x
still the best one. If you have a tendency to play with a 12/8, downbeat-oriented feel, try practicing {
scales like this.
—
fp PP SF PP sinite
Notice that you tongue the upbeats and slur to the downbeats. As a general rule, any given line
of eighth-notes is articulated this way. Overemphasize the accents as indicated, and go slowly
enough to ensure that the eighth-notes remain even. Also take care not to cut off the notes you
slur to.
Don’t make a space before you
tongue, as in the following:
Instead, make sure that the unaccented
notes are held until the next tongue stroke:
An excellent way to improve articulation is to work out a pattern of slurs and accents within
a line with changing and unpredictable contours. For
using digital patterns around the cycle of fifths. Take
something resembling a jazz line—that is,
5-3-5, respectively, and combine
example, you could practice this approach
two simple patterns, based on the scale steps 1-2-3-5 and 1
them at random, taking care to always resolve stepwise:
F7 Bb7 b7 abz
G C7
*
a
Gl
Combining in random fashion enables you to control the contour of the line. Using your cre-
ativity, even to such a limited extent, makes the skills you gain from practicing much more readily
transferable to an improvisational setting. The following exercises will be helpful in gaining facil-
ity with tonguing and slurring in the context of a Dorian scale. Note the alternate fingerings.