Which technique involves rapid and smooth sliding between different notes?

• A. Glissando
• B. Staccato
• C. Legato
• D. Tremolo

Answer: (A)

The thing being tested is how a musician moves smoothly from one pitch to another through a rapid glide. Glissando is the term for sliding quickly and smoothly between notes, producing a continuous pitch change. On a violin, you slide a finger along the string; on a keyboard, you can sweep across the keys to create a glide; even singers can slide between pitches in a single motion. Staccato focuses on short, detached notes, so it isn’t about sliding between pitches. Legato means the notes are connected, but it doesn’t require a pitch glide between them. Tremolo involves rapid repetition or alternation, not a smooth pitch-to-pitch slide. So the rapid, smooth sliding between different notes is a glissando.