The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Posts 1 to 25 of 30
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Bought a Glass slide...

    I wanna practice my Duanisms and what not, but my technique is all wonky.

    Any suggestions? Hand position, dampening techniques, optimal guitar setup, string type?

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Irez87
    Bought a Glass slide...

    I wanna practice my Duanisms and what not, but my technique is all wonky.

    Any suggestions? Hand position, dampening techniques, optimal guitar setup, string type?

    first off..did right with glass slide..they cool, but delicate....duane A used coricidon bottle..light even pressure across horizontal fret

    what helps- higher than regular action. heavier strings..(flatwounds) maybe ala ry cooder...and a tuning you like..also a compressor pedal is invaluable


    modernwise- duane used open e..ry cooder and many after ie keith used g.. beatle hari used standard

    best duane disciple (plus) derek trucks..he's insane good..incorporates indian raga into blues..very informed

    sonny landreth another modern master

    tho this bit by austin texas' lance keltner is about as good as it gets-



    cheers
    Last edited by neatomic; 01-02-2016 at 01:14 AM.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by neatomic
    first off..did right with glass slide..they cool, but delicate....duane e used coricidon bottle..light even pressure across horizontal fret

    what helps- higher than regular action. heavier strings..(flatwounds) maybe ala ry cooder...and a tuning you like..also a compressor pedal is invaluable


    modernwise- duane used open e..ry cooder and many after ie keith used g.. beatle hari used standard

    best duane disciple (plus) derek trucks..he's insane good..incorporates indian raga into blues..very informed

    sonny landreth another modern master

    tho this bit by austin texas' lance keltner is about as good as it gets-



    cheers
    That's pretty much nails it. High action and open tuning of your choice helps it.

    It's easy and fun in open tuning, but not easy at all in standard.

    George Harrison had really distinctive sound, very nice, in standard tuning. Check his Cloud Nine album, great playing and songs!

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Dare I put this here? I'm playing an Epiphone Gold Top '56 Les Paul Pro with a big fat neck, with high action, but in standard tuning and in a variety of keys. I was trying to show one of my students that playing in Bbm is no more difficult than E. You need to use a lot of control in the right hand to only sound the string(s) you want, so there is a lot of dampening involved. The strings are 11s. I'm a big Duane fan, but find that if I use open tunings I end up doing too many cliches. Standard tuning gets more interesting lines out of me. YMMV.

    Last edited by Rob MacKillop; 01-02-2016 at 05:32 AM.

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    I have a Warren Haynes DVD on this topic and he mainly uses standard tuning. He picks the note with his RH index finger, this allows him to damp the strings either side of the string being plucked, using his thumb and the other fingers.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    Yeah, Warren was a student of mine. Lol.

    For precise playing in standard or open tuning, the right hand requires a lot of attention. If you are sounding a note, say, on the second string with the RH index finger, the middle finger rests on the first string to stop it sounding, and the thumb lies flat over strings three to six, or at least three and four. Remember, the slide does not always have to cover all six strings. Most of my work is done with index and thumb. I can do the same with a plectrum/pick, in which case the ring finger and sometimes the pinkie get involved in damping.

    But there is a somewhat rougher style, which I also love, of just letting it all hang out which will get you a more Elmore James sound. It's all good.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Neatomic mentioned Sonny Landreth. He's done a lot of good stuff over the years but I think this was the first performance that caught my ear, with John Hiatt on a fun song about stealing a car from Elvis's garage called "Tennessee Plates."


  9. #8
    For the action, do you ride it super high so that you can't really play single notes. I actually ride the action on my jazz box a little high because I get more room for tone and volume control. How high should I go for electric slide on my Epi Les Paul?

  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    That depends on whether you plan to use it just purely for slide or both slide and normal. Most people just set the action at a medium height.

  11. #10
    Here is what I got so far... kinda figuring it out as I go:


  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    But there is a somewhat rougher style, which I also love, of just letting it all hang out which will get you a more Elmore James sound. It's all good.
    I love Elmore James, especially that one that starts, "I just talked to my baby / On the telephone / She said 'Stop what you're doin' / And come on home' / I can't hold out!

    Also love Hound Dog Taylor. He lets it all hang out here. "I'm wit chu, baby!"


  13. #12

    User Info Menu

    Yeah, I love all that stuff, but when it comes to my own playing, I have other influences. Like Lowell George, for instance. Mick Taylor...

