How to Doodle Tongue on Trumpet

Trumpeter Bobby Spellman discusses the technique of doodle tonguing on trumpet, and ways that the technique may be used to facilitate improvised lines.
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[@TrumpetGuy26]

I randomly found that I was able to do this naturally during a music lesson a few months ago. I thought I’d just figured out a new and original way to tongue fast, but then I came across this video and figured out that it is already a thing and has a name. Lol

[@gabriellazaro9819]

For real very helpful, thank you.

[@marcrgarcia]

Fantastic video - thank you!

[@Spellsteeze]

Amazing!

[@yakayikeOfficial]

i found this video so much helpful

[@ausculteur]

Hi Bob! Could you EXPLAIN how to play legato and how to play a melody without tonguing? What happens in the mouth when you change the pitch without fingering or tonguing? How to do intervals? Thanks

[@blow-by-blow-trumpet]

I've been looking for a proper explanation of this for years. I've always been able to doodle-tongue naturally but it's always sounded too soft. The way you're doing it seems like it's half way been "doodle" and "doogal" - at least you're getting a harder attack on the second part of the articulation, which is exactly what I need to make it work. I'm gonna try working on this again I think. Thank you.

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

That was exactly the problem I was having, and I made this video once I had found a way to get a clearer articulation with the "dle" half of the doodle tongue. Hope it helps!

[@MarkMorganTrumpet]

Yeah man, thanks for the video. The problem I have when doodle tonguing is using over wide intervals, especially ascending. For example, 16th notes G-C-E-G. Have you had difficulty with wider interval doodle tonguing?

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

I find doodle tonguing much easier for articulating linear phrases quickly, and single, double, or even triple tonguing easier for clearly articulating wider intervals. I will sometimes practice doodle tonguing lines using fourths and fifths, but in real world scenarios I feel best freely switching between various approaches to tonguing based on what is required in the moment. The trouble is the "dle" of the doodle will never be as clear as a single tongue because of the mechanisms involved, and sometimes you want a very clear articulation when you're moving across wider intervals. I'm a big fan of improvising with wider intervals on trumpet, and the king of intervals was Woody Shaw. From what I can hear and have heard from trumpeters who knew him was that he was more likely to use double or triple tonguing than doodle tonguing. It's probably worth practicing doodle tonguing wider intervals for the practice, but you may find more facility just switching between approaches depending on the situation of the moment.

[@BopWalk]

Is doodle tonguing the same as ghost tonging?

[@haythemayachi3384]

thank you for all these clarifications Sir ! would you tell me what do you mean by jazz tonguing ? is it the usual Da Ga ?

[@RodneyLancaster]

Randy Brecker has a good video on doodle although he describes it wrong; he demonstrates it well.

[@forestweston5055]

More good advice from Bob! I realize that many “true” horn players look at a didgeridoo with disdain. I would encourage you to try one in order to experiment with different articulations. The open throat of the didj will help in your pronunciation of phrases. Try the vowels, a-e-I-o-u, in a series through your practice sessions.

[@GodOfBrevity]

Found a new video to send to people that don’t play instruments at all.

[@adhanda2017]

Doodle Schmoodle. Think Ella. Every scat syllable can be used for articulation !