Tonguing is often thought of as "striking with the tongue," but its essence is switching between stopping and releasing the airflow. The tongue blocks the air heading toward the mouthpiece, then releases it to let the air flow. Performing this "stop and release" quickly is what shapes the attack and gives each note a clear contour. On bass clarinet, the mouthpiece occupies a larger area inside the mouth, so stopping with just the tip can feel cramped; instead, using the tip of the tongue to halt the reed's vibration is more effective. If you also stop the air at the moment you close the tongue, the response will be delayed, so maintaining air pressure is essential. Rather than stopping the air, shift your mindset to building up pressure. The more consistently you can hold that pressure while the tongue is closed, the more evenly your clarinet articulations will line up.
- Think of tonguing as switching between stopping and releasing the airflow rather than focusing on tongue movement.
- Keep the air pressure high even while the tongue is closed — this speeds up the response.
- When you can prepare the reed to vibrate the instant the tongue releases, your attacks will be consistent.
- Aim for a "square" image (straight, with no swelling) to keep attacks and releases uniform.
Clarinet Attacks Are Determined by Air Pressure While the Tongue Is Closed
When tonguing is not going well, the most common issue is that you relax the air while the tongue is closed, causing a slow response when you release. Keep blowing even while the tongue is on the reed so that only the pressure builds up. This way, the reed vibrates immediately the instant you release the tongue, and attacks become quick and consistent. Clarinet attacks follow the same principle as tonguing: build pressure by stopping the air, then release it. Start by stabilizing this fundamental. If you feel the response is slow, before questioning your tongue movement, check whether your air pressure is being maintained while the tongue is closed. Using a metronome to verify that your notes line up at equal intervals will help reveal areas for improvement.
Practice Steps
- 1. On a low note, develop the sensation of continuing to blow while the tongue is closed (a state where only pressure builds up).
- 2. Check whether the note sounds immediately when you release the tongue. If the response is slow, review whether you are stopping the air while the tongue is closed.
- 3. Align the attack through the release with a square image, and practice until the contour of each note is identical every time.
- 4. In slow passages, also try producing the note gently without tonguing, and learn to choose the appropriate technique for each musical context.
Summary
Clarinet tonguing is determined not by tongue movement but by whether you can build air pressure while the tongue is closed. Stop the air to build pressure, then let the reed vibrate the instant you release. Align the attack through the release with a square image. Once this foundation is solid, you will be able to construct both fast passages and slow, expressive phrases with a stable tone. Start by making your basic attacks consistent, then expand into speed and nuance from there. The more reliably you maintain air pressure, the more uniformly your notes will start, and your contour in ensemble playing will be clearly defined. Take your time repeating the exercises and accumulate identical attacks. If every note begins the same way, increasing the tempo will not cause your technique to break down. Short, daily repetitions are the surest path to improvement.
Video Info
- Title: Clarinet Tonguing: Stopping the Airflow, Not the Tongue
- Instrument: clarinet
- Level: Beginner
