The Best Way to Tongue Faster - “Insider Sax Stuff”

Summary

In this 'Insider Sacks' episode, Derek shares his effective method for increasing tonguing speed on wind instruments. He emphasizes the importance of training the tongue like a muscle, using a metronome for gradual and restful practice. Derek suggests starting with fewer tongues and increasing the count with ample rest, comparing it to weight lifting for endurance. He demonstrates two approaches to practice, one with incremental speed increases and the other with a fixed speed and increasing tongue repetitions. He assures that with consistent practice, anyone can significantly improve their tonguing speed.

Takeaways

• 🎷 Derek shares his journey from struggling with tonguing in high school to mastering advanced techniques like triple tonguing.
• 🚀 The key to increasing tonguing speed is training the tongue like a muscle, focusing on endurance and gradual improvement.
• 🎶 Using a metronome is beneficial, but it should be used in a way that doesn't exhaust the tongue, allowing for proper rest and recovery.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The analogy of weight lifting is used to illustrate the importance of reps and rest in building muscle strength, which applies to tongue training as well.
• 🔢 Derek suggests starting with a manageable tempo and gradually increasing the number of tonguing repetitions with ample rest in between.
• 🎵 Emphasizes the importance of precision in rhythm and subdivision, especially when practicing at a slow pace.
• 📈 Advocates for a slow and steady approach to increasing speed, similar to how one would increase weight in a gym workout.
• 🔄 Describes a method of practicing tonguing by starting at a fast tempo, then gradually increasing the number of tonguing repetitions and rest periods.
• 📉 Derek explains an alternative practice method where you start at a slower tempo and increase the speed while maintaining a manageable number of tonguing repetitions.
• 💪 Encourages patience and consistency in practice, highlighting that improvement in tonguing speed is a gradual process that takes time and dedication.
• 🌟 Ends with a teaser for future episodes where Derek will discuss more advanced techniques like double and triple tonguing.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is how to effectively increase the speed of your tonguing, which is applicable to any instrument that requires faster articulation.

What was the speaker's initial struggle with tonguing in high school?

The speaker initially struggled with tonguing an etude at 100 beats per minute in sixteenth notes on the saxophone, which led to tears and thoughts of quitting.

Why does the speaker believe most people are training their tongues inefficiently?

The speaker believes most people are training their tongues inefficiently because they use a metronome at a fast tempo and try to do a long string of notes until their tongue wears out, rather than training it like a muscle with rest and gradual increase in intensity.

What is the analogy the speaker uses to describe the proper way to train the tongue?

The speaker uses the analogy of weight training or sprint training to describe the proper way to train the tongue, emphasizing the importance of rest and gradual increase in intensity.

How does the speaker suggest training the tongue for endurance?

The speaker suggests training the tongue for endurance by starting with very few tongues and gradually increasing the amount with lots of rest in between, similar to how one would train for endurance in physical activities.

What is the speaker's approach to practicing tonguing with a metronome?

The speaker's approach involves starting at a manageable speed with a metronome, doing a few repetitions of tonguing, and then gradually increasing the speed and the number of repetitions as the tongue gets stronger.

Why is it important to rest between tonguing repetitions according to the speaker?

It is important to rest between tonguing repetitions to prevent the tongue from getting tired, which would slow down the tonguing speed and hinder progress.

What is the speaker's advice on how to increase the speed of tonguing over time?

The speaker advises to increase the speed of tonguing gradually, in small increments, and to practice consistently over weeks, months, and years to become a master at it.

What are the two approaches the speaker discusses for practicing tonguing?

The two approaches discussed are: 1) Gradually increasing the number of tonguing repetitions and the speed over time, and 2) Practicing at a constant speed and increasing the number of repetitions until the maximum is reached, then starting over at a higher speed.

What is the speaker's perspective on the potential limit of tonguing speed?

The speaker believes that with the right training and practice, there is no limit to how fast one can tongue, suggesting that the sky's the limit.

