Need some slide tone and technique help/advice

[teleking36]

I'm really into the idea of playing slide, but I've never really paid too much attention to it. I recently found a great video of JM's "I'm gonna find another you" on youtube, with Robbie McIntosh playing slide. That slide sound is exactly what I have in my head as "perfection" for slide tone.

Here's a clip. Robbie's slide solo is right around 2:10...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_FlQAMJIKY

I guess you could say it sounds somewhat similar to Bonnie Raitt slide playing. Anyway, I'm really into it, and I'd love some advice on good videos or instructional material to help me clean up my slide playing. I'm obviously not going to touch either of the aforementioned artists, but I'd sure like to get close to that sound.

BTW, a nice strat is on deck for my next guitar purchase. For now, I'd be using my tele. What kind of action do I need to fret notes regularly, but play slide without messy fret buzz?

[Eskimo_Joe]

I'll be interested to read the feedback to this question as well

[TB72]

From the looks of the clip, Robbie is using a brass slide and the bridge/middle pickup setting on his strat.

Teles are great for slide. I have one of mine set up for bottlenecking (complete with Hipshot Trilogy bridge for easy alternate tunings).

First off, experiment to see what slide is the most comfortable for you to wear, and what sounds best to your ears. There are all sorts of sizes, weights, and materials to choose from. Buy several...they're not that expensive, and certain ones suit certain guitars better than others.

As far as string gauge, it will depend on a few things. The most important factor will be the weight of the slide you use. For example, if you're using a heavy piece of brass, you'll want heavier strings and higher action than if you were using thin-walled glass. On my "slide" tele, I use strings gauged 12,16,22,36,46,56 (high to low). That's pretty heavy to bend, but the tone is huge, and I don't have to worry about the slide fretting out. I also don't have to raise my action to the point where it messes up my intonation on fretted notes.

As for the tone on the video clip...there are a few possible ways to get it. You're looking for a slightly overdriven tone. You can either turn your amp up until it's "sweating" a little or you can hit the front end with an overdrive pedal (something along the lines of a tubescreamer should suffice). A compressor is also a useful tool for slide work, and it sounds like Robbie McIntosh might have one in his signal path.
I personally go the pedal route to get that sound. That way, I can get the tone without having to crank my amp (which would be too loud for a small club gig). Just be careful not to over-do it with the comp and the OD...a little goes a long way.

Anyway, I hope this helps a bit. Have fun experimenting.

Later....

[Dom]

My slide playing still leaves a lot to be desired, but I found that the book "Slide Guitar" by Arlen Roth gives excellent advice, especially for a bottleneck novice. It may be out of print, though.

[Rich T Fingers]

My tip is to try lots of different bottlenecks, glass, brass, whatever, as each one will impart a very different tone.

[TB72]

There's a cool dvd from Hot Licks you could check out. It's called Learn Slide Guitar with 6 Great Masters.

It's a complilation of lessons from various other Hotlicks dvds. It features Arlen Roth, Lee Roy Parnell, Warren Haynes, Mick Taylor, Greg Martin, and Jay Geils. It shows you that there are many ways to approach slide guitar (electric/accoustic, fingerstyle/flatpick/thumb and fingerpicks, standard tuning/open tunings,etc.etc.)

It will keep you busy for awhile, especially if you're new to slide.

Later...

[zombywoof]

As others have said, the key is to experiment. It is worth the trouble.
My experience is that when folks try and duplicate someone else's tone they often end up disappointed. The best thing to do is to find your own voice.

There are a number of routes you can go.

Back when I had one main guitar for slide, I had a new nut cut with shallower grooves which allowed the strings to ride a little higher - particularly on the bass side. Ya can also just raise the action a bit or you might find you do not need to do anything - depending on the string guage, type of slide you use, and your style of playing.

A piece of brass conduit and say 12s will give you a nice aggressive tone.

Another route is a glass slide (for the last twenty years or so I have used old coriciden bottles which ya can pick up at flea markets and junk shops). I string with 11s. This will give you a sweeter, almost violin-like tone.

Slides are pretty cheap so have yourselff some fun. You can pick yourself up some store bought ones or make them yourself. Just try them with different guage strings and setups.

