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Dr. Bob
Moderator

Australia
6593 Posts

Posted - 06/15/2008 :  07:48:46  Show Profile  Visit Dr. Bob's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Guys

I was speaking with Bossarea about the idea, of starting a thread on slide guitar & alternate tunings.

Basically anything to do with playing Slide or Alternate Tunings:
Techniques
Tunings
Types of slide, you might be using or have seen.
Links, to what you consider good sites for playing slide.
How high you set your action, or low.
Do you use a different guitar/s?
do you use dirt pedals, or boosters?
Do you use single coil or humbuckers?

What do you guys think?

I uploaded a tunings graphic: if it's from your site, please let me know so we can credit you.

I play slide mostly in Dropped G,
& finger pick a few original songs in Dropped D, I also finger pick some swamp in partial Dropped G.

Regards Dr. Bob


DeFrag
Moderator

USA
3409 Posts

Posted - 06/15/2008 :  08:39:19  Show Profile  Visit DeFrag's Homepage  Click to see DeFrag's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Here's a good one:
http://gamefreaks.net/defrag/carbon_pi/files/alternate_tunings.pdf

I created this reference, the same as pasted below:
http://gamefreaks.net/defrag/carbon_pi/files/tunings.xls

Open Tunings
E A D G B E Standard Start with low E, tune to 4ths (except from G to B strings which is raised 3rd)
Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb Half-Step Down All strings down half step
D G C F A D Full-Step Down All strings down whole step
D A D G B E Drop D (metal, powerchords) 6th string down whole step
D A D G B D Double-D (metal, powerchords) 6th & 1st strings down whole step
D A D G A D D Suspended (modal) 6th, 2nd, & 1st strings down whole step
D A D F# A D Open D (fingerstyle) 6th, 2nd, & 1st strings down whole step, 3rd string down half step
D G D G B D Open G (blues, slide) 6th, 5th, & 1st strings down whole step
C G C G C E Open C (fingerstyle) 6th string down two steps, 5th & 4th strings down whole step, 2nd string up half step
E B E A B E Open E 5th, 4th, & 3rd strings up whole step
D A D F A D D Minor 6th, 2nd, & 1st strings down whole step, 3rd string down whole step
D G D G Bb D G Minor 6th, 5th, & 1st strings down whole step, 2nd string down half step


7-String Guitar
B E A D G B E Standard rock
A E A D G B E Jazz barre across all strings
E A D G B E A Breau
A D A D G B E Hunter


8-String Guitar
F# B E A D G B E Standard
F# B E A D G C F Fourths
E A D A D G B E Hunter


12-String Guitar
E ^E A ^A D ^D G ^G B B E E


Dobro/Lap Steel
G B D G B D G
D G D G B D G (alternate)
E D E G# B E E7
C E G A C E C6


Harp Guitar
Low Strings High Strings
E G A B C D E A D G B E
G A B C D G E A D G B E


Banjo
G C G B D C
G D G B D G
E A D G B E 6-string


Ukulele
G C E A C
A D F# B D
D G B E Baritone


Mandolin
GG DD AA EE

Edited by - DeFrag on 06/15/2008 08:42:08
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Goran
Double Platinum Member

Sweden
2203 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  07:03:36  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Nice idea Bob! And great chart DeFrag!

I play slide quite often, but I use open A 95% of the time, the rest is open E. I have tried a lot of tunings but always come back to these.
I also play without a slide in these tunings, but I often use double drop-D instead of the other mentioned (lowering the two E-strings to D).
Very often I use a capo so I could play in different keys, of course I don�t need this, but I like to play with open strings a lot.

I use dedicated guitars for slide, I prefer Strats/single coils, but I also have a Fender metal resonator. For the real heavy stuff I use a guitar built by myself with humbuckers.
My action is quite high but not as high as making fretting too hard. I normally use 0.013 strings with plain �G� string. I have to replace the wound G with a 0.022 as the standard 0.013 set has a wound one.
For slides I use a heavy metal one, made out of a socket wrench. They need to be heavy, as I have more control then. I use glass now and then.
I use my pinkie so that excludes slides with a wide hole.
I have a lot of slides most of them home made.


Edited by - Goran on 06/16/2008 07:10:31
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member

Ireland
3543 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  10:44:18  Show Profile  Visit FRANZONI's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Nice one guys......i can see you all have put a lot of thought and time in this.................all i have to do now is go out to my shed and find the 3ft length of brass pipe i got on a stripout of a site i was working on a few years ago.... i normally play slide in standard tuning with either a beer bottle or a pint or shot glass...basically anything that comes to hand in the middle of a gig..... but i miight set up the tele in one of these tunings and start experimenting a bit......
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Dr. Bob
Moderator

Australia
6593 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  14:19:22  Show Profile  Visit Dr. Bob's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Guys

The Hoolahan Slide/s



Here is an interesting slide I have been looking at but can't find locally.
Steel Version:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=95&pmh=products/slides
There is a video demo on the page as well.

Brass & Glass Version:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=372&pmh=products/slides

All the slides that Jim Dunlop Sell:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/slides&cat=10

The shy Slide - 1/2 slide:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=98&pmh=products/slides

As you guys know, I'm not affiliated in any way with Jim Dunlop.


Regards Dr. Bob
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Dr. Bob
Moderator

Australia
6593 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  14:40:24  Show Profile  Visit Dr. Bob's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Guys

I thought you might want to see this new slide.
One of the most innovative slides I have ever seen.

