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Glissando (Key Pitch Retain & Key Pitch Follow)
Glissando is similar to the Portamento effects you just
explored, with this exception; the pitch glide in Porta-
mento is continuous, whereas in Glissando it moves up
or down in 1/2 step increments. Glissando works with
cither the "Follow" or "Retain" functions.
1. Press [PORTAMENTO/GLISSANDO], and then
press the DATA ENTRY [ON] button to place the
instrument in glissando mode.
Then move the slider up or
press this button so the display
indicates "GLISSANDO =ON"
2. Again play several widely spaced notes or chords
while stepping on the SUSTAIN pedal. Observe how
the pitch moves to the most recent note(s) in 1/2 step
increments. The speed can be changed by pressing
[PORTAMENTO-TIME] and adjusting [DATA
ENTRY].
3. The instrument is still in "FOLLOW" mode, so the
glissando effect cancels the sustain of previous notes.
Now try the effect in "RETAIN" mode by pressing
[PORTAMENTO-MODE] and the DATA ENTRY [<]
button.
PORTAMENTO & GLISSANDO IN MONO MODE
When the DX7 is placed in MONO mode rather than
POLY mode, the available portamento/glissando effects
change somewhat. When you press [PORTAMENTO
MODE], you no longer have a choice of "RETAIN" or
"FOLLOW" functions; instead, you can choose between
"FINGERED PORTA" and "FULL TIME PORTA" (where
"PORTA" refers to portamento or glissando); These differ-
ences are explained below.
Fingered Portamento (and Glissando)
1. It is OK to leave the Portamento Time at 80, but for
now, let's turn off glissando by pressing [GLIS-
SANDO] and then the DATA ENTRY [OFF] button.
2. Set the DX7 to MONO mode by pressing [POLY/
MONO] and then the DATA ENTRY [>] button.
3. Select the Fingered Portamento mode by pressing
[PORTAMENTO-MODE] and then the DATA ENTRY
[<] button.
4. Observe that if you hold down one key, then press a
second key that is a higher or lower note, you will
hear the pitch from the original note move to the new
pitch. If you then release the first key the pitch stays
at the new one, whereas if you continue holding the
first key and release the second key, the pitch glides
back to the original.
5. Now play several notes in succession, releasing one
before playing the nest. Notice that there is no porta-
mento. THIS EXPLAINS "FINGERED PORTA" MODE:
you only get portamento when one key is pressed
while another is still being held down.
6. You can obtain a "Fingered Glissando" effect in much
the same way (with stepped pitch shift instead of a
continuous glide); just press (GLISSANDO) and then
the DATA ENTRY [ON] button.
Full Time Portamento (and Glissando)
1. It is OK to leave the [PORTAMENTO TIME] at 80,
although interesting effects can be obtained at lower
values, too. Leave the keyboard in MONO mode, with
glissando turned off.
2. Select the full time portamento mode by pressing
[PORTAMENTO-MODE] and then the DATA ENTRY
[>]
button.
3. The portamento will work the same as in FINGERED
PORTA mode if you hold a key and then press a
second key However, if you now play several notes in
succession, releasing one before playing the next,
you'll find the portamento remains active. THIS
EXPLAINS "FULL TIME PORTA" MODE; you always
get portamento. even if one key is released before the
next one is pressed down.
NOTE If a foot switch is plugged into the Portmento
jack, it will have no effect in the FINGERED PORTA
mode. In FULL TIME PORTA mode, the foot switch
can be used to turn the effect on and off.
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