Clarinet flutter tonguing is a rapid tongue or throat trill, like a rolled “r” or guttural growl, combined with steady breath to create a buzzing, fluttering sound on a sustained note. Learn it by (1) mastering a rolled “r” away from the clarinet, (2) practicing long, steady air on the instrument, and (3) adding the tongue or throat flutter while keeping the air constant.

What is clarinet flutter tonguing?

Clarinet flutter tonguing is a special articulation where the player rapidly trills the tongue or throat while blowing a steady air stream, creating a buzzing or growling overlay on the tone. Instead of individual attacks, the tongue or soft palate vibrates continuously, producing a shimmering, agitated sound that can range from subtle shimmer to aggressive growl.

On clarinet, flutter tonguing usually uses either a rolled “r” at the tip of the tongue or a gargling motion in the back of the throat. Both methods disturb the air column without breaking the note. The result is a continuous, noisy texture that composers use to suggest tension, mystery, or raw energy in solo, chamber, and orchestral writing.

History and origins (late 19th-early 20th century) and repertoire examples

Documented use of flutter tonguing on wind instruments dates to the late 19th century, as composers searched for new colors beyond traditional tonguing. Early references appear in German and French orchestral scores, often marked with language instructions like “Flatterzunge” or “frullato” for flutes and brass, then gradually extended to clarinet and other reeds.

By the early 20th century, composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók were asking clarinetists for more extreme articulations. Flutter tonguing fit perfectly into this modernist sound world. Its noisy, unstable quality helped depict folk energy, birdsong, or psychological tension, especially when combined with dissonant harmony or unusual registers.

Béla Bartók used flutter tonguing in his “Dance Suite” (1923), where clarinet and other winds create rough, folk-like textures. Igor Stravinsky explored similar effects in works like “The Rite of Spring” and later neoclassical scores, often marking wind parts with “Flatterzunge” to intensify climaxes or evoke primitive, ritualistic colors.

Olivier Messiaen incorporated flutter tonguing in several works involving clarinet, such as “Quatuor pour la fin du temps” and later orchestral scores, to suggest birds, mystical ecstasy, or shimmering soundscapes. Pierre Boulez used flutter tonguing in pieces like “Domaines” and “Dialogue de l'ombre double” to expand the clarinet's palette in avant-garde and spectral contexts.

By the mid-20th century, flutter tonguing had become a standard extended technique in conservatory training. Contemporary composers across Europe and North America now treat it as a normal color, using it in solo clarinet works, wind ensemble pieces, and jazz-influenced scores where a gritty or breathy edge is desired.

Two main production methods: tongue-roll (rolled “r”) vs. throat/gargle

Clarinet flutter tonguing typically uses one of two methods: a tongue-roll (rolled “r”) at the front of the mouth or a throat-based gargle at the back. Both disturb the air column rapidly, but they feel very different physically and produce slightly different colors in the sound.

The tongue-roll method uses the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge, just behind the upper teeth, like rolling an Italian or Spanish “r.” The tongue vibrates rapidly in the airstream while the reed vibrates normally. This method usually gives a brighter, more focused flutter and often blends better with standard classical tone.

The throat or gargle method uses the soft palate and upper throat, similar to a gentle gargle or a French uvular “r.” The back of the tongue and uvula vibrate in the airstream. This often feels easier for players who cannot roll an “r,” but it produces a darker, growlier sound that can be more prominent and less refined.

Many clarinetists learn both methods and choose depending on context. For soft, high-register passages, the tongue-roll can be more controllable and less intrusive. For loud, low-register or avant-garde effects, the throat flutter may project more clearly. Some players even blend the two for maximum flexibility.

Step-by-step how-to: a 5-step progressive method

This 5-step progression builds flutter tonguing in a logical sequence, minimizing frustration and fatigue. Work slowly, and do not move to the next step until the previous one feels reliable. You can follow the same steps for both tongue-roll and throat methods, simply changing which motion you use.

Step 1: Learn or refine the rolled “r” (off the clarinet)

Start without the instrument. For tongue-roll, place the tip of your tongue lightly against the ridge behind your upper teeth and blow air as if saying a long “tttt” or “drdrdr.” Relax the tongue until it starts to flutter. For throat flutter, imitate a soft gargle or French “r” while exhaling steadily.

Alternate between short bursts and longer 3 to 5 second rolls. Focus on relaxation and even speed, not volume. If nothing happens, vary tongue pressure, move slightly forward or back, and experiment with different vowel shapes like “ah,” “eh,” or “uh” until the roll or gargle catches.

