challenge.

1. What seems to be the reason I was having problems doing it?
--- answer: My tongue (muscle) was entirely too rigid and tense.
Flutter tonguing requires a relaxed and unrigid tongue

2. Beginning the flutter was a problem.
--- answer: learned to articulate the beginning with a relaxed tongue rather than a forceful one.

3. Prblem was that the more frustrated I got the more rigid my tongue became.
--- answer: Relax! Let the air work for you with a relaxed tongue muscle.


Good Luck!


Bill Dishman
Gainesville, Florida