Hey guys. I've tried lerning to play electric slide several times, before stopping due to not having the time to really practice. Well, my schedule is finally clear, and I'm ready to have at it again. I'm mainly interested in electric slide, but also want to be able to play rhythm so my dad can solo also. So, here's the BIG question that I'm sure you guys dread hearing. Would I be better off learning in standard of open E ? I only play a little bit of non slide guitar now(just chords), so relearning wouldn't set me back too far. I see the advantage of learning in standard for the sake of rhythm playing, but for slide playing will I ever get that Duane Allman, Derek Trucks sound in standard ? I realize I'll never sound like them anyway, but you know what I mean. Thanks for any advice you could give me.
There are some basic techniques you will need to work on, regardless of tuning, like right hand finger blocking, damping behind the slide, good pitch (obviously), controlled vibrato, etc.. So in that sense it doesn't really matter what tuning you choose,- the basic techiques are the same.
I play slide in both standard and open-E, if I need the slide for a solo on a 'straight' song I don't bother retuning or changing guitars. Playing in standard tuning seems to bring out a more melodic style than open-E, but when I want 'classic' slide I definitely go for open-E..
Derek Trucks manages to avoid most of the typical open-E cliches and licks, for a while I was sure he played in standard tuning (especially because of his great standard guitar playing - which he also does in open-E), Duane Allman used both tunings.
I believe there is an instructional DVD by Warren Haynes where he teaches slide in both standard and open-E, perhaps that's worth looking into?
Yeah, I have noticed that when I do mess around in open E I always played at the 3,5,7 and 12th frets, and everything sounds the same. Thanks for the response, I'll look into the DVD
You can play in Open E in keys besides E, of course. You can capo, for one thing, and you can figure out the frets other chords are on anyway, you just give up the freedom to pull off to open strings. I've been doing that on lap steel in Open E lately a fair bit.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
nobody using C6 tuning? I've had other players recommend it, but never tried. some sources claim it's works well for country swing.
-=tension & release=-
I've been thinking about it, especially since I've got an 8 string lap steel coming. Got a major triad and its relative minor triad on each fret, could be handy. Need to learn good string damping skills. Need string gauges chosen for the tuning, the gauges you use with Open E aren't appropriate. Since I've just gotten Darick Campbell's Sacred Steel video, though, I'll probably put the 8-stringer into an extended E7 as he does.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
just strung my homemade lapsteel for the first time with 0.035 to 0.014 CEGACE -- a very country sound. liking it!
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I used C6 tuning on my Teke for this....its very country/hawaiian sounding :D
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=6689592&q=hi
Slip___Sliding___Away__________
I just noodled around a bit in C6/Dm7 ACEGACEG this evening, and love the sound of it!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
the close-spaced tuning is quite sweet, isn't it?
-=tension & release=-
Yep!
I'm about to try Steinar's suggested E6, B-C#-E-G#-B-C#-E-G#.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
That Warren Haynes book with samples is an excellent way to get going, especially if you have the "Amazing Slow Downer."
