Olivia Newton-John did the Bob Dylan song titled "If Not For You" very early on in her career. Recently she made an album that was done live in the Sydney Opera House. This song is on that album. Can anyone tell me:
1) what kind of guitar the slide part in this song is done?
2) what tuning is used on this part?
I am getting ready to do a festival in October here in East Iowa. We are considering this song. I have a couple of resonator guitars. I could raise the nut and play with a slide, IF the tuning were correct. I also have a dobro that I could play it on, again if the tuning were correct.
Any help at all with how to play this particular slide part will be very much appreciated.
Thank You
Derriere
it might be easier to find a GerogeHarrison version. his album, All Things Must Pass has it.
the slide part is beautiful. I am not sure what the tuning would be.
Shouldn't need to raise the nut to play slide on your reso.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Shouldn't need to raise the nut to play slide on your reso.
I can't keep the slide off the frets!!!!!!!!!!!
Shouldn't need to raise the nut to play slide on your reso.
Oh, I forgot to thank you. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.
it might be easier to find a GerogeHarrison version. his album, All Things Must Pass has it.
the slide part is beautiful. I am not sure what the tuning would be.
I remember it well....beautiful is right...`good idea. I'll check it out.
Thank you very much.
I found a 40 sec sample of Olivia Newton Johns version on the net,- sounds to me like you can play it in pretty much any tuning you like, it's single string work all the way and I'm pretty sure the guitarist on that recording plays it in standard tuning.
Steinar
Seriously, if you want to raise the bridge a little to make avoiding the fretboard easier, go for it. As high as 3/16" string height at the 12th fret works well. But don't raise the nut unless you want to go all the way to a lap steel with 3/8" or so string height and make it unplayable without the slide. (Which means you'll be handicapped in playing a lot of blues.) Raising the nut screws intonation for fretting. Heavier strings, which are tighter, make it easier to avoid the fretboard. But eventually you'll learn muscle control of the slide and not depend on the string tension to catch the slide. Takes practice. But lap steel-like high strings will work for the kind of sliding being discussed here.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Take a look at this video on Youtube - http://youtube.com/watch?v=9374d_HBiSc&mode=related&search= .
George is playing simple open G-D-C chords, for the most part.
The lead guitarist is playing the slide part on the 12th, 7th and 5th frets - playing the G string gives the notes G-D-C.
So I'd suspect that George plays in G and uses standard tuning.
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Its standard tuning.....pinch the 2nd and 3rd strings together at the 12th fret...slide down to the 7th then to the the 5th.
Simple tune...sounds great. :D
Slip___Sliding___Away__________
standard tuning is right. wow. thanks for the clip. I miss George so very much.
Seriously, if you want to raise the bridge a little to make avoiding the fretboard easier, go for it. As high as 3/16" string height at the 12th fret works well. But don't raise the nut unless you want to go all the way to a lap steel with 3/8" or so string height and make it unplayable without the slide. (Which means you'll be handicapped in playing a lot of blues.) Raising the nut screws intonation for fretting. Heavier strings, which are tighter, make it easier to avoid the fretboard. But eventually you'll learn muscle control of the slide and not depend on the string tension to catch the slide. Takes practice. But lap steel-like high strings will work for the kind of sliding being discussed here.
This is a hearty thank you to all who replied here. I have the Harrison version. As mentioned, I remember that album well. I learned the dobro/lap steel at age 10...play til I was 15 or so...played all that time in open E. Then didn't play a lick for a very long time. I taught myself the acoustic. I'm not retired and have time to get back at it. I'm lovin it!!!!! With all the help I think I have this one figured out on both the dobro and acoustic. I'll giter doe, that's for sure...with help like this how could I fail?!?!?!?!
Derriere
And that's got to be the first time Olivia Newton-John has made it into Guitar Noise LOL
It's a great song, and I like her version hugely. Never tried playing it though.
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
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There's a lesson on "If Not For You" featuring a slide part here.....
https://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/if-not-for-you/
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