Step 2: Build steady air and embouchure on long tones

Next, work on the clarinet without any flutter. Play long tones in the middle register (G4 to C5) at mezzo-forte. Aim for 8 to 12 second notes with absolutely steady pitch, volume, and tone. Use a tuner or drone to check stability and avoid any unintentional wobble or sagging pitch.

Keep your embouchure firm but not tight, corners forward, and chin flat. The reed should vibrate freely. The goal is a stable, resonant air column so that when you add flutter, the noise sits on top of a solid core of sound instead of replacing it.

Step 3: Combine air and flutter on a mouthpiece-only setup

Now remove the clarinet and play only the mouthpiece and barrel. Form your normal embouchure and blow a steady pitch. Once the pitch is stable, gently add your tongue-roll or throat gargle without changing air speed or embouchure pressure. Aim for 2 to 4 second flutters at first.

If the sound breaks or stops, you are likely tightening the tongue or throat too much. Back off the intensity of the roll and keep the air moving. The reed should continue to vibrate; the flutter is an overlay, not a replacement. Gradually increase the duration as control improves.

Step 4: Add flutter to comfortable mid-register notes

Reassemble the clarinet and choose an easy mid-register note such as G4, A4, or B4. Start the note with a normal attack and stable tone. After one or two seconds, introduce the flutter motion while maintaining the same air support and embouchure. Release the note before you feel tired.

At first, aim for short 1 to 2 second flutters, then extend to 4 to 6 seconds as endurance grows. Keep the pitch centered and avoid letting the jaw or embouchure move with the flutter. If the tone spreads or cracks, simplify: reduce the intensity of the roll and strengthen the air.

Step 5: Extend range, dynamics, and articulation patterns

Once you can flutter reliably on mid-register notes, expand gradually. Move down to low E3 and F3, then up to clarion notes like D5 and G5. Experiment with dynamics from piano to forte, always prioritizing a supported air column. High, soft flutter is usually the most challenging and should come last.

Finally, add musical patterns: scales with flutter on each note, sustained flutter crescendos, and alternating normal tone with flutter every two beats. This prepares you for real repertoire, where flutter often appears in specific registers, dynamic shapes, or rhythmic contexts.

Exercises and practice plan (daily drills, endurance, variations)

A focused practice plan keeps flutter tonguing reliable without overtaxing the tongue or throat. Short, regular sessions work better than occasional marathons. Integrate flutter into your daily warmup so it becomes as normal as legato or staccato playing.

Daily 10-15 minute flutter routine

Begin with 2 to 3 minutes of off-instrument rolled “r” or throat gargle practice. Follow with 3 to 4 minutes of long tones on clarinet, first without flutter, then adding short flutters on mid-register notes. Finish with 3 to 5 minutes of range and dynamic exploration using simple scales or arpeggios.

Keep each individual flutter attempt short at first, around 2 to 4 seconds. Rest briefly between repetitions to prevent fatigue. Over a week or two, gradually lengthen the flutter segments and reduce the rest as your endurance improves and the motion feels more automatic.

Endurance and control sets

To build endurance, choose one comfortable note and time your flutter. Aim for 3 sets of 10 second flutters with 20 to 30 seconds rest between sets. Use a metronome or timer so you do not guess. Focus on even sound, steady pitch, and relaxed tongue or throat motion.

For control, practice alternating 2 beats of normal tone and 2 beats of flutter on a sustained note at a slow tempo, such as quarter note equals 60. This teaches you to switch in and out of flutter cleanly, a skill often required in contemporary repertoire and jazz improvisation.

Variations: scales, intervals, and rhythmic patterns

Once the basic motion is stable, incorporate flutter into scales and intervals. For example, play a one-octave G major scale with flutter on every note, then only on every second or third note. Try slurred thirds and arpeggios where the top note of each figure is fluttered for added emphasis.

Rhythmic patterns help coordination. Alternate eighth-note normal tone and eighth-note flutter in a repeated pattern, or play dotted rhythms where the longer note is fluttered. These drills prepare you for passages where flutter appears on accented notes, syncopations, or specific rhythmic cells.

Notation, score markings, and common composer instructions

Flutter tonguing appears under several names and symbols in clarinet parts. The most common notations are “flutter tong.” or “flz” above the staff, a wavy line through or above the note stem, or language instructions such as “Flatterzunge” (German), “frullato” (Italian), or “flatter avec la langue” (French).

In many 20th-century scores, composers like Stravinsky and Bartók simply write “Flatterzunge” at the beginning of a passage and use a wavy line to show its duration. Olivier Messiaen sometimes adds descriptive text such as “frullato doux” to indicate a softer, more subtle flutter, especially in bird-inspired passages.

