Saxophone glide playing technique

Portamento is a kind of saxophone ornamentation, which is widely used. From the works of the Romantic period to the modern avant-garde works, as well as jazz and pop music, you will encounter a lot of portamento performances. Portamento is very special and very charming. It is also a playing technique that friends are more interested in. Today, I will share with you the specific attention and some methods of playing portamento. Commonly used glissando are divided into: upward glissando, downward glissando, double glissando, and decorative glissando.

Downward glide: While relaxing, extend the lower lip outward to increase the vibration area of the whistle. The general variation of glissando is in semitones and whole tones. The notation method of glissando is generally recorded in the middle of two notes, or before or after a note.

Upward glide: In contrast to up glide, the lower teeth drive the lower lip to contract inward, reducing the vibration area of the whistle. Usually, it slides from a position below the main note to the main note. There are also notes that slide upwards from the main note after the note, with no fixed note at the end.

Double glissando: It is a glissando method that combines two types of glissandos. It can slide from top to bottom or from bottom to top. This glissando technique is commonly used in bold jazz and rock music. In folk music, especially in ethnic regions such as Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, styles are common.

Decorative glissando: It can also refer to glissando. This glissando is the use of a whole or chromatic scale to quickly and evenly glide up or down. It is generally used between two notes with a relatively large span to increase the smoothness and coherence of music.