Cannonball Lick

[Vortex]

I know what this technique is and what it sounds like, i'm just not quite sure how to do it... anybody know where exactly on the reed my tongue should touch?

[JL]

Which "Cannonball lick" are you asking about?

[asian sax]

maybe that's what it's called?

the cannonball LICK! :D


seriously though, maybe it's the thing where you put your tongue on the reed but keep the air flowing?

[JL]

Asian sax,
Terminology can be sticky......"lick" generally means a short, catchy musical phrase. "Riff" is a similar term, but it usually denotes a phrase that is repeated, often as a background to a soloist or singer.

Anyhow, you seem to be talking about something done with the tongue on the reed. Subtones maybe? Or a specific kind of articulation? I'm still not sure what you mean, but you have my curiosity aroused.

[JL]

I guess that should have been addressed to Vortex. Sorry.

[colibri]

I think the original poster was asking about ghost tonguing. This technique is done by slightly muting the vibration of the reed with the tongue so the note will sound a bit muffled.

Raise your tongue so it's almost cradling the reed. You must have enough air support to sustain the note.

[Toni Linder]

I had troubles ghosting notes until somebody told my to

touch the reed on one side only.

[asian sax]

Asian sax,
Terminology can be sticky......"lick" generally means a short, catchy musical phrase. "Riff" is a similar term, but it usually denotes a phrase that is repeated, often as a background to a soloist or singer.

Anyhow, you seem to be talking about something done with the tongue on the reed. Subtones maybe? Or a specific kind of articulation? I'm still not sure what you mean, but you have my curiosity aroused.

heheh yeah i knwo what a lick is :) but i figured it wasn't that cuz of what he said in his original post

hey toni linder...forgive me for being dumb since i don't know how to ghost notes or do subtones but how do you touch the reed on both sides? can you explain a little?

[Toni Linder]

You can stop the reed frontally, at itsfront edge, with your tounge, which for some reason is difficult for me. So I touch it more on its side, which works fine.

[Vortex]

Yeah, terminology issues here, definately. I don't mean a lick as in a "riff". The Cannonball Lick is a technique that Cannonball Adderley developed, it involves the tongue touching the rail of the reed and slightly stopping its motion.

[Tim Price]

It's a form of a tounge/slur type effect Ball' used ALL the time.
Check the "Milestones" solo or the "All Blues" solo and you'll hear it.
BTW- sing the lick to yourself....get the movement in your head and tounge. HEAR THE LICK...don't trip out and think....HEAR IT.
Keep in mind as well...When you tongue your jaw shouldn't move. Also learn to start the notes without the gliss. SING the phrase BALL' played...then go right to your sax and do it!!
Keep on till it gets to the right stage of sound.HTH-