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  3. How to Slap Tongue on an Ocarina

How to Slap Tongue on an Ocarina

·149 words·1 min·
Table of Contents

About this exercise
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Slap tonguing is a percussive pop rather than a sung note. You seal the blow hole with the flat of your tongue, draw a small vacuum by sucking back, then release and drop your jaw so air rushes in with a sharp burst. The whole move happens in an instant, and the result is a dry, explosive click that punctuates a phrase. It takes a little experimenting to find how much suction gives a clean pop without a hiss. Try it on its own, away from any tune, until the burst is loud and consistent, then drop single slaps between notes for rhythm.

Steps
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  1. Seal the blow hole with the flat of your tongue.
  2. Draw a small vacuum by sucking back gently.
  3. Release your tongue and drop your jaw so air rushes in.
  4. Let the sudden burst of air make the sharp, percussive pop.