Re: "T" and "D" syllables


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Sean Chisham on May 16, 2003 at 20:12:06:

In Reply to: "T" and "D" syllables posted by Adam Crowe on May 16, 2003 at 19:14:59:

While I ain't no "speech-language pathologist" here is my opinion.

If what you are saying is true, which I am sure your wife knows better than most of us, then in order for the TOE and DOE difference to be heard there are physiological differences, otherwise the results would be identical. When I speak TOE, I primarily use the front tip of my tongue and the air flows more freely because the vocal chords in the throat are not forming a resistance such as in DOE. This resistance serves to set the vocal chords in motion. Perhaps that is part of it?

Something else I notice is that TOE seems to require a quicker, almost synchonous, release of are with the movement of the tongue tip with it's contact point inside the mouth. Whereas DOE is a slower movement. DOE also tends to cause more tongue surface area to press before release. This can crowd the airs pathway and can also be more difficult to regulate cleanly due to more muscles being involved, namely more tongue surface and throat/vocal chord muscles coming into play with DOE.

I learned with DOE, then later tried to use TOE more. Now I don't give it as much thought unless I hear my articulations becoming unclear and then I revert to a very defined mental TOE. With multiple tongueing I stick to the tried and true Arbans tu-ku and tu-tu-ku. They seem to work pretty well. For multiple tongueing clarity I really try to stress the consonant beginning such as Tu-Ku. The burst of air from harder consonants seems to help the notes punch out better. It feels unnatural to practice cause it must be so exajurated.

I think I may be using more of a TU syllable, such as in the word "two". For me, the TOE syllable tends to keep the airstream more smooth. The TOE and even moreso the DOE seem to interrupt the constant airstream.

Just as how a spoken syllable generally consists of a consonants and grouped vowels, I believe that and articulated or unarticulated note can be defined as a syllable. The word could for example be 3 triplets or even a whole note. The syllable can consist of several letters as can the metalization of the mechanics to form a musical note on a brass instrument. The note could could be TUbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Just as a world beginning with a vowel does not involve a pressure release of air from the tongue, a slurred "syllable" could simply be bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

When the oral syllable and the buzz are not thought of together than you might get the typical junior high articulation which sounds like and explosion of air followed shortly afterwards by the buzz itself instead a unified single syllabic sound.

'nuff amateur speak on this thar subject. There must be a music therapist amongst us.

My brother inlaw studied music therapy in college. Perhaps I will call him tonight and get his opinion on the matter.

sean "why do people put phrases in the middle of their names" chisham


Follow Ups: