Glissando Practice

Glissando is divided into upward glissando and downward glissando. It is an expressive technique in bamboo flute playing. By sliding the fingers on the tone holes, the pitch smoothly transitions from one note to another, creating a coherent and soft musical effect.
For the upward glissando, the fingers start from the tone holes of the lower-pitched note and gradually open the holes, causing the pitch to rise gradually. The downward glissando is the opposite. The fingers start from the tone holes of the higher - pitched note and gradually close the holes, making the pitch drop gradually. During the practice, pay attention to the smooth and even movement of the fingers. There should be no jumps or jerks. You can start with glissando practice on a single note to get familiar with the finger movements and sensations.
The speed and range of the glissando can be adjusted according to the musical needs. Generally, a slow glissando is more gentle and lyrical, while a fast glissando is more lively and cheerful. The effect of the glissando depends not only on the finger movements but also closely relates to breath control. During the glissando, adjust the strength and flow rate of the breath according to the change in pitch to keep the timbre stable and coherent. For example, when performing an upward glissando, the breath should be gradually strengthened, and when performing a downward glissando, the breath should be gradually weakened. Through the coordination of breath and fingers, the glissando can be made more natural and smooth.
The above is a glissando etude between various intervals. You can start practicing glissando from smaller intervals, such as the second - degree interval, third-degree interval, etc., and gradually increase the size of the intervals. Glissandos of different intervals vary in difficulty and expressiveness. Through practice, you can improve finger flexibility and the ability to control pitch.

Glissando Practice

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