A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Double Tongueing
DOUBLE TONGUEING, a method of articulation applicable to the flute, the cornet à pistons, and some other brass instruments. The oboe, bassoon, and clarinet, are susceptible only of single tongueing, which signifies the starting of the reed- vibrations by a sharp touch from the tip of the tongue similar to the percussion action in harmoniums. It requires long practice to give the necessary rapidity to the tongue muscles co-operating for this end. Single tongueing is phonetically represented by a succession of the lingual letter T, as in the word 'rat-tat-tat.' Double tongueing aims at alternating the linguo-dental explosive T with another explosive consonant produced differently, such as the linguo-palatals D or K, thus relieving the muscles by alternate instead of repeated action. The introduction of the mouthpiece into the cavity of the mouth itself prevents such an alternation in the three instruments above named, but it is possible in the flute and cornet. Any intermediate vowel sound may be employed. The words commonly recommended for double-tongueing are 'tucker' or 'ticker.' Triple tongueing is also possible; and even four blows of the tongue against the teeth and palate have been achieved and termed quadruple tongueing. Indeed the system may be farther extended by employing words such as 'Tikatakataka', in which dental and palatal explosives are judiciously alternated.
The obstruction to the wind-current is not so complete in double as in single tongueing, nor is the mechanical starting of the reed present in the latter. But it is notwithstanding capable of producing a good staccato effect.