Outlines

00:00

🎷 Improving Tonguing Speed with Endurance Training

In this video script, Derek discusses his most effective method for increasing tonguing speed, applicable to any instrument requiring faster articulation. He shares his personal journey from struggling with a saxophone etude to mastering triple tonguing. Derek emphasizes that tonguing should be trained like a muscle, using the analogy of weight training or sprint training. He advises against the common mistake of trying to play too fast too soon, which can lead to exhaustion and ineffective practice. Instead, he recommends starting with fewer tonguing repetitions and gradually increasing the number with ample rest in between, similar to weight lifting sets. This method allows the tongue to build endurance and eventually achieve faster tonguing speeds.

05:01

📈 Incremental Tonguing Speed Improvements

Continuing from the previous paragraph, Derek outlines a detailed practice routine for increasing tonguing speed. He suggests starting with a manageable tempo and practicing with minimal tonguing repetitions, gradually increasing the number of repetitions and rest periods. This approach is likened to weight lifting, where one increases the weight gradually after completing a set number of repetitions. Derek demonstrates two methods: one involves increasing the number of tonguing repetitions at a constant tempo, and the other involves increasing the tempo while maintaining the number of tonguing repetitions. He encourages patience and consistency in practice, emphasizing that progress should be measured in small increments over time. Derek concludes by reminding viewers that with dedication, even the fastest tonguers can improve their speed, and he hints at future episodes covering advanced techniques like double and triple tonguing.

Keywords

💡Tonguing

Tonguing refers to the technique used by musicians, particularly wind instrument players, to articulate notes by using the tongue to interrupt the airflow. In the context of the video, it is the primary focus for increasing speed and articulation. The script discusses the common struggles and methods to improve tonguing speed, such as practicing with a metronome and gradually increasing the speed and number of tongued notes.

💡Metronome

A metronome is a device that produces a steady beat, used by musicians to practice playing to a consistent tempo. In the video, the metronome is mentioned as a tool for tonguing practice, with the instructor suggesting a methodical approach to increase speed by starting at a manageable tempo and gradually increasing it while resting the tongue in between.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in this context refers to the effectiveness and productivity of the tonguing practice method. The script emphasizes that many people practice tonguing inefficiently, leading to faster fatigue and slower progress. The instructor advocates for a more efficient approach that involves gradual increases and rests to build tongue endurance.

💡Articulation

Articulation in music is the clarity, emphasis, and shaping of musical notes or phrases. The video's theme revolves around improving articulation through faster tonguing. The script provides methods to enhance articulation by increasing the speed of tonguing without sacrificing clarity.

💡Muscle Training

The script likens tongue training to muscle training, suggesting that the tongue, like any other muscle, needs to be trained progressively to increase its strength and endurance. The analogy is used to explain the importance of gradual increases in practice intensity and the inclusion of rest periods to prevent fatigue.

💡Endurance

Endurance, in the context of the video, refers to the ability of the tongue to maintain speed and clarity over an extended period. The instructor discusses training for endurance by starting with few repetitions and gradually increasing them, similar to how one would train for a marathon rather than a sprint.

💡Rest

Rest is emphasized in the script as a critical component of effective tonguing practice. It allows the tongue to recover, preventing fatigue and allowing for more effective training sessions. The concept is used in the context of muscle training, where rest periods are necessary for muscle recovery and growth.

💡Incremental Progress

Incremental progress is the idea of making small, gradual improvements over time. The script describes a method of tonguing practice that involves slowly increasing the speed and number of tongued notes, ensuring that progress is steady and sustainable.

💡Practice Intensity

Practice intensity refers to the level of effort and concentration applied during practice sessions. The video discusses the importance of adjusting practice intensity to avoid overexertion and to ensure that the tongue can handle the increasing demands placed on it during training.

💡Double Tonguing

Double tonguing is a more advanced tonguing technique that allows for even faster articulation by using a specific pattern with the tongue. Although not the main focus of the video, it is mentioned as an alternative technique that the instructor will cover in a future episode, indicating a progression in skill development.

