[jazzman1945]

For jazz articulation (and also for rock, funk etc.) we use various combinations of merge and separate performances of sounds of different lengths – quarters, eights, sixteenths – i.e. legato and not-legato, as well as accents and hits by the tongue, legato, non-legato and staccato by the right hand. These strokes combinations become pretty sophisticated, imitating the human speech. Melodica allows using this technique to some degree, but the tongue should not be used too forcibly as the sound might “shut up”. The degree to which it could be used changes not only from instrument to instrument but even from key to key on the same instrument. In any case, possibilities of articulation by tongue should be explored thoroughly on any concrete instrument.