Hi All - Is there a way to do this without ripping the skin just below my fingernails off? This happens going up (middle finger), and down (thumb).

What's the trick?

Thanks!

That Nord Electro piano patch don't sound too bad anymore, now does it?
Seriousry, on a full-weighted keyboard, I avoid glissandoes as much as possible.

Unfortunately I'm a Jerry Lee Lewis wannabee. I've got a Yamaha Motif, which has as much give to it as stainless steel, at least that's what it feels like during the glissandos.

So, since I'm going to do them anyway, does anyone know the right way to do them (which part of which finger, going up and going down)?

OT kind of, but I got loaded with the killer one night backstage. I'll never forget it. Just had to say it.

Use 3 fingers - spread out the surface area and the pain.

Some people learn to gliss with the palm side of their fingers, but that always feel unnatural to me.

I read somewhere that JLL had guitar picks on the piano on each side of the keybed and grabbed one for glissandos... just don't drop them between the keys!

matter of practice, I use dump going down and small finger going up with no problems, but you have to use your nails.

check this out: Jerry Lee riffs tutor

I have a nice wart grown up to my forefinger. Doesn't hurt any more...

If you grow out the nails you're using it won't tear up your cuticles.

I've developed that technique for rock, but it's sloppier than the proper fingernail approach.

After your present wounds heal, do another 100 glissandos until the skin rips open again. Let it heal, then repeat this process numerous times. Your body's adaptive response will be to develop a callus. Once this occurs, the glissandos won't hurt anymore.

Sincerely,

Moonglow


P.S. You can also let this process naturally develop over several months/years.

I use the palm side of my fingers. Index and middle finger together going down, thumb going up.

I definitely have to be careful not to get too carried away, though. I've ended up with blood on the keys before too.

--Dave

using palms side you got too much friction and very little precision.

Just don't get those fingernails caught between the keys. That is a bloody nightmare.

Now here's an unpopular answer: With long nails you might be able to play glisses, but the rest of your playing will suffer.

JLL even used his shoe/foot sometimes to do it. (May be better to program a gliss and hit a button, instead of hurting your hands or the keyboard. No gliss is worth damaging either.)

Otherwise, the rare times I've done it I used my thumbnail, so I didn't hurt the rest of my hand.

I was always very careful with glissando's in the beginning... until one day I forgot that I had been careful about it! It was one of those things where you think ALOT and then suddenly, auto kicks in at some juncture! Then you don't consider hurt quite as much...odd thing actually that type of stuff! I like it!

that's the way it was from my vector, but mine can be sloppy. like on a Jerry Lee bootleg. they get better after a few years if you play alot.

just think American!

I believe it was Jerry Lee Lewis I saw on NPR a few years ago in a retrospective concert. When they came downstage afterwards to acknowledge the crowd you could see his hand was bleeding.

"Honestly officer, I was actually doing glisses on a real piano. I've been framed!" (Lady Macbeth, after being caught in flagrante)

I always put on heavy-duty gloves before playing rock'n'roll piano.

WD-40...

spray a little onto a paper towel and gently apply to your keyboard...I did this with my RD600 and it helped. Maybe once a month or so.

If you are playing jerry lee style you are doing the glisses correctly.

synthetic piano oil even better...

stop this now! stop the madness!

first 15 seconds should suffice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0f2aFhZ3Uk

Get him!

actually a good idea, use preprogrammed ribbon controller.

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.

Doctor: Don't do that.

Doctor, but It hurts when I'm breathing...

There's some truth to it. But the way I see it is: if the pain worries you when you're playing a gliss - you shouldn't be playing it. If it doesn't worry you, that's when you should play it.

Oh, were we talking about a matter of life and death ... did I miss something?