Octave glissando with one hand????? :o

[wilmerguido]

 is it actually possible... I can do glissandi in thirds with one hand, and fourths even.. but octaves?! There's a guy in the conservatory that can do it, but it was just rumors... wouldn't your pinkie break?

[perfect_pitch]

Technically Octave glissandons are usually done descending in the Right hand, and ascending in the Left due to the way you can curve your thumb to drag it.

I can do octave glissandos in both hands, but as I said - RH down, LH up.

[furtwaengler]

Technically Octave glissandons are usually done descending in the Right hand, and ascending in the Left due to the way you can curve your thumb to drag it.

I can do octave glissandos in both hands, but as I said - RH down, LH up.

And from the Brahms Paganini, you're well experienced. I guess your new program is a breath of fresh air after such detailed work on your last one!

[perfect_pitch]

I guess your new program is a breath of fresh air after such detailed work on your last one!

Damn bloody right... I've been dying to play the Liszt Totentanz since about 2 years ago, just after I started my Fellowship program.   

[retrouvailles]

There are pieces that call for independent octave glissandos in both hands, or even chord glissandos. An example of a piece that calls for the whole lot of them is Ginastera's Piano Sonata No. 3. The lesson to be learned here is that no matter how many simultaneous glissandos are asked of the performer, in the end it is all just a gesture. Don't fret over them or let them freak you out.

[wilmerguido]

Technically Octave glissandons are usually done descending in the Right hand, and ascending in the Left due to the way you can curve your thumb to drag it.

I can do octave glissandos in both hands, but as I said - RH down, LH up.

What about the pinkie... how do you drag it?

[perfect_pitch]

What about the pinkie... how do you drag it?

Technically... as you drag the right pinky finger down, it's not too hard. The thumb for me was the worst aspect of the octave glissando.

Try it yourself - With your right hand, play C and G with your thumb and pinky. Try and lightly drag your hand while trying to keep the shape.

Then try it with C and A, C and B, then try C and C'.

It's not so bad.

[wilmerguido]

Hmm... It's worth a try! thanks for the advice   

[richard black]

You need a big hand. I've got an average male hand - 10th if I reach for it - and I can't do an octave gliss. I can do a 7th gliss, and if you hit a single octave at the top and then come down fast enough, it'll pass. Never needed to play one in public, mind.

[perfect_pitch]

I can do a 7th gliss, and if you hit a single octave at the top and then come down fast enough, it'll pass. Never needed to play one in public, mind.

I'm the same... doesn't help when you have small hands does it?

[lostinidlewonder]

There is a certain type of momentum that you need as well relating to the angle at which your thumb contacts the keys. The slower you go the more difficult it becomes and the more right angled your thumb must play, the faster the flatter you go. It also horribly depends on the instrument you play, I have played glissando on pianos with heavy action and sharp key edges and cut my finger open bleeding everywhere. Then you try it on a weightless electric keyboard and laugh at how easy it is. So the technique required to produce it depends on the piano, some pianos it will be incredibly difficult if not impossible others it is easily done. I also find this problem exists for other issues for instance playing fast repeated single notes, some pianos actions are unable to deal with it no matter what technique you use.

Always start learning these octave gliss with the thumb first, that needs to be cracked before you add the other finger, I like perfect_pitch's gradual approach to the octave. Thank god that not many pieces require this action and when they do it is not for long!

[emilye]

Octave glissando... we can find this in for example 3 mvt in Waldstein sonate (Beethoven). I do not have a big hands (I catch none) and I can do it. If you try and do it very often you will play octave glissando. Is not really difficult. You can start play (sbd wrote) c - g, the next c - a , c -h and c -c.
Good luck.
Emily

[kelly_kelly]

I have a friend with similar reach to mine - can only reach an octave solidly, can grab certain ninths under the right circumstances (i.e. between keys of the same color, slow, only certain notes can be in the middle...). She's working on the third movement of the Waldstein, which gives me hope that it must be possible... 

(Not that I'm ever going to get the 120937912 other technical and interpretative challenges sorted out... )