Open tunings can make slide playing more accessible. But first note that in standard tuning the open 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings create a major G chord. Slide around the second to fourth frets on those strings and play the open strings. You will likely find some biuesy sounds. Then research open tunings, you're not far from open G as shown above, but be careful and use mostly lower tunings as higher ones can put a lot of stress on the guitar and not all can handle it especially with bigger strings.
Last Edited by on Feb 04, 2013 3:38 AM
Thanks, man i can see lots of probs here, i'm left handed, no guitar, (daughters got one spare for me) and only play by ear, but kinda get the drift if i focus on some yt clips, see what happens in the next few weeks.
SmokeJS's points are valid, but just to elaborate.
I'd start without harp at all, especially if you are new to guitar or even slide. Start with Open D tuning (low tension, you can thrash all 6 strings no worries) Work on simple 12 bar shuffle 1 - 4 - 5 based blues to get to know the basic barre chords (use a jam trax shuffle backing in D) Once you get them down you can start on a rhythm shuffle groove on the 5th/6th strings. Add those 2 together. Once you have them down you can chuck in the D Maj/Minor scale boxes and start jamming some single/double string lead licks.
Once you are comfortable with that we might start talking about rack harp.
+ you may want to invest in one of the better basic slide beginner video courses, but that's up to you.
Just take your time - small steps with easy wins that build on each other. At the same time you can learn the basics of the music theory that underpins each step, creating a solid foundation that will accelerate your learning as you gain more experience.
Also a slide and harp player. If you´re aiming for unison playing harp/slide that can be a thoughie: intonation issues on both instruments. But really great when it works, and not very common. Maybe, just maybe you´d be helped by starting with the slide on a standard tuned guitar, could somehow flatten out the learning curve: you´re in familiar territory on the neck. You´ll very soon realize the importance of a good dampening technique.
Otherwise great advice from Komuso. (And interesting stuff on his page! Give it a listen.)
Another option to simplify the process is to make or but a 3 string Cigar Box Guitar. I built a CBG very cheaply and quickly, it is tuned G D g which gives an open G Chord and makes playing a 12bar Blues very straight foward, also CBG's are played almost exclusivly with a slide and so there are masses of on line lessons available, check out Shane Speal and visit Cigar Box Nation. Ypu might be AMAZED at what can be done with only 3 strings.
Just started on this highway (slide Dobro)and having a ball with it!! The open tuning sure makes it easy at the beginner level . Very cool sounds Komuso. So far, I've just recorded on Garage Band and laid one track of Dobro and another of harp. I was wondering about the rack thing so appreciate the comments.
I started to write something extensive on this but to cut to the chase - after many years of tweaking, customising, and twiddling I recently changed my whole rack setup again.
Currently I'm using a Hohner Flexrack with a Strnad Pickup and the combo - for lots of reasons - is giving me performance and playability gains beyond what I've had before. Is it perfect? No, but then most things end up being a series of tradeoffs between weight, tension, visibility, adjustability, ergonomics, ease of use, mic tone, and looks (if you play live).
But it's working better than what I've had before. Sometimes little things make a huge difference in playing.
Also forgot to mention about slides. I've been using a Rockslide (medium gold) for a few years now, definitely the best metal slide I've used. Why? The cutaway, weight, and tapered inside.
I also like the sound of ceramics like the venerable mudslide, which now look like have been snapped up by Dunlop.
Recently Dave Steenken, a fantastic harp/slide player here in Japan, put me onto Diamond Bottlenecks from the UK, hand blown lead crystal slides with an incredible sound way better than commercial glass slides. You can even get them cutout like the rockslide. I'm looking to get one of these soon.
I am thinking about going down this route. Slide/harp. Delta blues. Good advice above. I love the sound of the resonator. I have never played any guitar. Maybe a CBG is the right entry point. Any updates/advice guys? Definite dos/don'ts? BronzeWailer's YouTube
I have a mid 1930's National I want to sell, but it's not cheap;-)
I haven't played a CBG so can only speak from a 6-string perspective. They look like a lot of fun though.
Learning slide is easier on a guitar with a higher action (ie: string distance from fretboard). Eventually you will combine left hand (or right hand) chords and riffs with slide and a lower action makes that easier, but initially a higher action will make slide technique a little easier.
Why?
The lower the action the more in control you have to be not to hit frets with too much pressure and that can be distracting from learning technique along the fretboard.
Slide is in multiple directions, back and forth along the strings, and also the pressure on the strings (plus damping or not with trailing fingers behind the slide).
Also the string gauge, tuning and resultant tension plays a big factor. Low tunings like D and G are more slack, but E and A are much tighter (and also harder on the neck if your guitar has any weakness there).
