i have just had an expander installed in the top of my mouth and am finding it extremely difficult to tongue quickly or even at all especially in the high register. any suggestions/exercises to help would be most welcome. thanks.

Oh my.
Try to keep the tongue in the bottom of your mouth and then only use the blade (near the tip) to touch the bottom of your top teeth. Use your tongue like a frog would grad an insect so that only the tip goes out quickly and returns quickly so it never gets enough mass to interfere with the expander.

that's my first suggestion.

My second thought - I thought about your expander some more. I watched an old Xray video of a brass player playing to see what everything is doing in there. for your lower range and mid range you should be able to get by with the 'frog' analogy. just let the tip/edge of the tongue go forward to hit the bottom of the teeth. You should be able to adjust to it in a short period of time.

However, on your higher notes your are in a different situation. I don't know which set up you have but it will clearly be in your way. Two options would be; one)perhaps try to use the front part of your expander as the articulation point.You will probably have to use the part of your tongue about 1/2 inch behind the tip, 2)You might also try using a double tongue technique. By using 'ka' or 'ga' for the higher articulations. It will be a little challenging at first but when your extender is removed you will have one of the best double tonguing techniques of anyone else in the band.

A third option which is very difficult to explain here is breath attacks. I have a 'slur' technique that actually comes out as an articulation. Try playing slurs and waiting as long as you can before switchign to the next note (Well, wait as long as you long before being late). Then kind of 'snap' the next note. Try all of these techniques or a combination of them all - you might find something that works.

Thank you very much! i'm sure at least some of this should be helpful.

Umm... I'm not trying to b naive or anything, but I was
just wondering what an expander is...

sorry lol

An expander is a dental device that is installed in the top of your mouth, the hard palete area. The purpose is to make room for the permanent teeth when the mouth is too narrow. The device is installed into the hard palete and you notch it up a notch every evening and it widens the mouth. Kind of brutal. There is a new 'mask device out made by StayWell. But the device is cumbersome and sits on the outside of your face (and on the inside of your mouth) so I think it is worse than the traditional expander.

That's a good question. Lots of people do not know about expanders and yet they are very common.

Thanks John... : )

Wow, that sounds incredibly painful. Do they give you anything at all for the pain, or just a, "Chin up, it'll all be worth it!" sort of thing?

I hope you find a way to play that works with what you have going on, it would be a shame to lose out on playing horn. Best of luck to you!