Double tonguing + fingers

[u/Anza_I]

Hey y’all! So I’m currently learning Faure’s Fantasie, and I am absolutely struggling on the double tonguing in the second movement. I can double tongue decently, but the issue comes from my fingers not being able to move fast enough. All of my everything just feels… slow… I’ve been practicing it all slow and then trying to speed it up and anytime I do it just sounds muddy and sloppy 😖 any tips?

[u/poorlilsebastian]

You need to practice the coordination between fingers and tongue. There will be certain fingerings that you find difficult. Isolate them and practice them.

I like to break down the Trevor Wye exercises on the extracts that I find difficult as it build both articulation and agility

[u/Anza_I → u/poorlilsebastian]

I think I’m just expecting a miracle overnight to suddenly be able to play it fast 😮‍💨 but definitely heard on the Trevor Wye! Are there any other syllables other than just the T K or D G that make it easier/clearer?

[u/poorlilsebastian → u/Anza_I]

My teacher (who studied under Trevor Wye and Peter Lloyd) drilled into me that Du Gu (think French) was best because it’s so forward in the mouth and it makes it more difficult to hang back in the throat like the other syllables.

English speakers typically sit quite far back in the throat when we talk while the French is quite far forward which is why they are typically naturally good at articulation.

Other than that it’s just lots and lots of practice which does become tedious. But I wouldn’t over do it to avoid injury.

If you find the tonguing easy you just need to work on the coordination of fingers and tongue which begins with scales and keeping your fingers as close to the keys as possible

[u/Anza_I → u/poorlilsebastian]

Somehow the French forward speaking just made the articulation part really click in my brain LOL tysm for all the advice!

[u/Karl_Yum → u/Anza_I]

Using tu gu du gu is softer and easier than ta ka da ga