Hi there, pls. tell me the reason why frenchhorn or trumpet players need to place their tongue on the upper position before the upper teeth? If it will be placed on the lower portion of the mouth what are the difference?

"placed", is such a poor word for what is being described but it is still used in so many books.

The tongue is used to articulate notes. Optimally the tongue touches the back of the top teeth where the tooth and the gum line come together. This cuts off or interupts the air stream which results in an articulation. It's like picnching a garden hose to get dashes of water.

If you were to touch the tongue to the bottom teeth you would not be interupting the air stream (you would not be closing the garden hose) because the air flows over the tongue so there would be no articulation.

There are other points of articulation for different ranges, effects, and techniques (top of the teeth, bottom of the top teeth, 1/2" behind the teeth, back of tongue where the soft and hard palletes meet) but all of them involve an upward motion of the tongue or part of the tongue to stop or interupt the air flow; because the tongue is on the bottom of your mouth.

I know both trumpet players, horn players and flute players that ALL use the same tonguing position. They tongue by lightly touching the tip of the tongue to the top lip. The feeling is much like spitting out a small seed or an eyelash from between the lips. I love this tonguing method. I first heard about it from a Suzuki flute teacher years ago before I came back to horn playing. Then I heard about it again from a trumpet teacher, Jeff Smiley. Tonguing this way helps guide the player to keep the lips, teeth and tongue properly aligned to form a nice tight little air valve right in front of the space between the teeth. It improves embouchure efficiency.

To learn to do this technique, practice spitting out grains of rice, then apply this motion to playing your instrument. Works great. My first few attempts at this were splatty, but over a few weeks improved to the point that I can use it equally well for legato, staccato, marcato, sfz, double & triple tonguing, etc.

Valerie Wells
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/