Synthesizers can - either manually via a pitchwheel bend, or a true portamento, where one played note slides to the next played note over a period of time (sometimes with a selectable curve - linear, exponential, etc). Synths sometimes call this glissando, or glide.
Si
Figaro, a quick question if you would. Do you consider semitones “real” pitches? I’ve heard melisma used to refer to movements even of semitone intervals. In the production of Fiddler I mentioned earlier the musical director had us sing one of the closing songs, “Anatefka,” about a semitone below the actual note to help capture the “almost flat” sound he wanted to convey with the very sad mood of the piece.
Enjoy,
Steven
I’m not sure I’m tracking on your question very well. By “real” pitches in my previous post (in reference to melisma), I was referring to multiple melodic pitches sung on a single syllable of text – in contrast to extraneous pitch “adjustments” to a single sung note, like a scoop, a bend, or a blue note. In one case, the written-out version would contain several notes (melisma), and in the other it would contain just one.
It sounds like you’re talking about something entirely different – a deliberate out-of-tune quality invoked for an expressive reason. Unless the word “melisma” has meanings I’ve never encountered (which could be the case), I don’t think it applies in that case at all.
Did I understand that correctly?
A melodic thank-you to the posters. I learned three new words - melisma, portamento, and scooping ( I already knew glissando, and did not think it applied to vocals).
I don’t think the blue note concept applies to the country style I’m thinking of.
Now, next time that song comes up on my iPod, I’ll be thinking about you dopers.
Awhile back, Martina McBride and Pat Benatar did one of those CMT crossroads shows - the difference in their style was stark - Martina twanging like a steel guitar, while Pat hit the notes on the head.
Figaro, that’s pretty much what I was getting at. The definition of melisma I’ve heard would include the blue notes, swoops, and other movements of less than a half step. The note in the sheet music would remain the same because the movements are less than half steps. The way you are using it, which is probably more accurate than what I remember, would indicate movements of a half step or more. Thus the sheet music would have several notes, possibly slurred, on a single syllable.
Thanks,
Steven