💡True Triple Tonguing

True triple tonguing is another advanced technique mentioned in the script, which is likely to be even faster than double tonguing. It is used as an example of the potential for further improvement beyond the basic tonguing speed, suggesting that there are multiple levels of skill that can be mastered with the right practice methods.

Highlights

Introduction to the episode focusing on effective ways to increase tonguing speed for musicians.

Personal story of struggling with tonguing in high school and the journey to mastering it.

The common mistake of using a metronome at a fast tempo without proper rest for the tongue.

Tongue as a muscle that needs to be trained like one, with emphasis on rest and gradual improvement.

The concept of starting with few tongues and gradually increasing the number with ample rest.

Comparison of tongue training to weight lifting, emphasizing the importance of sets and rests.

The method of starting with a manageable speed and increasing the number of tonguing reps over time.

The importance of precision in subdivision and the mental practice of tonguing.

Incremental increase in speed and tonguing reps as the musician progresses up and down the range of the instrument.

The strategy of slowing down the process for long-term benefits and mastery.

The excitement of small wins and the gradual increase in speed as the musician gets comfortable.

The alternative practice method of maintaining a constant speed and increasing the number of reps.

The process of going back down the range after reaching the top and increasing the reps.

The gradual increase in speed and the importance of not rushing the process.

The guarantee that with consistent practice, any musician can increase their tonguing speed.

A teaser for future episodes on advanced tonguing techniques like double and triple tonguing.

Encouragement to keep up the good work and a sign-off with a promise of more episodes.

