slide...high E issues

[JackButler]

Really been diving into slide. Always dabbled, but never practiced enough...
Past few months been tearing into it. No matter what guitar (electric or acosutic), setup (lower/higher action), etc...I still struggle getting it super clean on the high e, especially 1-4 frets.
Obviously, it is my technique
Any tips, drills, etc? How about jumping to a heavier high e string, that might help?
Thanks guys

[docbop]

sounds like issues with your muting behind the slide.

[JackButler]

Yep, I'm sure it is. Maybe it's just because it gets kinda cramped towards the nut?

[9fingers]

It takes less presure with the slide on the high E to depress it enough to hit the frets, especially on the lower frets, especially with a nice low cut nut. A LITTLE extra nut slot height on the top string helps for slide.
If I have individually height adjustable saddles on the bridge, I raise the high E some for slide as well. The angle of the slide is really crucial (to adjust your sllde to neck radius for slide on the high E). Play with different angles. Also, try to do the high E with the tip of the slide, instead of covering all the string with the slide.
You are not alone with this problem if you have a guitar you want to finger & slide both. There is a fine line with that high E. I think you will find as you play more slide your touch will improve and solve a lot of the problem too.

[JackButler]

Thanks 9!

[kimock]

Really been diving into slide. Always dabbled, but never practiced enough...
Past few months been tearing into it. No matter what guitar (electric or acosutic), setup (lower/higher action), etc...I still struggle getting it super clean on the high e, especially 1-4 frets.
Obviously, it is my technique
Any tips, drills, etc? How about jumping to a heavier high e string, that might help?
Thanks guys

9fingers got it right with the slightly higher nut on the high E, not a bad idea for a dedicated slide guitar.
Could be you're favoring a large or heavy slide for other reasons but find it difficult to control when you're in first position, so make sure you've got a good fit and the slide isn't unnecessarily heavy.

There is one technique you might want to practice, it's a giant pain in the ass but it'll probably help some. I adopted it from the North Indian Classical bag.

99.999% of the time when a bottleneck slide guitarist approaches a note from below on those lower frets, say sliding up to the 4th fret G# on the high E string, the slide joins the string maybe a whole step or a half step-ish below.
The string is ringing and the slide is brought into contact with the string over some fret, right? Bang
Try sliding up from the nut.
Hit the high E and try to slide that pitch up.

You have to join the string right as it leaves the nut, at the spot where it's lowest and most likely to clank or click or fret out, but you're not just randomly having problems in the general area, you've got one spot to focus on, and if you can beat it there, you're covered.

But don't think of it as a "don't make a noise" exercise, just hit that open E and try to carry that pitch up the neck to wherever you want.

See what I mean?

[JackButler]

Excellent advise! I'm going to go try that now!

Per slides, I've been trying a slew of them...I'm liking various ones for different reasons...still the same for the most part. I have noticed it's getting better lately...must be something to practicing!

[newb3fan]

I literally just came up from practicing Dreams and a was getting a little bit of that problem with the high E. It does take a light touch and I was finding that the tip of the slide was working better than it positioned over the whole fret board. Good tips guys!

[JackButler]

That is pretty hard for me to pull off.
To reiterate...pluck the open E, then slide up from nut? Tough cookies.

[kimock]

That is pretty hard for me to pull off.
To reiterate...pluck the open E, then slide up from nut? Tough cookies.

Yeah, it's really, really hard, but it's as hard as it gets down on that part of the neck imho. If you can start to get a handle on the touch for that move, everything above it is just that much easier.
If it's giving you a rash, fan it and move on.
Plenty of other stuff to work on.
As long as you know it's there and hit it every once in a while it should help, and that low position stuff will clear itself up in time anyway.

Enjoy!!!

[JackButler]

No way will I give it up! Ha, was just surprised at how hard it actually is to snag that just right cleanly. I'd say after my brief stint last night with it I'm 2/50 on it!

[kimock]

No way will I give it up! Ha, was just surprised at how hard it actually is to snag that just right cleanly. I'd say after my brief stint last night with it I'm 2/50 on it!

Ok, perfect. Now try to tweak your set-up a little to gain an advantage with your hit-miss percentage for that move. Don't change two things at once, don't change anything too much, just one tweak and live with it for awhile.
See if you pick up your percentage. Don't chase your tail.