Playing Repeated Notes?

Welcome to The Ocarina Network (TON)!

You're currently viewing The Ocarina Network as a guest.

If you join The Ocarina Network, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. On top of that we have a great number of music scores and backtrack for you to download.

Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

Register at The Ocarina Network!

If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Playing Repeated Notes?
Topic Started: Oct 6 2008, 01:24 AM (96 Views)
Rabbit	Oct 6 2008, 01:24 AM Post #1
Pendanters x 2 Posts: 24 Group: Member Member #1,201 Joined: August 28, 2008	A number of the songs that I've been learning have repeated notes - so you'll end up with C C C, or something of that nature all at the end of a line or somewhere in the middle (this is especially provident in Puccini's "Musetta's Waltz", as well as a portion of "Mercedes' Lullaby", and don't get me started on the Traverse Town theme!). I've been having trouble playing these notes in a row. They end up being one looooong note instead of multiple short ones in a row. I was wondering if anyone had some advice for what I could possibly do to help play these repeated notes? I've been trying the idea of raising my tongue to block off and "flick" air, but I'm sure there has to be a better way than that.



IceWind91	Oct 6 2008, 02:07 AM Post #2
CHARLESTON, CHARLESTON... Posts: 115 Group: xat Moderator Member #799 Joined: July 2, 2008 Browser: Mozilla Oc of Choice: Focalink AC Website: http://musicvoyage.blogspot.com/	You're on the right track. The technique you're looking for is called tonguing. Basically, you whisper the syllable 'tu' to block the air for a split second. This technique is usually applied in between every note, with some exceptions (legato playing, for example).



zipcat	Oct 6 2008, 02:15 AM Post #3
Inliner x 5 Posts: 130 Group: Member Member #1,002 Joined: August 1, 2008	Yep, that's the way. For faster songs you might want to try going "To ka to." There are a bunch of ways, and I believe there is a guide here about tonguing, if not there are plenty of references online. It works really well to separate notes. Also, if you're playing a song with a beat you can whisper the sounds of it. For example, one beat has a part called "Dun Dun te ka tek" for my djembe, and it would fit a song that has a similar beat. But I don't know what you like, so just fool around. There are so many different ways to blow into your ocarina. Just play around and have fun. You could go "Whooo" or "Tooo", to have a soft start or a strong hit. They both work well for different songs. Here is a site I found on tounging for you. http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/tonguing.html



Penumbra	Oct 6 2008, 05:57 AM Post #4
Volitophile Posts: 245 Group: Member Member #1,442 Joined: September 26, 2008	Basically, you want to put the tip of your tongue to the place where your top teeth meet your palate(roof of your mouth), similar to the letter "T" sound. HOWEVER, and this is a point I cannot stress enough, you typically want to avoid staccato unless the piece calls for it. Staccato is when you tongue the notes, and play them very short and far apart by returning your tongue to the same position. This is a mistake a lot of people new to wind instruments make, and it makes what would otherwise sound very pretty, sound very not pretty. Also, here is a video of my favourite flutist demonstrating double-tonguing and triple-tonguing. Spoiler: click to toggle EDIT Fixed some stuff Edited by Penumbra**, Oct 6 2008, 01:02 PM.



Rabbit	Oct 6 2008, 10:15 PM Post #5
Pendanters x 2 Posts: 24 Group: Member Member #1,201 Joined: August 28, 2008	Good to hear that I'm on the right track at least! :] I really appreciate the quick response. It seems a little tricky. I mostly play with one continuous stream of air, it's just the occasional series of repeated notes that prove a little tricky. The guide and everything is definitely more comprehensive than groping around in the dark and hoping I'm going it right.



Penumbra	Oct 7 2008, 07:47 AM Post #6
Volitophile Posts: 245 Group: Member Member #1,442 Joined: September 26, 2008	Haha. It isn't very hard. Just say "tuh" and remember to hold the note for the proper length of time. Also, it's a good thing to use that continuous stream of air. The tonguing only momentarily stops it.



1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)


« Previous Topic · Question and Answer · Next Topic »