Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: The Mellotron Group

previous by date index next by date
previous in topic topic list next in topic

Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Ode to Billy Joe

From: Rick Blechta <rick@rickblechta.com>
Date: 2007-11-20


On Nov 20, 2007, at 1:30 AM, Mark Pring wrote:

PS is the correct term for slides on a tron pitch dives?

Mark, sliding between two notes (or more) is correctly called portamento. Only singers and string instruments (especially the bowed ones) can really do this. Winds just have to move between notes very quickly to give the same sort of effect, and that's usually called glissando. Piano is of course a percussion instrument when you get down to basics, so it's in the latter camp. I guess that would put all of the keyboards in the "non true portamento" section. A mellotron, having a pitch control can (and should!) be played portamento -- as often as possible, especially if it annoys people.

Rick