Learn to Play Recorder

Lesson 36: Advanced Articulation Techniques

  • Play paired articulation: too-ru, did-ll, te-re.
  • Apply paired articulation to a passage of fast eighths and feel the difference.

The Baroque player did not tongue every note. They paired them.

Baroque sources describe articulation in alternating pairs: too-ru, did-ll, te-re. The first syllable of each pair is forward; the second is back. The result is a natural lift on the off-beat that makes the music dance instead of march.

Too-ru — the basic Baroque pair

Too on the strong eighth, ru (with the tongue near the palate but not stopping the air) on the weak eighth. The ru is lighter; the air carries it.

Pair each beat: TOO-ru, TOO-ru.

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Did-ll — double-tongue precursor

The di and ll syllables alternate two distinct tongue positions. Useful when too-ru is too forward for fast passages.

Air continuous; tongue placement alternates.

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Apply: a Baroque allegro passage

The same notes with even-tongued toos sound stilted; with too-ru, they dance.

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Now play these

Telemann: Sonata in C major, TWV 41:C5
The Allegro movements live or die by paired articulation.
Telemann: Sonata in F major, TWV 41:F2
F major Allegro — ideal practice ground for too-ru.
Bach: Sonata BWV 1033
Apply did-ll to the fast movements.

When you can play the same passage three times — with too, too-ru, and did-ll — and a listener hears three different kinds of music, move on to Lesson 37.