About Slide Guitar

Identification

The slide refers to the action the player makes, where he literally slides an object across the strings produces a "gliding" type of sound. When the term "bottleneck" is used, it is a generic term for the type of device used in this technique. In fact, there are many types of "slides" used in playing the slide guitar. Over the years, players have used cut bottle necks, metal tubes, sockets from socket wrench sets, knives or glass tubes to achieve the desired "slide" sound. The guitar itself is held in the usual position, unless it is laid horizontally, commonly found in country and bluegrass music.

Although it is not entirely clear how the slide guitar technique came to be used, for the most part musicologist agree that its origins stem from an African single-string instrument similar to a violin. Most experts agree that although there is evidence of a Hawaiian version of this technique, which today is more commonly known as the "slack guitar," the origins are primarily African. During the early part in the development of the blues, the slide technique became a way of conveying emotional pain and anguish that the players were trying to express. Little history is known about the slide guitar until 1923, when a blues artist named Sylvester Weaver created the first recording using the technique. He recorded two singles for Okeh Records, "Guitar Blues" and "Guitar Rag." Since that recording, the slide became popularized by such artists as Leadbelly, Blind Willie McTell, Son House and of course Robert Johnson. Today, every artist from Elmore James to Jack White of the White Stripes has been influence by this technique.

In order to create that unique sound, the object or slide is gently pressed against the strings so that the object does not touch the actual fretboard of the instrument. In order to achieve different pitches, the slide is moved up and down the fretboard. In classical music, this term is called "glissandi," which means to slide up and down a note. When used with amplification and vibrato, the sound can invoke the sound of a human wail.

Drawbacks are few, but in most cases, a slide player does not fret the instrument in addition to handling the slide duties. This results in a limited amount of play. In addition, the challenge of playing notes accurately becomes important. Finally, the player must become accustomed to muting strings more adeptly, due to the lack of control one has when using a slide.

The negatives listed above are really benefits in that a player needs to become more adept in her playing skills. One benefit of this technique is that it forced musicians to find alternate tunings, since fretting the guitar itself is challenging with this technique. For the most part, a slide player will use an open tuning. The idea of the open tuning is that the strings, when not fretted, sound a chord. As the player slides the slide up and down, the strings creates the various chords. The most popular of the open tuning is the open D tuning: D-A-D-F sharp-A-D.

Today, many players are using the slide technique for all types of playing outside of the blues genre. Effects boxes and other electronic equipment have given the slide technique a revamped and new lease on its musical life. Bands such as Muse have used the guitar slide in conjunction with a multitude of effects, creating an ethereal mood to their music. Even bass players have embraces slide, with such notable players as John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin using as lap steel bass in his live performances with rock's most seminal band.

Slide guitar is something that you can experiment with minimal costs. All you need is your guitar and a slide. Slides run anywhere from $5 to $25, but many players like to make their own slide. Duanne Allman used an empty glass Coricidin medicine bottle worn over his ring finger as a slide. Some players use brass or copper pipe cut and sanded to get their desired results. This author uses several types, including an old ¾ socket from a vintage socket set, which works perfectly for his 12-string use (see Resources below).