Some contemporary composers specify the method, writing “tongue flutter” or “throat flutter” if they want a particular color. Others leave the choice to the performer, expecting the clarinetist to choose whichever method is reliable and musically appropriate. When in doubt, check the performance notes at the front of the score.

Ambiguity can occur when a score simply says “frullato” or “flutter” without further detail. In standard classical contexts, players typically default to tongue-roll flutter if they can produce it. In jazz or experimental works, a throat-based growl may be more stylistically fitting, especially if the composer describes a rough or guttural sound.

Troubleshooting common problems (tongue, air, tone, fatigue)

Many clarinetists struggle with flutter tonguing at first, especially if they cannot roll an “r” or if the sound cuts out unpredictably. Most problems fall into four categories: tongue coordination, air support, tone stability, and physical fatigue. Each has specific, practical fixes you can apply in daily practice.

Tongue will not roll or coordinate while playing

If your tongue will not roll at all, spend more time off the clarinet. Practice rolled “r” exercises lying on your back, which encourages relaxation, or while saying syllables like “tr” and “dr” rapidly. For some players, the throat method is more realistic, so do not hesitate to switch if the tongue-roll remains elusive.

If you can roll off the instrument but not while playing, you are likely changing embouchure or jaw position when you bring the clarinet up. Practice blowing air through the mouthpiece only while rolling the tongue, without producing a pitch. Once that feels easy, let the reed vibrate and accept a slightly messy sound at first.

Inconsistent sound or flutter that disappears

A flutter that starts and then vanishes usually points to unstable air or overactive tongue motion. Slow the tongue or throat trill slightly and increase breath support. Think of the air as the engine and the tongue as a light, passive vibration on top. If the tongue works harder than the air, the sound will collapse.

Practice crescendo exercises where you begin with a very gentle flutter and gradually increase air speed while keeping the tongue motion the same. This teaches you to separate air control from tongue speed. Use a mirror to check that your embouchure and jaw stay still as the flutter continues.

Tone spread, pitch issues, or squeaks

If your tone spreads or pitch sags when you flutter, you may be loosening the embouchure or moving the jaw with the tongue. Focus on a firm, consistent embouchure and keep the chin flat. Think of the tongue motion as happening inside the mouth without affecting the reed contact or lip pressure.

Squeaks often occur in the clarion register when the air or voicing changes suddenly. To fix this, practice flutter on throat tones and low notes first, then move upward slowly. Use voicing syllables like “ee” for high notes while fluttering, which helps keep the tongue high and the air focused.

Tongue or throat fatigue and over-practicing

Fatigue is common when learning flutter tonguing. Limit early sessions to 5 to 10 minutes of focused work, with frequent rests. If your tongue or throat feels tight or sore, stop and switch to regular long tones or silent finger practice. Overworking can create bad habits and even minor strain.

Alternate between tongue-roll and throat flutter in practice to distribute the workload, especially when preparing long passages in works by Boulez or other avant-garde composers. Hydration helps too; a dry mouth or throat makes the motion harder and encourages unnecessary tension.

Instrument-anatomy notes: how the clarinet's acoustics affect flutter

Clarinet flutter tonguing works because the instrument's air column and reed vibration remain stable while the tongue or throat adds a rapid disturbance. The cylindrical bore and register key system create strong resonances that can either highlight or mask the flutter depending on register, dynamic, and voicing.

In the chalumeau register, the clarinet's low frequencies and strong fundamental make flutter especially audible as a growl-like overlay. The reed and bore respond easily to small pressure changes, so even a gentle tongue-roll can produce a pronounced effect. This is why many composers place dramatic flutters on low E3, F3, or G3.

In the clarion register, the higher partials and thinner tone mean the flutter can be more subtle and prone to instability. Here, embouchure stability and voicing are critical. A high tongue position and fast, focused air help the reed resist unwanted pitch bends when the flutter motion begins.

Altissimo flutter is possible but demanding. The clarinet's acoustics in this range are sensitive to small changes in oral cavity shape. Any extra jaw or tongue movement can cause the note to crack. Many players choose throat flutter in the altissimo, since it leaves the front of the tongue more stable for voicing and pitch control.

Tongue placement and throat resonance interact constantly with the clarinet's acoustics. When you roll the tongue near the alveolar ridge, you slightly change the effective length and shape of the vocal tract, which influences timbre. Skilled players learn to balance this by adjusting vowel shape and soft palate height to keep the core sound centered while fluttering.

Performance tips and musical applications (classical, jazz, avant-garde)

Once you can produce a reliable flutter, the next step is using it musically. In classical repertoire, flutter tonguing often marks moments of tension, mystery, or special color. In jazz and avant-garde contexts, it can function as a growl, a texture, or a dramatic effect in improvisation and extended techniques.

