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            Since June 25th 2009

The Finger
Which finger should I use for slide playing? You have the choice between middle finger, ring finger and the pinky. The index finger does not work, because you need a least one finger to mute the other side of the strings. All fingers have advantages and disadvantages.

• The middle finger. The biggest finger (I said finger!) can hold a big slide and so give a fat sound for "power slide". However, you have to lift up the ring and little finger and you can't play the normal way.
• The ring finger. Duane played this way, Derek Trucks still does. The slide is big enough to get a good sound and you have two fingers left for muting the strings. But playing the normal way is hard.
• The pinky. The method of choice if you want to combine both slide and normal playing. You have three fingers for muting or playing without slide. The slides are smaller and maybe they don't cover all strings. Johnny Winter and EC play this way, Muddy Waters used it too.

The Tuning
As mentioned above most slide players use open tunings. That means all strings are tuned in a way that the open string notes belong two a major (or sometimes a minor) chord. That does not necessarily mean that they are tuned note for note using a chord! Some notes can be left out.For the sake of completeness some common slide (open) tunings:

• Note that for example Ab is G#...
• There are always more than one open tunings for a key!
• Never tune a string above standard tuning, at least with an acoustic guitar and heavy strings. It can break the neck. Tune down if possible.
• Reference: Standard tuning E-A-D-G-B-E (Eric And Duane's Guitar Beats Everything)
• Open G: D-G-D-G-B-D (the most common slide tuning, EC's favourite Dobro tuning).
• Open E: E-B-E-G#-B-E (Duane's favorite tuning, Delta Blues, stress for the neck) or open D with capo at 2nd fret.
• Open D: D-A-D-F#-A-D (also with capo for open E)

Scales and chords for most open tunings can be found right here at the scales generator. If you miss a tuning, drop me a note.I'll first focus on standard tuning. To play a chord we need at least 3 strings for a good sound.Which major chord has three open strings?
The G major chord uses the open D, G, B strings.
That means, for any major chord in standard tuning we can use these strings. For example to play the A major chords simply put the slide above the second fret and pick these strings.
Often used major chords with these strings are:
G: open strings
A: 2nd fret
C: 5th fret
D: 7th fret
E: 9th fret
F: 10th fret

Now we can do the same for the minor chords. E minor uses the open strings G-B-E, so we get the other chords in a similar way:
Em: open strings
Fm: 1st fret
Gm: 3rd fret
Am: 5th fret
Cm: 8th fret
Dm: 10th fret
We all like graphics, so I here it is:


















That's our starter kit - all major and minor chords with standard tuning. If we start with solo guitar, we can still use what we've learned about scales in standard tuning. The scales are the same, but keep in mind that you have to position the slide right above the fret, not between.

The technique
At first you have to put the slide on your finger. Try different sizes and fingers and play a simple note or chord. You have to figure out what's best for you - no one else can. Usually the slide should reach from the middle finger nuckle to the end of the fingertip. No need for extra long slides, you should only cover the strings played.Secondly, you must mute the not picked side of the string. If not, it will vibrate also and produce unwanted sound. Depending on the slide finger, use the remaining fingers aside and press them gently upon the string. You need some time to adjust the pressure.Now we come to the slide itself. Press it directly above a fret on a string, but don't press the string on the fretboard. Now pick the string and move the slide slowly up and down. Play around with this to get a feeling for it. Try to play slow licks you know already. It's no problem to play several notes on one string, in opposite to usual, box-based playing. Don't forget to mute the other side of the string.Some tips in general:

• start playing the Blues in G and use the D and G string. Open string is G(I), 5th fret is C(IV) and 7th fret is D(V). Playing both strings together and sliding into the IV and V sounds really cool (power chords!), but can get boring if overdone.
  Sound example: first slide
• Play fingerstyle or use fingerpicks / a thumb pick. Most slide players do that. You get a better control, speed is not necessary - the slide is limiting you.
• Slide into the notes. Start with the slide a little bit under the fret and than reach the note above the fret. This is a bit new at first, because usually the finger is pressed between the frets.
• Don't forget the vibrato. Compared to a finger vibrato it's easy to play, just move the slide a little up and down.

Now we come to our first slide guitar lick in E. Noted in tab it looks like (standard tuning!):
EI------12------------I

I--/12---------------I

I---------/12--9~~~~-I

I--------------------I

I--------------root--I

I--------------note--I

Sound example: slide lick 1 We start with a slide into the B note, 12th fret and let it ring while picking the E note. We close the lick with the root note after a slide into the G note.Variation (I'll add sound examples later) in the style of Robert Johnson's "I belive I'll dust my broom", played like Elmore James:
EI------12--12-----12-12-----12-12-----12-12-------------I

I--/12-12--12-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-------------I

I--------------------------------------------/12--9~~~~-I

I-------------------------------------------------------I

I-------------------------------------------------root--I

I-------------------------------------------------note--I

Sound example: slide lick 1 Simple chords in the "Little Red Rooster"-style
EI-----------------------------------------I

I-/3--0---/12~~----/3--0---/12~--(etc)----I

I-/3--0---/12~~----/3--0---/12~-----------I

I-/3--0---/12~~----/3--0---/12~-----------I

I-----------------------------------------I

I-----------------------------------------I

Sound example: slide lick 1 Now you're ready to play Muddy Water's Rollin' and Tumblin' (for example from EC's unplugged / Cream live or from Muddy himself):
GI----------------------------------------------------------------------I

I----------------------------------------------------------------------I

I--------/12-12-12-12~~-/12-1210----/10-------0-/3-0----0-/3-0--etc.--I

I-12-12---------------------------12-----12~~---------/3---------------I

I----------------------------------------------------------------------I

I----------------------------------------------------------------------I

Let's close with EC's acoustic intro of "Ramblin on my mind". This song is available on various boots from his 1999 tour and on the "Sessions for Robert J." - DVD. It's is one of his best "Robert Johnson style" slide performances ever:
I------12~~---------------12-------12~~~-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-1210------12-I

I--/12-----------------------------------/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-12-12---------------I

I----------------------------12/13------------------------------------------12/13----I

I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I

I-------(4-4-2-2-4-4)----------------------------------------------------------------I

I--------0-0-0-0-0-0)----------------------------------------------------------------I

I---0-0-0-0-0-0--------------I

I---------------0-----0------I

I-----------------------/4---I

I------------------/4---/4---I

I---5-5-4-4-3-3-2------------I

I----------------------------I
Sound example: EC playing the intro of "Ramblin'"

Special Thanks to 12Bar.de for the Free Guitar Tutorial.