Posted by Practice! on November 21, 2000 at 14:03:44:
In Reply to: need glissade tip posted by charlie j on November 21, 2000 at 13:36:08:
At the risk of coming off Clintonesque, it depends on what your definition of "really smooth gliss" is.
There is no way to pull it off as cleanly as a stringed instrument or trombone. For a bumpy gliss with no change in tone color, you can rip through the partials with all of the valves down. For a smoother ride, but with a marked change in tone color, half-valving is the answer. I have had the best luck with valves 2 and three depressed half way, ymmv.
The practicing part: start out with a very clear picture of what the initial and final pitches sound like, get a good clean, never-fail slur between them, mouthpiece work, whatever your teacher recommends, etc. Then it becomes an issue of timing with the valves -- half valve at the beginning of the gliss, the proper fingering at the end, and it's a little harder than it sounds. Then keep in mind that you need to have a good sound throughout the gliss. Blow through the gliss! It's easy to want to back off the air stream in the middle -- don't do it.
Have fun.