Unlock Doodle Tonguing On Sax: Anatomy and Practice

The basic mechanics needed to achieve ghosting upbeats on the saxophone using the phonetic sounds D and N.
This demonstration covers the physiology of ghosting or doodle tonguing (aka dooden tonguing, dawdle tonguing, half tonguing, muting, swallowing, side tonguing, etc.) as well as how to practice and apply this technique using Major scales in descending thirds as an example.

[@saxophonetics]

link to download the "Blues for Alice" transcription I mention in this video: www.jakedester.com/blues-for-alice-form.html

[@3JoeLee]

Thank you a lot, first time I found articulation transcription, no one seems to care to this fondamental aspects of jazz.

[@LorenzHargassner]

This is one of the best explanation of ghost notes I‘ve ever seen on the Internet. Thanks a lot!

[@saxophonetics]

heck yeah thank you!

[@82zman1]

Your jazz articulation concepts are the most intuitive of any approach I have come across on KZbin and I’m pretty confident I’ve seen them all.

[@saxophonetics]

really appreciate that! I've worked a lot to get it together

[@AwesomeCandy244]

I was wondering why this had so few views when it's such an informative video, (posted 3 days ago) oh sweet I'm just early!

[@saxophonetics]

🙌

[@NoahsArks]

The pain in your face when saying Kenny G really got me😂

[@saxophonetics]

I respect Kenny G even though he's like... Kenny G. Because he always plays soprano and he plays with it way off at an angle it's a great example, even though I'm not out here listening to his records

[@NoahsArks]

@@saxophonetics 100% agree. He’s good for sure, but man, these old ladies really be out here gobblin his stuff up

[@FreakShreek]

Thank you so much for your awesome videos, I am really interested in learning this technique and it's super hard for me to get it. Whenever I try tonguing, I feel super tired in just 5 min. I guess, I just need to practice! P.S: Can you shoot your videos in landscape mode?

[@saxophonetics]

it gets easier! and yes I'm actually trying that with the next two lesson videos. I think it will be helpful for KZbin to have more notation on screen

[@danmcbmusic]

Very cool explanation! Thank you!

[@saxophonetics]

Glad it was helpful! you're very welcome 🙏

[@burgessbrian9329]

Superb advice- thank you so much for sharing cheers

[@saxophonetics]

you're welcome! I'm glad you appreciate it

[@andyquinn1125]

Excellent. Thank you. Just to be clear - you hold your mouthpiece to the left side of center, and touch the reed with the right side of your tongue?

[@saxophonetics]

For me the mouthpiece is pretty much centered but at a slight angle, usually to my right. However, this will be different from one player to the next. Try different angles and positions until you find what works best for your unique physiology, but try not to go any farther than is needed from a centered position. I also suggest you experiment with the rotation of the mouthpiece on the neck cork as well, aiming to put it where it best fits centered in the mouth for you. An imbalance of pressure here can make this technique harder than it has to be.

[@clivecolledge4191]

Really useful. Thank you.

[@saxophonetics]

you're certainly welcome 🙏

[@nickpalise2448]

Probably the best musical information regarding tonguing. Better than, listen how fast I can play. But, no real lesson on how and when you could use it. Thanks loads for an excellent in depth explanation. Now what’s your name and contact info please. 8:29

[@saxophonetics]

Thanks so much! my name is Jake Dester, you can contact me at [e-mail]

[@user-sw5rq4dm5v]

Hi Great Vids. What’s your mouthpiece and Reed strength cheers

[@Marcosls2015]

Many thanks for sharing, going into the details and the clarifying comment about the “oblique” saxophone! Now, in your opinion, would that oblique position affect the tone overall? I imagine that it is more like it becomes a skill/option for playing certain types of music vs other where ghosting is not so relevant Regards!

