The most detailed video on the topic, thanks! I have been experimenting and trying slide with all my fingers for a couple of years and prefer my ring finger but still play with other fingers. I find the ring finger has a mix of the qualities from both the pinky and middle finger, creating vocal style lines and allowing a bit of reach for playing chords with fingers. I think the middle finger is easiest for creating vocal like lines and reaching chords that you need to stretch for. Pinky for a slightly slower vibrato and mixing fingers in with slide.
Thank you for the demo. I use my middle finger mostly and was a little surprised and disappointed that wasn't part of the demo. I wanted to compare notes. I use my middle finger mostly because I came at slide from a harder rock background, learning to play songs like Tush, Slow Ride, and Rocky Mountain Way in standard tuning. I found that using my middle finger leaves the ring finger and pinky open for power chords and "lumping" - the term a blues guy I know uses for the "dump-da-dump-da-dump" boogie rhythm guitar. Crucial for playing songs like Tush. And with a well-trained pinkie you can do a lot of the same chording and fretting you can do with the slide on the ring finger. Anyway, just thought I'd add that to the discussion. Nice work, and thanks again!
I find glass is better for electric, metal for acoustic. I mostly play acoustic and find a spark plug socket [for socket wrench] works VERY well. I use 4th finger as well. Really appreciate your extensive knowledge and research on guitars used by various artists. Very informative and great fun! You're a damn fine player too. That's always a treat.
Im a 66 year old man who's been playing guitar since early in the beginning of 1972. I was 14 and a half in Christmas of 1971 when I got my first guitar which was a cheep nylon stringed Checkmate acoustic 6 string. I was wondering if there's a special way to tune the guitar in order to play guitar with using whatever kind of slide is preferred. I've seen one guitar player that joined a band I was in back in the middle of 1979 tune just a couple of the strings which led me to believe that you have to tune it to the key the song is in or whatever the first chord is in the song or at least a couple of strings but now I've seen a few videos of different bands that show them all playing chords so I guess they're playing in standard tuning then I see them playing slide guitar and no matter how hard I try I can't do it. I guess I'll have to get a glass and a metal slide and keep trying to learn and watch more videos like your videos. I'm impressed with your playing. I had a red Supro electric guitar between 1972 and 1979 I had bought from my guitar teacher in 1972.I taught myself how to play some chords and I wrote my own lyrics and music before I took lessons. I have a lot to learn. I'm not a good lead guitar player at all but I can play some lead. My Supro ( 1960 's era ) had a body shape like the outline of a cat's head . It was a solid body. I was more symmetrical with two cutaways instead of one like the blue and white Supro you're using in your video. I was just curious about the techniques used to play slide guitar. Thanks for your videos I'll try to use what I did learn. Later my friend.
Thank you. I am considering slide on ring finger. I damaged nerves in my ring finger tip bending an e string all the way across neck and sliding it down from there on acoustic guitar (during Parisienne Walkways). I can feel tingling in my fingertip after over a month from the feast. I tried playing with my other hand but I somehow can't get hang of it. I fear guitar a little now, slide might prevent me from hurting my hurt finger.
yes a good excuse to focus on your slide playing whilst giving your finger to recuperate which may take some time - maybe go and see a specialist about it if you are concerned, best R
Nice! Thanks for the tips man. Do you have any advice on fretting notes behind the slide with the first finger? I’ve seen a couple of guys such as Blake Mills / Ariel Posen doing this to work in minor/sus chords and scales but haven’t managed to figure it out yet.
Awesome, looking forward to it. Loving your Goosecaster! I've stuck a Mojo pickups gold foil in the neck of a Tele too. The next step is the chopped bridge and lap steel!
Sorry, need to correct you. Lowell George was the great Little Feat guitarist, Lowell Fulson was the Blues guitarist who was famous for Reconsider Baby.
The Guitar Show No worries mate, it’s just I happen to be a big Little Feat fan so I had to comment. Great video by the way and lovely slide playing. Have a cool day!!!