slide guitar?

[computer_steve]

i was wondering about slide guitar. i've tinkered with this ever now and then but i just can't really get ahold of anything with it. are they any tricks or tunings that could help jump start me?

[skyneverclaimed]

I dunno about tunings or anything.. but those things sure are fun to play with :) You can get some really crazy sounds

[Clayton38]

Dude, open tunings do wonders for slide guitar. I try to play slide as much as I can, I figure NOBODY I know can play slide, so I might as well learn. A slide is a good thing to have around, and coupled with a delay and my Line 6 Filter Modeler I can make some awesome sounds. My favorite is that before on my my old band's songs, I used to make the sound of the planet dying in Final Fantasy VII. I don't know if youv'e ever heard of Final Fantasy VII, but it really is like adding another effect to your board... and for five bucks you can't beat it.

[The User]

Try tuning to open G

[teleman]

A great tuning for slide is open d5th (i think) basically it's just a big d power chord tuned from low to high DADADd. Also, remember that in standard tuning, the DGB strings are a simple g chord.

[teleman]

try out a couple different kinds of slides, I have both a steel and a glass one. steel is brighter, glass is warmer. there are other ones, like porcelain and different kinds of glass. most of all, have fun!

[Crash]

Yeah it's all about the open tuning when you play slide guitar. I'm a fan of CGCGGE which is a very non-standard open c tuning, it's the what soundgarden used for Pretty Noose.

[Malcolm203]

Open G is a pretty standard, easy open tuning to work with...good for tinkering around w/ for slide. (Check out anything by the Black Crowes and alot by the Stones).

Also, some people put their slide on their pinky, I tend to put it on my ring finger...i find that I get more control that way. Don't forget to put the rest of your fingers behind the slide (on the side of the nut), on the strings, to mute any excess noise. Good for single notes and stuff.

[Satch_21]

Two words "open D"

[Dusty]

If you're trying to play blues you should really try Open E. Its what Duane Allman usually used (one of the best slide players ever) and it doesn't take that much getting used to.