The Kingma System Bass Flute:: A Practical Guide For Composers and Performers Carla Rees

The Kingma System Bass Flute:
A Practical Guide for Composers and Performers
(2013 version)
Carla Rees
Royal College Of Music, London
HOME BACKGROUND PITCH DYNAMICS TIMBRE PERCUSSIVE EFFECTS & ARTICULATION MULTIPHONICS
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PERCUSSIVE EFFECTS Flutter tonguing
& ARTICULATION
BREATHING AND SUSTAINABILITY
RESPONSE OF
TRANSITION FROM NORMAL PLAYING
ARTICULATIONS
FLUTTER TONGUING WITH AIR AND PERCUSSIVE SOUNDS
STANDARD ARTICULATIONS NOTATION OF FLUTTER TONGUING
EXTENDED ARTICULATIONS
Flutter tonguing is a versatile technique which is effective at all dynamic levels
FLUTTER TONGUING
and across the range of the instrument. Flutter tonguing can also be applied to a
SLURS, LEAPS & FLEXIBILITY wide range of flute techniques, including multiphonics, trills, singing and playing
KEY CLICKS and jet whistles.
ARTICULATED AIR SOUNDS
Flutter tonguing may be produced either by the tongue or the uvula. Due to the
physical differences between players, some find tongue flutter easy to execute,
while for others it is completely impossible. Uvular flutter tonguing may be learnt,
though it is initially difficult to control and requires considerable practice. It is
advisable to check with the player to find out which method suits them best, and
it is common practice for the player to dictate which method of production is
used.
In the case of tonguecontrolled flutter tonguing, the tongue may be placed in
different positions in the mouth to harden or soften the articulation effect. As a
result of the air angle and change in mouth shape for flutter tonguing, flutter
tonguing in the lowest pitches of the bass flute is erratic, extremely difficult
(although not impossible) and often contains an element of air in the tone.
Results on these pitches can be variable according to the musical context and the
type of flutter tonguing used and composers are advised to use caution in this
area. To rearticulate a note, tonguecontrolled flutter tonguing must be stopped
and restarted after the note has been articulated. This is a time consuming and
physically demanding process which can only be achieved at slow tempos. For
this reason, it is most common for flutter tongued passages to be slurred.
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Articulated flutter tonguing
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Slurred flutter tonguing
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Breathing and sustainability
Flutter tonguing requires a larger than normal volume of air to be used, as a
result of alterations to mouth and embouchure position. Because of this, frequent
breaths are required. The technique can also be fatiguing for the player, so it is
advised to avoid long passages of flutter tonguing without rests.
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Transition from normal playing to flutter tonguing
A seamless transition from normal playing to flutter tonguing with a gradually
faster flutter tongue is only possible if uvular flutter is used, and can be difficult
to master. For ease and more universal success, composers may consider moving
through ribattimento effects, where a gradually accelerating double tonguing
eventually becomes flutter tonguing. This can be achieved with either method of
flutter tonguing without undue difficulty.
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Ribattimento into flutter
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Flutter tonguing with air and percussive sounds
Flutter tonguing can be incorporated into both air and percussive sounds for
timbral variation. Pitched air sounds can be created through an opening of the
embouchure aperture, creating a combination of air and tone which may be
roughly specified by the composer (for example, through general directions such
as the term 'airy', or in more specific ways, such as 70% air, 30% pitch), in a
similar way to nonfluttered air sounds. A pure air flutter can be produced on any
low register pitch, with the player blowing a diffuse air stream across the flute's
embouchure hole.
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Pure air flutter
A percussive flutter can be created by covering the embouchure hole in its
entirety (with the flute rolled inwards towards the player to allow the hole to be
covered) and flutter tonguing into the tube. Like other coveredhole effects, such
as tongue rams and covered key clicks, the pitch is approximately a seventh
lower than the notated fingering, although this varies according to the individual
note and the internal mouth shape of the player.
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Flutter tonguing into the flute
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Notation of flutter tonguing
Flutter tonguing can be notated using the flz. symbol and tremolo markings.
Cancel this out using ord.
Slurred flutter tonguing
Articulated flutter tonguing
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Copyright © 2013 Carla Rees

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HOME BACKGROUND PITCH DYNAMICS TIMBRE PERCUSSIVE EFFECTS & ARTICULATION MULTIPHONICS

AMPLIFICATION REPERTOIRE LINKS ALTO FLUTE WEBSITE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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