# Pitch Bend Notation



## Pianoforte

I'm refering to the change in tone when you bend a note up or down to the next note. Is this 'gap' measured in any way?


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## The Student

Modulation is the term for changing from one key to another... is that what you are asking?


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## Pianoforte

Yes but as it bends are there specific musical terms? Like a centremetre contains 10 millimetres. Is it measured in this way?


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## The Student

Sorry, boss... you will need one of these experts for that one! I am sorry I could not help. Let me know if you find out what it is!


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## Kopachris

Pitch-bend is notated as a portamento, which can look like a simple slur on the same syllable, or can look like a glissando to a grace note.

Source: Wikipedia
More information on measurement: Microtonal music


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## altiste

Personally when notating portamento I always like to be precise about where the pitch shift starts ie. if there's a long note the shift may not necessarily start right at the beginning so in this case it's better to have two notes tied to each other and the shift starts on the second, if you see what I mean... Also the degree of shift may not be constant in time, but in my case I'd leave it to the judgement of the performer.


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## GustavMahler

Pianoforte said:


> I'm refering to the change in tone when you bend a note up or down to the next note. Is this 'gap' measured in any way?


Did you find an answer? There are a few, I know that Ives wrote in quarter tones which would be like a note in between a half step on piano. Ives used an arrow up or down, others have used quarter tones and might have different notation. I have played some orchestra pieces with this but dont remember, I think one was + or -. Now there are people that used 8th tones or 5th tones which have to use computers because you are getting to the point of where one cannot hear. Listen to the last movt of Ives 4th and you will hear the strings doing quarter tones, there is also a piano tuned a quarter tone low in the midst of the huge orchestra.


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