So, it's finally time to start learning Chuck Berry tunes. As my guitar teacher said, it fits in nicely with working through the Blues You Can Use Book.
Here's my question: is there any trick to mastering the "double stop" slides that are signature licks in Chuck Berry's playbook? My fingers tend to "stick" to the frets as I'm sliding up. Having my thumb on the back of the neck also seems to be keeping the slide from being smooth. Is there a right technique to doing these, or, like everything else, is it a matter of practice and muscle memory?
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
How do normal slides work for you?
I don't see how the thumb would be limiting your movement here. It sounds almost as if your fingers are getting stuck on the frets as they slide up?
To make the back of the neck smoother though, I use pledge wood polish. <that seems like an adjective describing someone from Poland....I'm not sure how to spell it.
But really it should not affect your playing - the only thing touching the neck should be your thumb and a part of the crook between your first finger and thumb.
The Chuck Berry riffs tend to be short slides - just one or two frets. I don't think I even move my thumb for them - I use it as a pivot point and move my hand in front of it (I usually do a 1 fret slide for something like Johnny B. Goode)
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I have found that my string selection makes a big difference in slide-ability. If I get those fancy expensive strings that are supposed to last twice as long, I have found that I hang up during slides on all of that outer layer (whatever it is). Also, I find that thinner gauged strings slide easier on the low strings.
Do you have jumbo frets?
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