How to Play Slide Guitar
- 1). Change the tuning on your guitar from regular (E-A-D-G-B-E') to open tuning (for the key of D major, that would be D-G-D-G-B-D', going from the sixth to the first string).
- 2
Put the slide on the little finger of your left hand. - 3). Expose just enough of the end of the finger that you can sense the strings you're playing on.
- 4). Keep the slide perpendicular to the strings.
- 5
Cover only the strings that are necessary with your slide. This way, you won't have to dampen unwanted noise from other strings. - 6). Move along the strings with a light touch; pressing too hard will create a buzzing sound on the frets.
- 7
Slide up on the first two strings (E' and B) from the first to the twelfth fret (another D-major chord). - 8
Slide down from the twelfth fret to the fifth fret (G-major chord). - 9). Slide back up to the seventh fret (A-major chord), then lift the slide from the strings and make the open D-major chord sound.
- 10
Sound the D-major (open), G-major and A-major chords in that order. You are now playing blues in the key of D. - 11
Play a 12-bar blues progression (see "How to Play Blues on Guitar" in the Related eHows) in the following manner using your slide: D (open strings) / D / D / G / D / G / G / D (slide) / D / A (slide) / G / D / ... (repeat). - 12
Practice sliding on all strings for a wider variety in your sound.
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