glissando: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical
Quick answer
What does “glissando” mean?
A continuous slide from one pitch to another in music.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A continuous slide from one pitch to another in music.
A musical effect produced by sliding the finger across a series of keys (piano), strings (harp, guitar), or by sliding the trombone slide or voice between pitches without discrete steps. May be used figuratively to describe any smooth, sliding transition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. IPA transcription may vary slightly.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in general discourse, but standard in musical contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “glissando” in a Sentence
to play/perform a glissandoto glissando from [pitch] to [pitch]to end with a glissandoVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glissando” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The cellist was asked to glissando smoothly into the harmonic.
- Can you glissando down from that top C?
American English
- The trombonist glissandoed right into the final note.
- She glissandoed up the scale for dramatic effect.
adverb
British English
- The notes should be played glissando, not articulated.
- She sang the phrase almost glissando.
American English
- Play this section glissando, as indicated.
- The slide moves glissando between positions.
adjective
British English
- The piece has a lovely glissando passage for the harp.
- He wrote a glissando effect into the clarinet part.
American English
- The glissando line in the score is quite challenging.
- It's marked with a glissando arrow.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in musicology, performance studies, and related arts disciplines.
Everyday
Extremely rare, except among musicians or music enthusiasts.
Technical
Core term in music performance, composition, and theory. Used for specific notational instructions.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glissando”
- Mispronouncing as /ˈɡlɪsəndoʊ/ (stress on first syllable).
- Using it to mean any fast series of notes (rather than a continuous slide).
- Spelling: glisando, glissando.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is used across many genres including jazz, blues, film music, and even popular music (e.g., slide guitar).
They are often used interchangeably, but purists distinguish 'glissando' as sliding through discrete pitches (e.g., piano, harp) and 'portamento' as a continuous pitch sweep (e.g., voice, trombone, unfretted strings). In practice, 'glissando' is the more common umbrella term.
Yes, but it is more difficult and requires special fingering and embouchure control to slide between notes without discrete steps. It is a standard extended technique.
Typically with a straight or wavy line between the starting and ending notes, sometimes with the abbreviation 'gliss.' written above.
A continuous slide from one pitch to another in music.
Glissando is usually technical in register.
Glissando: in British English it is pronounced /ɡlɪˈsandəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡlɪˈsɑːndoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
GLISSando sounds like GLIDE and KISS, think of a kiss gliding smoothly across the piano keys.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOVEMENT IS SPATIAL TRAVERSAL (sliding from one point to another).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a glissando?