Double Tonguing and Single Tonguing | The key to greatness is PATIENCE.
Can you WORK in a calm methodical fashion?
Can you be patient enough to allow yourself time to DEVELOP SKILLS and PRACTICE?
This information is truly the greatest gift. This is a process you can do with all of your music, begin working passages, exercises, pieces in a slow methodical manner. As you work the piece, you should also concentrate on the correct sound, timbre, tonguing, phrasing and musicality. After 10 or more repetitions of playing just 2-3 measures perfectly, increase the speed one metronome marking. THIS WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PLAYER, FASTER! Can you be patient AND do the work?
To those of you that go for walks, I have the best-kept secret. Walking in a steady tempo is perfect for practicing tonguing! REMEMBER patience. For the first week of walking, each step should be a double tongue syllable. Step 'Ti' Step 'KA' Step 'Ti' Step 'KA' etc… IDEALLY, if you could do this for two weeks it would be FANTASTIC! (Think you can?) You want to be sure to clearly enunciate each syllable, a sharp 'Ti' and an equally clear 'KA' THAT's ALL and enough!!!!
The third week (You did do two weeks of 'Ti' and 'KA' RIGHT?) you should begin to combine the two. We walk at approximately 84 Beats Per Minute. This is a great starting tempo for double tonguing. Again, not in a hurry, but taking the time to practice and develop the skills, slowly and clearly say 'Ti - KA' to EACH step. Do this for THREE weeks. The rhythms need to be clean and precise, there should be NO difference between the 'TI' or 'KA'
AFTER FIVE WEEKS, of skill building now you can play popular double tonguing books and gradually increase the speed. FOR THE BEST RESULTS, go back to the third week exercises and practice slowly, cleanly and clearly.
If you are willing to DO THE WORK and be PATIENT you will succeed at double tonguing in just a few months!
Syllables For Single Tonguing TA, TEE, TOO, DA, DEE, DO
Syllables For Double Tonguing TI-KA, TA-KA, DA-KA, TEE-KEE, DEE-KEE
Or combinations from single tonguing syllables with a 'KA' or 'KEE' ending.


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