It's best if you check out their site, it's hard to figure out how this works with seeing the animation,
Anf there's some nice slide playing audio & video demos as well.

Again sadly no Australian distributors.

The jet Slide:
http://www.jetslide.com/

Youtube demo/s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsrK2tY2-_w

Regards Dr. Bob

Edited by - Dr. Bob on 06/16/2008 14:50:05
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Goran
Double Platinum Member

Sweden
2203 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  15:05:03  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Bob

Hi Guys

I thought you might want to see this new slide.
One of the most innovative slides I have ever seen.

It's best if you check out their site, it's hard to figure out how this works with seeing the animation,
Anf there's some nice slide playing audio & video demos as well.

Again sadly no Australian distributors.

The jet Slide:
http://www.jetslide.com/

Youtube demo/s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsrK2tY2-_w

Regards Dr. Bob


This �thing� looks interesting, it has the mass that is needed I think. But it seems quite hard to work with, but with a little training maybe�
But if you have the slide on your pinkie all the other fingers are free for fingering, most of us don�t use the pinkie that much while playing, I presume�
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happyplucker
Bronze Member

United Kingdom
126 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  15:34:08  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
hi there just thought i'd pitch in to this by raising the question, how do you 'control' the strings with your right hand. what methods/tricks do you guys employ?

plucker
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Dr. Bob
Moderator

Australia
6593 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  15:44:19  Show Profile  Visit Dr. Bob's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Goran & Guys

To some extent, you're right about using the little finger.
I tend to move/use the Ring or Pinkie, depending on the song.

For when I use the Pinkie, I made a half/or one third length size slide,
it's about 20-25mm long, slips all the way over the Pinkie, & still allows me to bend the tip section of that finger, for some quick chording.

the drawback with it, is the you have to have your hand higher toward the top 6th string, because the slide is a lot further down on your finger, still it woks well.

I used a clear glass bottle for this, it's very difficult to see it from the audience's perspective, & looks pretty cool,
You get the " how is he getting that slide sound, I can't see any slide" comments...

Regards Dr. Bob
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DeFrag
Moderator

USA
3409 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  16:21:35  Show Profile  Visit DeFrag's Homepage  Click to see DeFrag's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I've got a lap-steel on my list:



with a good-lookin' Shubb:


Edited by - DeFrag on 06/16/2008 16:31:11
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Dr. Bob
Moderator

Australia
6593 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  16:28:40  Show Profile  Visit Dr. Bob's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi DeFrag

Thanks for the link to the "alternate_tunings.pdf"
First link in your post, on your server.

Lots of good reading & great info.

Regards Dr. Bob


Edited by - Dr. Bob on 06/16/2008 16:29:24
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bossarea
Forum Admin

United Kingdom
3652 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  16:48:42  Show Profile  Visit bossarea's Homepage  Reply with Quote
For years I used to think playing slide was absolutely impossible. Then I came across an interview with Keith Rechards and realized that alternate tunings was the way to go. Can't remember what Stones song was covered in that magazine but it used DADGAD tuning so that's what I've stuck with ever since. Later I bought a couple of books on the subject but playing is fun and reading is boring so I don't think I ever read them.
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Goran
Double Platinum Member

Sweden
2203 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2008 :  19:55:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by DeFrag

I've got a lap-steel on my list:



I�ve had a Gretsh lap steel for about a year, bought an instruction book too. But I couldn�t make it, it didn�t ever sound good, so I gave it up and sold the thing.
Of course I could do about the same things David Gilmore does, but I wanted to be able to play country licks. But, I can�t even play country very well on a regular guitar...
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Goran
Double Platinum Member

Sweden
2203 Posts

Posted - 06/17/2008 :  06:59:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
A technique that I have tried, but far away from mastered, is to bend strings behind the slide (when the slide is covering more than one string) to create variations of chords. You bend with one of the �free� fingers, it�s hard but possible.
I think I read about it in an article about Sonny Landreth.

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Dr. Bob
Moderator

Australia
6593 Posts

Posted - 06/17/2008 :  08:49:52  Show Profile  Visit Dr. Bob's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Goran

A technique that I have tried, but far away from mastered, is to bend strings behind the slide (when the slide is covering more than one string) to create variations of chords. You bend with one of the �free� fingers, it�s hard but possible.
I think I read about it in an article about Sonny Landreth.




Hi Goran
That sounds like an interesting technique, & one I have never heard of before.

Do you know if there are any examples of this technique on the web, or places like youtube?

Regards Dr. Bob
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Goran
Double Platinum Member

Sweden
2203 Posts

Posted - 06/17/2008 :  09:26:22  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Bob

quote:
Originally posted by Goran

A technique that I have tried, but far away from mastered, is to bend strings behind the slide (when the slide is covering more than one string) to create variations of chords. You bend with one of the �free� fingers, it�s hard but possible.
I think I read about it in an article about Sonny Landreth.




Hi Goran
That sounds like an interesting technique, & one I have never heard of before.

Do you know if there are any examples of this technique on the web, or places like youtube?

Regards Dr. Bob



Th eone I refer to was in an analog magazine, but I did a quick google search, and found those:

http://www.radioyur.com/sles2.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PzBbTBsRsg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYAaAOSMDVQ

I guess they are more of fretting behind the bar than bending behind the bar. But fretting behind the bar is also very useful, and a lot easier than bending.
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