Tonguing

Tonguing is the way a wind player starts and stops their notes. Just as a violinist would control the start of the note by bowing, wood wind players must use their tongue to articulate the start and end of each note.

When it comes to tonguing, there are various different techniques. The first way is the way I was taught how to tongue called anchor tonguing. This form of tonguing I find most effective while playing saxophone or clarinet.

Anchor Tonguing

1) When you have your saxophone your mouth, press the tip of your tongue to your bottom teeth. 
2) As you are playing a note, imagine yourself articulating a "tu" sound with your mouth as you blow air through your instrument.
3) Your tongue should still be pressed or anchored to your bottom teeth and only the middle part of your tongue should touch the tip of the reed.
4) Your tongue should stop the vibration of the reed as air is being built up behind the tongue.
5) Release the tongue and allow air to continue through to the reed.

Tip Tonguing 

Tonguing with the tip of the tongue is probably the more common method of tonguing. This is the method that more traditional players will teach you how to play, especially if you play classical music. Tip tonguing is similar to anchor tonguing except that instead of anchoring the tongue and using only the middle part of it, we will use only the tip our tongue. Who would have guessed?

1) Start off the same way as you would anchor tonguing with the tongue against the teeth.
2) When you begin to tongue, articulate the sound "dah" and blow air through the instrument.
3) With the tongue, you should only move the very tip of your tongue towards the reed to stop the vibration.
4) After the enunciation of the sound "dah", retract your song back to the front of the teeth and allow air to pass through.