In orchestral works by Bartók or Stravinsky, match your flutter intensity to the ensemble texture. In thick tuttis, a stronger, possibly throat-based flutter may be needed to cut through. In chamber settings like Messiaen's “Quatuor pour la fin du temps,” a softer tongue-roll flutter can blend better with strings and piano.

For jazz and crossover playing, combine flutter tonguing with bends, vibrato, or glissandi to create expressive growls and smears. Many improvisers use throat flutter on low notes to imitate vocal inflections or brass-style shakes. Experiment on blues scales and modal patterns to find colors that suit your style.

In avant-garde and contemporary music, flutter often appears alongside multiphonics, key clicks, and air sounds. Practice transitions between normal tone, flutter, and other extended techniques so you can move cleanly without losing control. Study recordings of works by Boulez and other modern composers to hear how leading players balance clarity and rawness.

Always consider the hall and amplification. In a dry, small room, a subtle tongue-roll may be clear enough. In a large, reverberant space or with amplification, too aggressive a flutter can dominate the texture. Adjust your method, dynamic, and distance from microphones to match the acoustic situation.

Further resources, recordings, and references

To deepen your understanding of clarinet flutter tonguing, study recordings by leading artists in both classical and contemporary fields. Listen to performances of Bartók's “Dance Suite” and Stravinsky's orchestral works with prominent wind writing, paying close attention to how clarinetists shape flutter passages within the ensemble.

Recordings of Olivier Messiaen's “Quatuor pour la fin du temps” and Pierre Boulez's “Dialogue de l'ombre double” offer detailed examples of refined flutter in chamber and solo contexts. Many conservatory-level clarinet methods and extended technique books now include dedicated sections on flutter tonguing with suggested exercises and etudes.

Masterclasses and online lessons from orchestral clarinetists and contemporary specialists can provide visual demonstrations of tongue and throat motion. When possible, work with a teacher who has experience in 20th- and 21st-century repertoire, so you can receive direct feedback on sound, endurance, and stylistic choices.

Finally, keep a personal log of pieces and passages where you use flutter tonguing. Note which method you chose, what tempo and dynamic worked, and any adjustments you made for different halls or ensembles. Over time, this record becomes a valuable reference for future performances and teaching.

Key takeaways

• Clarinet flutter tonguing is a continuous tongue or throat trill added to a steady air stream, creating a buzzing overlay on the tone.
• Two main methods exist: tongue-roll (rolled “r”) and throat/gargle; learn both to choose the best color and reliability for each context.
• Progress step-by-step: master the roll off the horn, stabilize air and embouchure, then add flutter on mouthpiece, mid-register notes, and finally full range.
• Use short, daily drills to build endurance, and troubleshoot issues by prioritizing air support, relaxation, and embouchure stability.
• Flutter tonguing appears in works by Bartók, Stravinsky, Messiaen, Boulez, and many others; notation varies, so always check score instructions and performance notes.

FAQ

What is clarinet flutter tonguing?

Clarinet flutter tonguing is a technique where the player rapidly trills the tongue or throat while blowing a steady air stream, producing a buzzing, fluttering sound on a sustained note. It adds a noisy, agitated color to the tone and is used in classical, jazz, and contemporary repertoire.

How do I learn flutter tonguing step-by-step?

Start by mastering a rolled “r” or gentle throat gargle away from the clarinet. Then practice steady long tones on the instrument. Next, add the flutter on mouthpiece only, then on easy mid-register notes, and finally expand to different registers, dynamics, and musical patterns.

Why can't I roll my “r” while playing the clarinet?

Many players tighten the jaw or change embouchure when they bring the clarinet up, which blocks the tongue from rolling. Practice the rolled “r” lying down or without the instrument, then gradually add air through the mouthpiece only. If it remains difficult, consider using the throat flutter method instead.

When do composers notate flutter tonguing and how is it written?

Composers notate flutter tonguing when they want a buzzing or growling effect on sustained notes. Common markings include “flutter tong.,” “flz,” a wavy line, or language terms like “Flatterzunge,” “frullato,” or “flatter avec la langue.” Some scores specify tongue or throat flutter in performance notes.

Which composers and pieces use flutter tonguing?

Flutter tonguing appears in works by Béla Bartók, such as the “Dance Suite,” Igor Stravinsky's orchestral scores, Olivier Messiaen's chamber and orchestral music, and Pierre Boulez's solo and ensemble pieces. Many contemporary composers now use flutter tonguing regularly in clarinet solos, wind ensemble works, and mixed chamber music.