How to re-develop double tonguing?

Question

Two years ago, I had no issue double- and triple-tonguing. After a while, however, I seem to have issues playing quickly enough. I suspect that I have gone back to single-tonguing. How can I go back to being able to double-tongue on Trumpet?

Answer 1

Like you, Samuel, I've gotten away from my double-tonguing but found some excellent suggestions on this website:

http://www.trumpetmaster.com/vb/f131/learning-how-double-tongue-64418.html

It seems that building speed slowly, using the mouthpiece only, and using tu-ku (heavying up on the ku's until clear) are the highlights of the advice offered on this site. Best of luck!

Answer 2

Like the other answer, it's a matter of starting off slowly and building up speed when you practice. The technique I find most helpful for double-tonguing is to double-tongue scales in a variety of ways:

1. four beats (tu-ku tu-ku) per note
2. two beats (tu-ku) per note
3. one beat (tu or ku!) per note

I've also found the exercises in Arban's Cornet Method really useful (it's an enormous book full of studies on every technique).