Improve Your Triple Tonguing: A Simple Yet Powerful Exercise

Are you looking to enhance your triple tonguing technique? Try this simple yet powerful exercise that can transform your practice routine. The goal during a 10-15 minute "meditation" is to experience an easy, refreshing, and restorative session that gradually awakens your articulation.

Here's the progression:

  1. Begin with NO articulation, using a simple C major scale flow study.
  2. Move towards legato single tonguing.
  3. Settle into multiple repetitions of triple tonguing, gradually increasing speed. Be sure during these repetitions that you rest as much as you play. Also, keep the dynamics on the soft side, this is not a time for super loud, aggressive playing. We're going for precision and subtlety. 

The key to success? Approach this exercise with mindfulness and creativity. Think of it as a meditation for coordinating your fingers, tongue, and airflow. 

I've been doing a version of this exercise for years, and it's been helpful for me. Recently, at the request of my students, I've finally put it down on paper. While you can download the sheet music below, you'll find that after a few practice sessions, you won't even need it.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes--happy practicing!

Cheers,

Paul

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