ICA New Music Weekend 2021: How to Slap Tongue on Bass Clarinet

How to Slap Tongue on Bass Clarinet

Annaka Hogelin

 

For the International Clarinet Association New Music Weekend, I will share my 10 step method for learning how to slap tongue on the bass clarinet:

1. Practice creating suction with the tongue on a large reed away from the clarinet
2. Slowly use less tongue to create the suction with the reed
3. Put the clarinet reed on the mouthpiece and create the same suction without forming an embouchure
4. Form an embouchure and then create the same suction
5. Add air
6. Experiment with voicing
7. Consider the position of your tongue when you are not slap tonguing
8. Think about it as articulation, rather than a special technique
9. Once you start to get the hang of it, practice in various stages, to prepare to perform repertoire with the technique:

a) Starting a single note with a slap tongue
b) “Stopped” slap tongues
c) In the middle of a phrase
d) In succession

    10. Think about slap tonguing musically

I will expand on each step, demonstrating the technique. As part of the clinic, I will demonstrate the technique in a short excerpt that uses slap tonguing. Additionally, I will share some practical tips and stories about my experience learning to slap tongue, for the benefit of everyone attending the session.

When: 10/17/2021 | 4:45 pm

Featuring: Annaka Hogelin, bass clarinet

Join lecture Here