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Topic: Glissando (Read 6479 times) previous topic - next topic

Glissando

Is there any easy way to create a Glissando that actually looks and sounds like one? I use them alot in my piano accmps.
-DAVID COOPER

Re: Glissando

Reply #1 –
The short answer is no. The best way to do it is to use a hidden staff in conjunction with symbols from one of the user fonts (found in the Scriptorium).

Cheers,

Bill

Re: Glissando

Reply #2 –
Once you create one (I have one that's about two ocatves with naturals on every note, for that "white-key" effect), save it as a separate file and copy&paste it each time you need it.
And yes, use a hidden staff.

Re: Glissando

Reply #3 –
Look for gliss.nwc in here for a working example. "You will need to inspect the hidden staves to see how it is done."
Since 1998

Re: Glissando

Reply #4 –
gliss.nwc is an example of a portamento (or what many refer to as a glissando) for a "not-piano."
The OP mentioned
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I use them alot in my piano accmps.

Happy 2008, all!

Re: Glissando

Reply #5 –
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Look for gliss.nwc in here for a working example. "You will need to inspect the hidden staves to see how it is done."
I did look at that. however, as K.A.T. mentioned, It is for a "not piano" instrument-too smooth.
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I have one that's about two ocatves with naturals on every note, for that "white-key" effect
 
Could you maybe attatch an example? I've tried using grace notes or even 32nd notes but it never has really worked. The result is that when I play in performance (usually church) the guitarist thinks I'm just improvising it since it's not written- and imagine her surprise! It throws everyone off.
-DAVID COOPER
 

Re: Glissando

Reply #6 –
I think you're asking about a gliss for piano, rather than for a wind instrument (I think what a reed player calls a gliss would be called a portamento by a pianist). 

The grace notes don't work for you because in NWC, they take time from the following note. 

To get around that, use a second staff for playback.  Assume your bar has a half note in first space F, then the gliss, followed by a half note F on the top line, copy that to the corresponding bar in the playback staff.  Go back to the first staff and mute it, or at least mute all the notes in this bar.

In the playback staff, which you will hide (see page setup, contents), change the first half note to a double-dotted quarter, add your grace notes, and have them end on a tied sixteenth note placed before beat 3.  They will play in time and should sound okay.

While I didn't put them in for this example, you would either use a text entry to make the gliss symbol (vertical squiggle) in the visible staff, or I guess you could simply write it out as a series of grace notes.  All you need to make sure of is that they are muted.

If the grace notes don't work for you, adjust the length of the first note in the playback staff, and insert a run of ordinary notes.  If 32nd notes are too slow, you could make them triplets to get a slightly faster run, or use 64th notes to make them twice as fast.  To make 64ths, first make 32nds, highlight them, and press the minus sign.

Hope this helps a bit.  If not, I'm sure KAT's original will do it for you.

Re: Glissando

Reply #7 –
David: in an actual piano gliss, the "B" would be a natural.

This is a difficult subject. The speed of gliises and where (and if) they take their time from depends on the rest of the music and ultimately the pianist's ability and taste. The proper visual is for gliss. to be set at an angle. This is very hard to do (outside of PostScript). The angle varies depending on how long the gliss is and how much room is available.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Glissando

Reply #8 –
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The speed of gliises and where (and if) they take their time from depends on the rest of the music and ultimately the pianist's ability and taste.
I think Rick pretty much hit it. When I play a gliss, it usually takes about one quarter note length of time (depending of course on how fast I'm already playing)- making the timing with 32nd notes and the like tricky. I'm going to experiment with David's idea a little bit (with all the proper naturals in it of course!) and see where it gets me. Might be tricky since the are all located at measure breaks, but I think now I have the general idea.
-DAVID COOPER

Re: Glissando

Reply #10 –
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in an actual piano gliss, the "B" would be a natural.

Not being a pianist, I missed the obvious.  Thanks, Rick.

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making the timing with 32nd notes and the like tricky

It's all going to depend on your own preferences, of course, but keep in mind, how you notate it doesn't have to be how you play it.  How the playback sounds only matters if you expect people to play the midi file.

I'm glad to see K.A.T. used 64ths; means I wasn't too out to lunch.  You can use triplets on 32nds if you want to get something a little slower than 64ths but faster than 32nds.  Push come to shove, I guess you could put hidden tempo changes before and after the run, but that would probably make the playback sound a little jerky during that bar - it would be like splicing an audio tape but accidentally trimming a little out of the splice. 

Re: Glissando

Reply #11 –
Thanks! I got just what I needed. Sounds great in the song. :)
-DAVID COOPER

Re: Glissando

Reply #12 –
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I'm glad to see K.A.T. used 64ths; means I wasn't too out to lunch.  You can use triplets on 32nds if you want to get something a little slower than 64ths but faster than 32nds.
Of course the choice of note would depend upon the tempo of the piece - I've needed to change them to eighths once...