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Easing
Into Extended Technique:
Volumes.4 Pitch Bends and Finger Slides
by composer/flutist Linda L. Holland
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Seamless, uninterrupted
movement between two pitches, a musical effect referred to as glissando
or portamento, is a common technique in the playing of many familiar
instruments. You have probably heard this technique played by slide
trombone in Dixieland jazz, fretless string instruments such as the
violin and cello, and the steel guitar in Hawaiian and country-western
music.
This effect can be played on the flute as well, and it is generally
produced in one of two distinct ways: 1) by altering the angle of
the air stream against the edge of the embouchure hole by rolling
the flute in or out while blowing, or 2) by sliding a finger on or
off the open hole of one or more keys while blowing, creating a glide
between two pitches.
For the purposes of clarity, in this volume changing the pitch by
rolling the flute in or out will be referred to as a pitch bend, and
changing it with a slide of fingers on or off a key hole will be referred
to as a finger slide. Successful execution of these techniques requires
accurate control of the player’s air speed and embouchure position,
and practice of them can be a good way to increase one’s mastery
over these aspects of flute playing, as well develop greater sensitivity
to pitch perception.
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1) A discussion of
pitch bending.
2) A discussion of finger slides, with a chart of slide fingerings.
3) Suggestions for learning the pieces in this volume.
4) The Habanera Theme from Bizet’s opera Carmen, a well-known
melody arranged to incorporate finger slides.
5) Mendelssohn’s Spring Song, incorporating finger slides.
6) Waltz, an original composition for solo flute that explores both
finger slides and pitch bending. |
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