Wind and brass players tend to speak in a strange foreign language when discussing articulation. We flutists, for example, have developed numerous syllables for use in single, double and triple tongued passages that slightly alter the quality and ease of sound production. Below is a comprehensive list of some of these popular (and not so popular) syllables and how they can be used to improve your playing or the playing of your students.
Feel free to add to this list in the comments below if you have other suggestions!
|
SYLABLLE
|
FUNCTION
|
|
Single
|
|
|
Pu
|
Soft, legato playing
|
|
Daw
|
Legato playing
|
|
Ta or Tah
|
Standard
|
|
Da or Dah
|
Standard (softer attack than ta)
|
|
Ti
|
More focused tone quality
|
|
Du
|
Connected, good for legato playing
|
|
Tut
|
Short, staccato playing
|
|
Cut
|
Staccato, isolated 2nd syllable of double tonguing
|
|
Ka
|
Legato, isolated 2nd syllable of double tonguing
|
|
Double
|
|
|
Ta-Ka
|
Standard double tongue
|
|
Too-soo
|
Standard double tongue (more connected than ta-ka)
|
|
Da-ga
|
Softer attacks than standard ta-ka
|
|
Doo-goo
|
Softer, more connected attacks
|
|
Ti-ri
|
Used in baroque music (referenced by Quantz)
|
|
Didd-le
|
Very connected
|
|
Oo-dah
|
Jazz swinging double tonguing
|
|
Ta-ra
|
Used in 19th century French music
|
|
Tee-dee
|
Connected, good for legato playing
|
|
Tu-ru
|
Used in baroque music (referenced by Quantz)
|
|
Hoo-doo
|
Soft double tongue
|
|
Ta-ga
|
Variation on standard, 2nd syllable more connected
|
|
Doo-ka
|
Variation on standard, 1st syllable more connected
|
|
Tut-kut
|
Stacatto
|
|
Toe-Key
|
Connected, light
|
|
Duc-ky
|
Connected
|
|
Triple
|
|
|
Ta-ka-ta
|
Standard
|
|
Tut-kut-tut
|
Staccato
|
|
Da-ga-da
|
More connected
|
|
Multiple
|
|
|
Ta-ka-da-ga-ra-ga-ya-ga
|
Non-standard multiple syllable tonguing, best used for Baroque running 16th notes
|
Rachel Taylor Geier 
3 comments