How to Use a Guitar Slide
Pick your slide., Choose which finger to put the slide on., Use the right guitar., Tune your guitar for sliding.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick your slide.
There are many different slides you can choose from.
Many musicians make slides out of common every day objects, such as glass bottle tops, metal piping, or glass medicine bottles.The easier option for those just starting to use a guitar slide is to buy a new one from a music store.
The two most common types are glass and metal slides.
Glass slides are typically lighter and create a airy, sharp sound.
Metal slides produce a deeper, warmer, and louder tone but are heavier on your finger.
Different slides will sounds different on specific guitars, Before you commit to a slide, test it on your guitar to make sure it creates the sound you want. -
Step 2: Choose which finger to put the slide on.
There are three fingers you can wear your slide on, your middle, ring, or pinky finger.
The finger you choose will vary the sound you get from the slide as well as the mobility of your remaining fingers.
Your middle finger will need a larger slide since your middle finger is bigger than your others.
Using this finger will produce a hearty tone, but you will not be able to use your other fingers to play notes or mute the strings.
This means that you will only be able to produce the slide sound.
Your ring (or fourth) finger will need a smaller slide than the one for your middle finger.
This slide covers the whole fretboard and helps produce a full sound.
You can mute the other keys with your index and middle fingers, which allows you to play normal notes as well.
Your pinky finger will need a much smaller slide than your other fingers.
Your finger will not cover the whole fretboard, but your can use your other three fingers to play normal notes and mute the strings while you play., The best guitar to use for sliding is one with higher action.
This means you need to find a guitar that has more room between the fretboard and the strings.
If you converting one of your guitars to use for sliding, you can leave your guitar's action high.
If you are switching back and forth between sliding and normal playing, you should adjust your action to a higher setting before you try to slide.
This prevents extra noise reverberation between the strings and the fretboard as you slide.
If you are using an electric guitar (which typically has low action), you will have better luck with a glass slide., For sliding, you should have open tuning on your guitar.
This means that the open string notes should belong to major chords.
This kind of tuning makes it great for accompanying other instruments.
Some common open tunings are D-G-D-G-B-D, E-B-E-G#-B-E, and D-A-D-F#-A-D.If open tuning is unfamiliar to you, you can use a regular tuned guitar.
You just may not be able to get the same kind of sound out of your guitar from sliding.
You can use online resources to help you open tune your guitar.
You can also ask someone else to help you get it tuned correctly. -
Step 3: Use the right guitar.
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Step 4: Tune your guitar for sliding.
Detailed Guide
There are many different slides you can choose from.
Many musicians make slides out of common every day objects, such as glass bottle tops, metal piping, or glass medicine bottles.The easier option for those just starting to use a guitar slide is to buy a new one from a music store.
The two most common types are glass and metal slides.
Glass slides are typically lighter and create a airy, sharp sound.
Metal slides produce a deeper, warmer, and louder tone but are heavier on your finger.
Different slides will sounds different on specific guitars, Before you commit to a slide, test it on your guitar to make sure it creates the sound you want.
There are three fingers you can wear your slide on, your middle, ring, or pinky finger.
The finger you choose will vary the sound you get from the slide as well as the mobility of your remaining fingers.
Your middle finger will need a larger slide since your middle finger is bigger than your others.
Using this finger will produce a hearty tone, but you will not be able to use your other fingers to play notes or mute the strings.
This means that you will only be able to produce the slide sound.
Your ring (or fourth) finger will need a smaller slide than the one for your middle finger.
This slide covers the whole fretboard and helps produce a full sound.
You can mute the other keys with your index and middle fingers, which allows you to play normal notes as well.
Your pinky finger will need a much smaller slide than your other fingers.
Your finger will not cover the whole fretboard, but your can use your other three fingers to play normal notes and mute the strings while you play., The best guitar to use for sliding is one with higher action.
This means you need to find a guitar that has more room between the fretboard and the strings.
If you converting one of your guitars to use for sliding, you can leave your guitar's action high.
If you are switching back and forth between sliding and normal playing, you should adjust your action to a higher setting before you try to slide.
This prevents extra noise reverberation between the strings and the fretboard as you slide.
If you are using an electric guitar (which typically has low action), you will have better luck with a glass slide., For sliding, you should have open tuning on your guitar.
This means that the open string notes should belong to major chords.
This kind of tuning makes it great for accompanying other instruments.
Some common open tunings are D-G-D-G-B-D, E-B-E-G#-B-E, and D-A-D-F#-A-D.If open tuning is unfamiliar to you, you can use a regular tuned guitar.
You just may not be able to get the same kind of sound out of your guitar from sliding.
You can use online resources to help you open tune your guitar.
You can also ask someone else to help you get it tuned correctly.
About the Author
Janet Rivera
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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