“BING-BING-BING!!” by Earl Harville

“BING-BING-BING!!” by Earl Harville
September 9, 2019

My students know very well that I am a huge fan of the ‘NG’ sound as a semi-occluded
tract exercise. We use it on slides, long scale patterns, staccati, legato. They learn about good cord adduction, nasal resonance/forward placement, cry, edge, ring, and
even tongue release through its application. The majority of my students adapt to it
rather quickly. Unfortunately, there are some clients whose tongues don’t like to
cooperate. There is so much tension that won’t allow the tongue to sustain the arched
position for long. A few have the issue of the tip of the tongue lifting behind the upper
teeth. The French nasal works as a substitution for some, but I really want them all to
conquer the ‘NG’. What is a mix teacher to do?

The answer came courtesy of a cartoon hero from my youth.

I loved the classic ‘toon “Ricochet Rabbit” as a kid. He was the sheriff of a desert town
in the Old West. When trouble would arise, he would get a call (from phones that often
seemed to appear in the strangest places) to come to the rescue. He would assure
them that he was on his way, proclaiming:
‘I’m BING-BING-BING…..RICOCHET RABBIT!!’
One day a few months ago, while practicing, that war cry popped into mind. I realized
that mostly staccato call would trick almost any student into an easy and clean ‘NG’
production. Yes, good people, we have a winner!! This exercise has become a hit with
both kids and adults alike in my studio. WOOT!! Ah, the benefits of watching classic
animation…..

The exercise is performed with a 5-3-8 pattern with a short sustain on that final pitch. It’s
so silly and fun that my clients drop lots of tension and experience a looser jaw. Check
out the video below for a demonstration.

HAPPY SINGING, HAPPY TEACHING!!