Slide guitar is a novel technique to playing guitar which adds an extra string to your bow. Styles like folk and blues use this technique. In the beginning, this may feel a bit tricky because a few things work differently when it comes to slide guitar. In this article, we will learn how to play slide guitar effectively.
5 Essentials Technique Of Slide Guitar
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On which finer should we wear the slide on?
You should wear the slide on your ring finger. If you want better control, you can wear it on the middle finger. Also, if you want to move it all the way up to the neck then you can also wear it on a pinky finger.
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Fretting hand and finger position
The slide should always be at the front end of the fret. Playing the slide in the middle of the fret will make it sound out of tune. You must apply this from the beginning so that it will be easier for you to guide yourself.
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Applied Amount of Pressure
The pressure has to be the same as that of natural harmonic. While applying pressure, make sure that the slide is absolutely in contact with the string, but it should not be pressed down at the fretboard. This will avoid unwanted buzzing. You can use the guitars that have higher action to maximize the window.
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Tuning
One must use open strings when it comes to slide guitar. Strings are tuned such that a chord is formed. Open tunings like E, D, A, and G are commonly used for tuning. Setting battered old acoustic guitar with higher action in open E makes your guitar to be ready to be played. Standard tuning does not ensure the best outcome. You need to work through it and select the tuning which will suit your song. New licks will add a different flavor to your music.
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Open String Muting
Open string muting is the final stage in this process.
These five steps will help you get a good slide technique. Hopefully, you have learned how to play slide guitar.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is it difficult to play the guitar with a slide?
If you want to learn any instrument, it will always be difficult in the beginning. Learning a slide guitar can be considered an additional technique to playing guitar. Initially, it takes time to get a hack of it since playing with a slide has to do with your control of your fingers.
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Can slide damage the guitar?
The slide can damage your guitar if it touches anything other than the guitar string. You must be careful in the beginning that you are not touching the slide to the body of the guitar.
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Can we use an acoustic guitar as a slide guitar?
You can use an acoustic guitar as a slide guitar with a few modifications. You can use the slide guitar style of any type of string instrument.
Hi, I am William. I am a music enthusiast. I play the guitar and ukulele. I like to try out all instruments and review them, to help others make an informed decision. You must choose the right instrument to get that sweet sound you desire. When I am not on my instruments I will be found reading or cooking.
