I know how to play simple slide rhythms, but I want to try to play more advanced music. I know how to fingerpick in chord progressions, etc, pretty well, and I have the 12-bar blues (with shuffles and basslines) feel down pat, but I want to try playing some blues with my fingers- for instance, a combined bassline and melody.
I play slide in open G- does anyone have any simple ideas to get me started? Any help or tab would be appreciated.
"All I see is draining me on my Plastic Fantastic Lover!"
Brian, what you need is to play something really simple with your thumb, like alternating between the fifth string (G) and the fourth string (D) while playing a really simple repetitive slide riff on the 1st two strings. They both need to be simple enough to do in your sleep. Then you can start getting fancier when you get the hang of that.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
So, Ricochet, what I do is play an alternating bass line on the open bass strings (no slide) while playing slide riffs on the upper strings?
"All I see is draining me on my Plastic Fantastic Lover!"
Yeah, that's one way to get started. What you want to do is get your thumb and fingers used to doing independent things.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
I found a good way to get started with slide was by trying to play Leo Kottke's Vaseline Machinegun.
Its G tuning tuned down a half step or so. Give it a try.
Briank...Jorma's Water Song is in open-G :!: . It's really easy to play and you can really sink your teeth into it. You'll find the tab in "The Guitar of Jorma Kaukonen" book/cd available from Homespun Tapes.
Ed Gerhard's Spike#2 is in open-G. It's pretty easy to master. You'll get the tab from Ed Gerhard's book/CD (Mel Bay).
Alex DeGrassi has a stunning version of Shortnin' Bread in Eb G D G Bb D (which is almost open-G except you bring the 6th string 1/2 step up and the second string 1/2 step down). This will take a little more work to get up to speed but it's well worth it. You can get the tab in the Oct/Nov 2003 Fingerstyle Guitar Mag #51. The CD and tab are included.
These three should drop-jaw your audience fairly nicely.
The Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" is of course in Open G. Keef didn't use a slide, but one can be used if you wish.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
I've play it with a slide. It sound s good.
Try "You got the Silver" also. It's played in F tuning on the record, but sounds great & is pretty simple to do in "G"
As a matter of fact, I heard "Honky Tonk Women" on the radio this afternoon and thought about playing it with slide in Open G. Haven't done that in a long while.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
You could also play some stuff from Rolling Stone Beggar's Banquet.
Good starting place. Easier than Leo.
