A question for guitar players who play slide...

Is it just me, or do you find it easy to play slide...especially in open tuning?
Some seem to do it with ease, I find it easy and natural (I say so humbly) but I've met a few players who just can't do it.

it's not that easy to me.
did you try to play the Ronnie's slide on Happy L.A july 11 1975 ?
is it an open G tuning or another one ?

I found I could get a decent sound out when I got a ceramic slide. With my guitars I have to crank up some overdrive to get that slide musical.
So yes, it's hard for me. I guess in time I will get better, but for now I have to play very little and/or slowly.
As in any style, technique isn't all, one also needs the right instrument, string gauge, etc. to get it. Open-G is ideal for slide, or at least tune down the high e-string to d.
You need to do that to play the signature slide riff for Happy fluently.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-11 08:57 by Child Of Clay.

I have a boot of that '75 show on vinyl but don't have a turntable to play it on. Was it great?

By the way, the slide stuff that really blows me away and which I can never play is the Muddy Waters stuff from his later live record. To borrow a line I once heard, the solo on Streamline Woman will rip one's face clean off!

yes in my opinion Ron is really good on slide in that version...it's my favourite one...

I play slide. I usually played in Open G but now I went over to Open E because it has that nice ring to it, and it just sounds better.

Ronnie is a pretty good slide player. I think he uses Open D.

Just can't get the hang of it myself.

I play all our songs in open G on my Telecaster, except some acoustic songs which are in standard, open E or open G depending on the song.

I play slide on the Rooster in open g and find it easy enough to play. On the other hand I tend not to play much lead stuff, more the rythmn side of slide.

I use a metal slide and, although I have tried a bottleneck type slide, it doesn't suit me.

The trick with slide I reckon is to put just the right amount of pressure on the strings - generally less is best.

If anyone wants to hear Stikkyfingers version of Little Red Rooster wth me playing slide, then email me at stikky_finger@hotmail.com and I'll send you it!

Regards,

Ian.

Rolling Stones Tribute

Play Rolling Stones

I also play all our songs in open G on my Telecaster - cheers Ian, that was easy copy&paste.
I find it quite easy & natural to slide but my other Guitarist Kai, he plays very versatile, fast and is really good on standard tuning - well he tried some sliding, and after a while I said forget it, cause it was horrible. sry to say Kai.
You can download and listen to our stuff here:
[www.timebandits-berlin.de]
Its not stones tho.

Stikkyfinger can you mail me your version of Little Red Rooster. You have my mail adress. I loved your other songs.
Thanx in advance

I find open E the easiest for slide. For some reason it just came naturally, whereas I can't get a good sound with open G or standard tuning.

Slide sounds better with heavier strings and slightly higher action. Also, I prefer guitars that have a flat fingerboard profile rather than a rounded one - making it easier to hit all the notes with the slide.

The trick is to get a sort of "furious" vibrato going by always moving the slide backwards and forwards very quickly by a small amount. Also, slide up and down into and out of notes.

You can also play differently by putting the guitar on your lap. It is easier to go higher up the neck like this. I also seem to get a different kind of vibrato sound with this - perhaps to do with "angle of attack".