Standard Tuning

Bottleneck playing is full of cliches, and playing in standard tuning can be a good way to avoid those and play in a more melodic style.

I used to play a lot of slide in standard tuning, for several reasons - only had one electric guitar to bring to gigs, didn't play much 'standard' blues anyway, easier to 'navigate' on the fretboard (at the time). Now that I've played lap steel for several years I've found that I can go from standard to E(D) and G without any major problems, but prefer to play in an open tuning.

Steinar

Thanks alot for the feedback. I do notice that in open tunings in tend to hit the 3rd 5th 7th and 12th frets way to much and all my songs tend to sound very similar. I'm sure that's my fault and not the tunings. I have heard that open E lends itself to almost all of the chords that yu can play in standard tuning, and they seem a little more logical once you take the time to learn them. I'm just not sure if I'm better off learning slide in standard or regular playing in open E. I know Derek Trucks plays everything in open E, ever his non slide stuff, and he seems to be able to play rhythm just fine(of course I'll never be able to play like him).

Depends on what you want to play. I think tunes originally done in open tunings is going to sound best in those tunings if you're covering them.

If you want to slide in standard, learn to mute unplayed strings really well.

I know Derek Trucks plays everything in open E, ever his non slide stuff, and he seems to be able to play rhythm just fine(of course I'll never be able to play like him).

I've spent quite some time, and had a lot of fun, 'relearning' the old familiar chords in open-E so that I can play solid rhythm guitar backing on my slide guitar. One resource that can be a great help in that is the "Chord House" - http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_rb.html - just 'tune' it to open-E and find the chord/scale you're looking for in the menu...

Steinar

Thanks. I'm sure this will be a big help. It looks like most of the chords are movable positions, so there aren't as many to learn as in standard tuning. This should definately keep me busy for a while. I just got me a cheap Epiphone Les Paul J.R. to get started with electric slide. I replace the pick-up with a 57' re-issue pick-up which made a big difference, and plan to replace the tuners this weekend. I put a new set of S.O.B 10's on last night, but I think the action may be too low. I'm hoping that the heavier strings and higher tuning(E for now)will pull the neck a little. If not I'm not really sure what to do, maybe a new nut?

maybe a new nut?

Definitely not. That'll turn your guitar into a lap steel because you won't be able to fret notes without messing up the intonation. Keep the nut as it is, experiment with string gauges (personally I use 011 for E tuning on electric) and try to get used to a relatively 'low' action (at least compared to lap steels..). It's a matter of technique and takes a little while - be patient, someone over at the steel guitar forum wrote that he had tried Derek Trucks' main SG and found the action to be very low, even for regular playing..

Steinar

Matt, I would NOT raise the nut. That'll mess up the chording we've been talking about, by ruining intonation.

All I've ever done has been to put on strings a little heavier without adjusting the truss rod. The action will rise a bit, and it'll still be frettable. 10s in Open E work fine. I personally use 12s on electric, acoustic and reso for slide. No need to readjust for different playing feel when switching among them. They're rather versatile, being suitable for Open E, D or G. I've tuned them into Open A from time to time, but tuning that second string up to C# always makes me a little nervous. Maybe it shouldn't, but it feels tight.

Open C is another interesting tuning I've never messed with much. Used a good bit by non-slide fingerpickers. CGCGCE, low to high.