[mad dog]

TB and Zomby are saying some good stuff. It is critical to experiment with slide materials. I didn't, was pretty amazed after 30 years of playing slide with a light metal slide, to realize how much better I liked the sound of glass/pyrex. You never know. Strat is righteous for slide, but to my ears, tele is even better. My G&L ASAT Classic refuses to step aside as my main slide instrument. Latest new contender: a Dearmond M75T with heavy, huge slide sound more like a lap steel. We'll see. That G&L and I go way back.

I set up every guitar with .11s, every one high enough so I can play slide. Depending on the radius, I may "flatten" the string radius, raising bass and treble strings just enough to take some of the curve out. The result is not super low, not unplayably high by any means. But high enough so you can feel it. If you know someone who can do good setups, now is the time. Good slide sound demands clarity, ringing notes. Any problems with the nut or bridge can deaden the tone, so the setup can be invaluable.

And don't forget about amps. With the right amp and settings, your slide sound comes alive.

[riverastoasters]

Originally Posted by teleking36

I guess you could say it sounds somewhat similar to Bonnie Raitt slide playing. Anyway, I'm really into it, and I'd love some advice on good videos or instructional material to help me clean up my slide playing. I'm obviously not going to touch either of the aforementioned artists, but I'd sure like to get close to that sound.

BTW, a nice strat is on deck for my next guitar purchase. For now, I'd be using my tele. What kind of action do I need to fret notes regularly, but play slide without messy fret buzz?

A really good instructional video for slide is by Kirk Lorange.

To get the Raitt (or Lowell George) sound, one of the less expensive rigs that gets very close is the Demeter TGA-3, but you can use any amp that has a nice clean breakup and is bright. There's a guy here on the gear page who has a really nice slide sound who uses a Fuchs ODS-50, and a Fuchs mod might be a good option.

For fretting and sliding without banging the frets, it's often a good idea to raise the action and use big strings.

[jordanL]

Just the usual general advice: Action need to be high enough so you don't fret out.

As others have already side, find a slide you like. I'm a big fan of the rockslide-a well designed metal slide, but have used others at various times. Heavier strings are helpful. I recommend using open tunings to get started. Also play with fingers, rh damping is a big part of slide.

Hotlicks has released Lee roy Parnell on DVD, its an excellent intro to slide guitar.

[9fingers]

When I started to play slide I needed quite a high action to keep from banging on the frets. Several years later I can play the same slide on a guitar with .010's & a pretty normal action (not super slinky tho). The touch improves a lot with practice. My Teles are a little more full & forgiving with slide than my Strats, although the Strats (my main guitar) sound great with care & precision. Your Tele should be fine! I have gotten a lot out of the Roy Rogers Slide instruction video (Homespun I think). Oh, yeah, ditto on the OD + compressor used judiciously to fill in your slide sound. A lighter slide is faster but a heavier one has more sustain & tone. Glass & ceramic sound nice & smooth. Brass & copper have some grit in their sound. Chromed steel is kind of in between. Mainly just play the sucker & have fun. Listen for what sounds good with one string sliding into another, & listen for what to damp & what to let ring. Play with the microtones. All great fun & a whole new world.

[Mustake]

I used to play some slide and I bought all different kinds of slides. But the one I use I made from a Snap-On 13/16 spark plug socket that I cut the drive end off of with a band saw and used the soft side of stick on velcro inside for comfort. I also used some light sand paper and took some polish out of the chrome. Best slide I've ever used.

I'm not very good at it, but my tone is good. If I tune to open A or G I can play ok, but I struggle with standard tuning.

[Myxolidian]

I've been messing around with slide guitar lately (just starting out on slide) and can say, without a doubt, that using a pyrex glass slide is easier for me. The chrome steel one I have is too heavy for me to control right now. I'm clangin' frets all over the place.

Another interesting thing is that I find there's really no difference in tone between the glass and steel slide (or miniscule difference at best). I've even done a ton of a/b recordings to see if there's a difference. I find I get more difference going from a .60mm pick to a .88mm pick. YMMV.

[kimock]

This guy makes the best slide I ever tried for bottleneck on a standard light string electric guitar set-up. Really works great, worth a look...
http://www.rockymountainslides.com/

[musicofanatic5]

IMO, once you get the left hand happening, the best slide tone comes from using bare fingers instead of a pick.
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Dodge St. Regis