  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    I used to play a fair bit of slide on a Heritage Les Paul. I used 11's or 12, roundwounds. If you want to learn slide, just go straight to Duane's recordings - in particular his work on "Live at Fillmore East" and also some of the tunes on "Derek and The Dominoes". An easy solo to learn is on the tune Have You Ever Loved a Woman - a slow blues in C. Duane played in open E or standard tuning. I mostly played in standard tuning and with the slide on my ring finger.

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    Yeah, I love all that stuff, but when it comes to my own playing, I have other influences. Like Lowell George, for instance. Mick Taylor...
    Oh yeah, Lowell George, Lafayette Railroad, sublime slide!


  16. #15

    User Info Menu

    Beautiful slide playing!

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    I absolutely love slide and Duane and Derek Trucks being particular favourites -

    Trucks doing Sahib Teri Bandi -


  18. #17

    User Info Menu

    A lot of the clarity and note articulation is generated through right hand technique muting strings not being played. Sonny Landreth adds a great twist playing notes with the slide and additional notes fingered behind the slide at the same time.

  19. #18

    User Info Menu

    I liked Rick Derringer's slide work on Steely Dan's "Show Biz Kids."


  20. #19

    User Info Menu

    I've played acoustic and electric slide since I first picked up a guitar. I've owned and played dobros and non-pedal steel guitars also. It's a great tradition with a loooong history.

    I mostly have settled on standard tuning for electric slide. My last slide gig was back in November. Did a cover of this tune...


  21. #20

    User Info Menu

    Slide guitar??? I dreamed that in a different life, I was Zoot Horn Rollo.

  22. #21

    User Info Menu

    I ahve been playing slide - both electric and acoustic for more than 40 years now.

    I posted a little workshop thing in another forum and I hope it's not against the rules here to post a link to it.

    Hopefully it is of help to you.


    UKLPF ? Login

  23. #22

    User Info Menu

    Tommo, it asks us to log in...

  24. #23

    User Info Menu

    Oh - I see...

    Well - you could register as a member - it's free and no problem

  25. #24

    User Info Menu

    Here's a little primer I wrote up for starters:


    action:
    definitely use a higher action, one that allows you to slide cleanly without rattling on the frets and that's still low enough so you can fret the occasional note - especially on the bass strings, where you'll play rhythm. Would be good if you have one guitar that's devoted to slide.
    string gauge: you'll want a bigger string for tonal reasons and to get more resistance against the slide. At least a set of .011-.049 for standard and higher tunings (open E and open A), .012 - .050 or .052 would even be better. For lower tunings (open D and open G) at least a .012 or .013 set and maybe you'll want to swap the first two strings for heavier gauges. I am using a custom slide set of .0145 - .052 with a medium high action in open D and G tuning.
    string type: whatever sounds good to you - steel or pure nickel and if you don't like the noise that a slide can make on the strings you might consider a flatwound or half round wound.
    radius: some say they prefer a totally flat radius so they can play all six strings at the same time, but I prefer a slightly radiused setup, because I rarely play all of the strings at the same time and you'll apply a little pressure anyway so the slide can touch all the strings even when radiused.
    slides: get a few of different materials to see what you like best in tone and feel. Some guitars seem to prefer a certain material. As for length, it shouldn't be longer than the finger you put it on. I get the most control when the slide's top is just where the top of my sliding finger is. My current favourite is "The Rockslide".
    finger: I would advocate to use the pinky because you'll have three adjacent fingers left for fretting, then. Ring finger gives you a little more control over vibrato but can be a little arkward.
    The most important thing is damping: behind the slide (towards the nut) where you should barely touch the strings with your index and on the picking side to get rid of unwanted noise and strings not being played. But: you can use this noise or the “ghost” notes between the slide and nut for good effect, too, especially at the 5th, 7th and 12th fets.
    You can use a flatpick, thumb- and fingerpicks or just your natural fingertips, whatever comes natural and sounds / feels best to you.
    Starting out it's not the worst idea to start in standard tuning because you already know where your notes are and with standard tuning you'll be forced to practice your damping technique.
    If you care for video lessons, here's two that are good for starters but also useful for advanced players alike:
    Rick Vito - Complete Slide Guitar
    Roy Rogers - Slide Guitar For Rock And Blues.

  26. #25

    User Info Menu

    Check out David Tronzo: