PW Question: Tongue vs Slur

Subject: PW Question: Tongue vs Slur
From: Vixen
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 08:38 AM

G'Day Pennywhistling Mudcats...

It's another question from the ignorant but ever-curious neophyte whistler...

Being "paper-trained" I learned to tongue every note except those connected by slurs. Robin Williamson's book addresses slurring as a phrasing technique. At this point in my whistling career, I tongue most everything except when slurring seems to make for a smooth phrase, regardless of what the music says. Also, I find my pitch is more consistent if I tongue than if I slur...

However, I have recently had the opportunity to listen closely to other whistlers, and I find some of them seem to slur everything, only tonguing occasionally. Others tongue more frequently, but still a lot less than I do.

SO....how much do you tongue or slur notes when you whistle?
OR....how much should I tongue or slur notes when I whistle?

All thoughts appreciated--I'm off to browse other whistle threads here and Chiff 'n' Fipple to see what else I can find out...

Thanks for all insights and advice!!!

V

Subject: RE: PW Question: Tongue vs Slur
From: Snuffy
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 09:05 AM

Playing for morris dancers, I probably tend to slur quite a lot, to give a smooth feel, but some sections demand the more staccato effect of tongueing. But it's not a hard and fast rule - I may slur the first time through and then tongue the next time, just to add a bit of variety.

You can ring the changes all the way from tonguing each note to only tonguing when you take a breath!

Certainly where notes are beamed together without a slur line, you would never be wrong to play them as a smooth sequence rather than separate tongued notes. But it's not compulsory either. If it sounds good to you, just go with it.

Subject: RE: PW Question: Tongue vs Slur
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 09:12 AM

Depends on the style.

There are also many forms of 'tonguing', just like there are many forms of 'staccato'.

Subject: RE: PW Question: Tongue vs Slur
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 10:29 AM

As a whistle player who got into whistle via Scottish pipes and Jazz clarinet and sax , my technique is a bit varied in that I tend to use
a lot of Piping style 'grace notes' , as well as tonguing and slurring . I find that the 'grace notes' add a nice bit of decoration as well as separating melody notes .

Subject: RE: PW Question: Tongue vs Slur
From: KateG
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 06:08 PM

The Irish tradition is derived from the pipes, and so tends to avoid tounging whenever possible. Individual notes are not toungued, and repeated notes are separated by ornaments or by a diaphram pulse. As someone trained in the classical tradition, it has been difficult to break myself of the tonguing habit when playing flute/whistle...but I'm working on it. Happy tooting!

Subject: RE: PW Question: Tongue vs Slur
From: Vixen
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 08:01 AM

Dear All--

Many thanks for the info--most enlightening!

V