Transcripts

hey everybody Derek round here with

another insider sacks episode today's

episode I'm going to be talking about my

most effective way to increase the speed

of your tonguing which is what a lot of

us wish we could do we wish would get

tongue faster and I believe most of us

are going about this in the wrong way

we're doing it very inefficiently also

this episode could apply to any

instrument that wants to be able to kind

of articulate faster so check this out

now before I before I begin a little

story to tell you how far I've come

because I remember in high school coming

out of a private lesson in tears telling

my parents I was gonna quit playing the

saxophone because I couldn't tongue this

etude at 100 beats per minute sixteenth

notes which isn't that fast and yes we

all start from you know a place of no

skills and we all have places to grow

but I thought that was like the end of

my career and now I'm doing things like

you know true triple time which I'll

talk about in another future episode

which is pretty cool so stay tuned for

that but it is possible to speak any

buddy can speed up their dying and

anybody can do even single tonguing just

very quickly we just got to think about

it in the right way and train for it in

the right way so what are most people

doing wrong most people yes okay so

they're using a metronome which is great

but most people set it at some fast

tempo and they try to just you know do

it really fast and they just do a long

string of eighth notes until their

tongue wears out and then they try to go

a little faster and their tongues are

already tired and here's the deal our

tongue is a muscle and it needs to be

trained like a muscle so think of weight

training or sprint training or endurance

training and the good news here is I bet

you you can tongue faster than you think

however you just can't do it very long

just like a lot of us can oh we can

sprint fast for a few seconds and then

most of us we just we just get so tired

that we slow down it's the same thing

with the tongue I bet most of you can

tongue individual like three tongues in

a row pretty fast it's just we can't do

they can take that that that that slows

down

so what we're mostly trying to train

here is it's kind of like endurance

training with our tongue we're gonna

start instead of just going a string of

eight thoughts we're gonna start with

very few tongues and do that for a while

and just gradually increase the amount

of tongues we're doing with lots of rest

in between and that's key and that's

like this analogy for weight lifting you

don't go to a gym and if you want to get

stronger you don't just okay let's see

I'm gonna do the bench press put a lot

of weight on and then you just bench

press it until you just can't do it

anymore

and then you put more weight on until

you can't and then more what no that

doesn't that's not effective it's not

safe it's just not gonna work in the

right way what we do is we do a mixture

of reps you know we do like eight

presses and then we rest and then we do

a second set of eight and then we rest

and then we do a third set of eight and

then we rest and then maybe the next day

we put a little bit more weight on and

we do eight and we rest and we do eight

who arrest or the next day we do ten

reps and then we rest and then we do ten

reps and we rest so a key key thing is

resting in between even if it's just

four seconds then that is way better

than just going right into it and slowly

increasing the amount that we start with

so there are kind of two ways that you

do this there's kind of this slightly

quicker way and both of these ways are

slow but anything worthwhile doing takes

a lot of time and as you guys know it's

about doing this every day even if it's

a little bit and over the weeks months

and years you will become a master at

this it's not about cramming this in so

it is a slow technique but it's gonna

work so what I do is you know I'll take

a metronome and you know I'll start at a

you know a relatively fast speed

something that's manageable for me so

I'll put it at 120 and after you have to

decide am I gonna do eighth notes or

sixteenth notes for this I'm gonna do

sixteenth notes just make sure you're

very precise with that with your

subdivision in your head and instead of

just doing a bunch of sixteenth notes at

one twenty I'm just gonna do two

fanon I'm thinking one-e-and-a

two-e-and-a G Panna

and notice I'm resting in between maybe

two measures and now I'm going up by

half-step

turnin and so forth now I could also

just stay on each note for a few you got

to figure out what works best for you

and yes the slower you can do this

process the more beneficial long-term

now here's the thing I'm gonna do that

and go up you know a good deal of the

range of the horn and I'll have to go

all the way up to my altissimo but a

good deal a range of the horn then when

I'm done with that I'm gonna come back

down and do my starting note again but

now I'm gonna do three reps I'm gonna do

three tongues of it mmm one two three

lots of time for my tongue to get a

little rest in between tournament and

I'm gonna go up and once again you could

do this a lot slower multiple times on

each note get to the top come back down

now I'm gonna do four notes a minute

and so forth you get you a you're on

going by the end you know maybe I get up

to eighth notes maybe that's kind of a

good point to reach over a nine so you

can under the downbeat you could do more

now here's where something exciting

happens and it's the small wins of

course I've gone up the range of the

horn now I've gotten all the way through

eight now I'm gonna come back and now I

increase the speed this is like I've

been lifting doing my reps every day you

know with breaks and whatnot now it's

finally time to put more weight on so

here now this is you got to go at the

right tempo right speed for you of

increase you don't want to go too fast

but you also don't want to go too slow

necessarily if it's gonna bore you so

maybe I'm gonna go up two beats per

minute or if I started slower I could go

up three beats per minute

or four so now I have it at 122 and I'm

gonna start back at the beginning two

reps just two tongues back MICU

maybe I want to do multiple and so forth

when I go up to the top of the range I

come back down now I'm doing three again

thank you guys see what how I'm doing

this you can't wait too long in between

it be patient with these don't go mmm

mmm mmm

eventually your tongue is gonna get

tired and it needs that and needs that

separation of time okay so then I get to

the top and I get all off to where I'm

doing four reps five rest five with

breaks in between I get up to nine I go

back down now I move up to 124 this is a

slow slow process but once again you

don't have to do you don't have to go up

by 50 beats per minute in one practice

session this can be throughout weeks you

might want to write down where you work

now the alternative to this the other

way of practicing this is just a

slightly different let's say I stay at

120 I do - hey Hannah I get all the way

to the top I come back down now I speed

it up to 120 - but still doing to panic

and I do that all the way you know up to

120 for you all the way up all the horn

and I do 126 let's say I get to about

where as fast as I can go on two beats

per minute

what's our doing - tongued notes maybe

up to 180 then I start all the way back

down I go back to 120 again and now I do

three three reps and go all the way up

finally come back down I can increase it

and whatnot so hopefully that makes

sense those two approaches pick

whichever one works best with your

practice mentality and if you stay with

this I guarantee however fast you're

tonguing right now even if you're a

pretty fast tongue you can increase that

speed kind of the sky's the limit as

fast as you want to go that being said

there are other ways like doing things

like double tonguing or this true triple

tonguing that I talked

about that you'll see in a few weeks but

best of luck with you keep up the good

work and stay tuned for more episodes

coming soon take care

[Music]