What is portamento in music?
Q: What is portamento in music?
A: Portamento is a gradual slide from one note to another in music.
Q: How is portamento different from a glissando?
A: A glissando is deliberately written in the music by the composer and may be a long slide between two or three octaves or more, while a portamento is a much shorter slide, usually between two notes which are quite close.
Q: Who used to slide from one note of a tune to another?
A: Opera singers often used to slide from one note of a tune to another instead of singing each note separately and clearly.
Q: Why did the habit of putting in portamento between notes spread to other instruments as well?
A: The habit of putting in portamento between notes spread to other instruments as well because it was seen as an effective way of expressing emotions in music.
Q: Have instrumentalists and singers been taught to avoid the use of portamento?
A: Over the last half century, instrumentalists and singers have been taught not to slide from one note to another.
Q: Can portamento be effective in some places in opera?
A: Yes, portamento can be effective in some places in opera so long as it is not done all the time.
Q: Is the use of portamento a matter of taste?
A: Yes, the use of portamento is a matter of taste.