There's some good courses on Truefire, like this one: Slide Guitar Power at reasonable price for download
I agree with all that's been said here, and will add +1 for the three string cigar box. In fact, I only do slide work on my cbg. I do finger style on my 6 strings. I'm working in rack playing, but that's a while nother ball game. Has taken me a few years just to get proficient enough on the guitars to even consider being able to put them all together. ----------
I take almost the opposite stance as komuso. I use bottlenecks I cut from wine bottles. I cut a lot of them and think of them as disposable . I generally use the cheapest harmonica rack available,bent slightly to shape. I replace the hardware,that's all. However,I do use a magnetic quick change attachment ,available from rockin Ron's . The kind so you can use two harps,but I use it just so I can change harps with one hand .
I do use a 30's national for acoustic shows,I usually use a tele or a guild ce100 for electric.
However,I think almost any guitar you can get your hands on will work . I use Martin bluegrass resonator strings. ---------- www.shakeylee.com
I too endorse the 3-string CBG and rack approach. I'm mostly a finger-picker (when I do use a slide it's usually with a deep-well socket) but have been building, playing and selling CBGs for over a decade.
Rarely have I seen the harp/cbg combo, which is a shame. They have a lot in common. Easy as hell to learn simple songs, hard as hell to master.
However . . . there at least one guy who's got the slide and harp bit down very well. Take a listen to this
There's always the monster sound of Deak CBG Harp too:
For a really unique sound you should check out the single string slide bass of Mark Sandman (RIP) and Morphine
@Shakeylee "I take almost the opposite stance as komuso."
I don't see how when you've never seen me stand!
I'm speaking at the perspective of an absolute guitar beginner. Sure any guitar will do but it's a physical fact that new slide players always have pressure and control difficulty and a higher action + string tension removes issues which can make it harder to learn. I'm not talking lap steel guitar action, just slightly higher than normal fingerstyle, which can be easily achieved on a regular guitar by replacing the nut with a slightly higher one. Brass nuts can also give you a thicker sound btw (no pun intended).
Billy Gibbon's: "Billy Gibbons: hipped to light-gauge 8s or 9s by B.B. King. King’s take on it is that it takes a lot less stress and strain to play the light stuff. Gibbons’ custom set from Dunlop has a 7-gauge high E!" http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/String_Myths_Part_1
Would I recommend that to a slide beginner? No way in the world. It takes a while to build that level of sensitivity and technique and it's far easier to work down to it.
I mainly play a cheap shit stock Hohner G3-T electric guitar I bought in 1991, with a normal action for both fingerstyle , slide, and behind the slide fretting with regular 010 to 046 strings. That's about as thin and low as I can go, and it's taken me ages to get to there from the fencing wire I used to play. I don't change strings till they break, and don't change sets till they are notched, and can usually get 6 months out of a set of strings.
re: cheap harp racks I don't recall advocating getting the most expensive rack available, which I think is the Sonnenschein SLK Harmonica Rack V2 at ~ us$155
The Hohner flexrack is about the same price as the Farmer ArchTop Harp Holder in the US$50-70 range (I got mine for ~us$50 here in Tokyo)
Below that you have the Lee OSkar, Hohner, chinese racks in the US$10-$25 range, of which I have bought many over the years and combined into very workable frankenracks.
The problem with harp racks is it's very personal and takes some trial and error before you find what works for you - your playing style and your neck physiology have a huge impact. The cheaper ones have very limited adjustment options but you may find they fit your physiology ok (lucky!), but it only takes very small differences in a harp rack position to make big changes in playing effectiveness - at least I've found that recently. It took a while to get there for me, and I'm still learning.
Currently the FlexRack works for me, giving me an edge my cheapo frankenracks were missing. One of the main things for me was being able to get the harp in a good position without having to overstretch the neck, and be able to apply pressure to the harp (even a little) without the rack moving the harp away.
Your mileage may vary!
re: Slides I have many and I guess we differ a lot here as I never consider them disposable. I've built many in the past from wine/whisky bottles etc, but my goto slides I've all had 10 to 25 years. My main one is a ceramic mudslide I've had for ~20 years, then a brass action slide, and a nice glass. Different materials do sound different, but you may not notice it at first. It's more noticeable on electric, depending on the pickup's used and FX chain. Why would you throw away a perfectly good slide!
I play a lot of slide in 2 different bands with different objectives. I do not play harp at the same time.
When there is no other guitarist and its straight blues I play in open D. When it is more of a rock thing I tune up to open E if I need chords or standard if its mostly lead work.
I usually use a Les Paul as it works for rock and elmore James style. The fat neck is a plus for slide.
My action is slightly higher than normal and I use 10's or 11's. Slide is a 16MM deep socket in open tunings or a dunlop pyrex when I need the super light touch in standard tuning- slide is on the pinky and play without a pick because i mute with my picking hand.
Work on getting clean single notes and good intonation--always keep the slide moving.
A bad slide player is even worse than a bad harp player at a jam. As with harp you need to imply a lot of chords due to the slide mechanics.
@Shakey I hear you there, that's why I used to mainly use brass. My mudslide has a few chips on one side edge, but is still playable. It's got a tone in between metal and glass, hard to make those suckers by hand though!
Studebaker John has an awesome sound going on there.