[@saxophonetics]

It definitely affects style, but if you have a good combination of things you're working on for tone-long tones, overtones, mouthpiece practice, dynamics, etc.-then you should be able to apply these techniques without compromising your overall tone quality. This isn't always appropriate, so like when I'm playing a Bach piece or something it's more down the middle. I think it's best to work out a range of tone possibilities so that when you're playing in a certain style you can more easily adapt and blend with it whether it's Jazz or Baroque or Techno or whatever.

[@3JoeLee]

Thanks a lot!!! The best explanation I've found on this topic. One question: every octave note is attached? The first note is attacched in the normal position the second with lateral tongue? Or the tongue stay in the same (lateral) position in every note articulation? Or the first octave is legato? Thank you!

[@saxophonetics]

It's kind of somewhere in between. In this example I'm attacking the first note pretty much with the same part of the tongue that I'm using to dampen the reed. Ultimately you've got to find the spot that's most effective for your physiology, with the goal being to limit the amount of movement of the tongue so you can execute these techniques with the most possible efficiency.

[@3JoeLee]

@@saxophonetics Thank you very much. It's very different the sensation from traditional approach. I like this way of dampen the second octave. Clark Terry tells about it but didn't explain clearly. Moreover the air flow is more centered with the tongue on the reed. I think that the tongue is always on the reed but for the moment in which I attack the other note. It seems to works better than the reversal.

[@3JoeLee]

@@saxophonetics With lateral mouth position on the mouthpiece I notice that with my ebanite Babbit air flows much better and even sound but with my Ottolink doesnt seems to change nothing. Is there an explanation for this or is it my impression? Thank you.

[@3JoeLee]

@@saxophonetics Perfect! But for me is not possible to tongue the first note with standard tongue position and the second with lateral position for damping. I've noticed that the position of my tongue is not "E" (Indian) but "E" (phonetic of "E"nd). The two border of my tongue are not attached to the upper teeth. Can be good the same? Thanks a lot again.

[@saxophonetics]

@@3JoeLee I'm sorry but I don't think I can explain any more thoroughly. You're going to have to experiment and find what works for you. There are no hard-and-fast rules, all I can offer is suggestions.

[@XWXWYNLY]

谢谢，你太棒了👍

[@saxophonetics]

thanks so much! 🙏

[@XWXWYNLY]

Can you teach something about Charlie Parker's articulation and And some standard practices in most cases

[@saxophonetics]

Honestly that's what I'm basically working toward putting out. If you check out my transcription video of Blues for Alice, I have articulations notated there. I also have many of his solos notated with articulations on the Jake Dester channel. Playing along to recordings of Parker is probably the most beneficial thing you can practice, but I also think that having the notes helps compound understanding. In individual study, I recommend taking one phrase at a time and matching style along to the recording as exactly as possible. I find it helpful to slow the recording down as needed using Transcribe! (there are a ton of apps out there for this if you don't have one already) and practice playing under the volume level of the recording, as if Bird or whoever it is you're transcribing is the lead player in a section and you're striving to blend with them.

[@3JoeLee]

@@saxophonetics Excuse me but where can I find this articulation trascription of Parker Blues for Alice. The video is not allowed in my country is written.

[@saxophonetics]

boom: www.jakedester.com/blues-for-alice-form.html

[@radudaud5559]

👍👍👍

[@saxophonetics]

🙏

[@tioliak]

Hi! What is your setup?

[@saxophonetics]

I'm using a stock Meyer 6, Medium Chamber ligature is an Oleg reed is a Legere American cut 3.5

[@tioliak]

@@saxophonetics thank you

[@Xavier_Dimoff]

What kind of alto are you playing on?

[@saxophonetics]

this is an old student model vito I found at a used bicycle shop

[@Xavier_Dimoff]

@@saxophonetics Why do you play on a student model?

[@saxophonetics]

@@Xavier_Dimoff perhaps a story for a future video

[@Xavier_Dimoff]

@@saxophonetics I certainly do hope to see the video someday. You get a really good sound out of it, though!

[@florianschlepphorst458]

@@saxophonetics Did you have to change tires?

[@gallofilm]

sam hyde if he played sax

[@saxophonetics]

lmao