The use of a Slide can add a complete new dimension to your Guitar Playing. It is a amazing experience to listen to melodies coming to your ears from a Guitar played by using a Slide. If you have never used a Slide before you simply will not know what the experience is like.
In this article I will explore the various roles Slide playing can play for your music.
Never used a Slide before in your life? Do not know what “Slide” stands for? No sure what kind of Slide to get? Do not worry, the next video will answer all these questions as it will explain in detail how to get started with Slide Guitar. Watch the video in its full length. It will explain about how to use-and hold your fingers, what kind of Slide to use, how to Set-Up your Guitar, your String Gauge and how to actually play the guitar whilst using a Slide.
Okay so now we know how to get started with a Slide, let us now make some music by using a Slide.
The next video shows mainly Singe Note Slide playing. The sound of the Slide is very natural and does not contain any sound processing whatsoever. The focus is not so much on the Slide, the Slide only forms part of the music which develops throughout the course of the video. I used a Slide mainly to get a difference in sound. The sound difference creates a contrast between the sound of the delays and the loops. This variety in sound may be one of the reasons why you may want to use a Slide for yourself since the sound of a Slide is unique. You can use the Slide in any way you want really, no reason you should not want to try using one!
The next video demos the role of the Slide in a more prominent role: The sound of the Slide is much fuller compared to previous video: The sound is more traditional and was treated with the use a OverDrive pedal. Using a Overdrive pedal makes the sound of the Slide stand out more. It sits better in the context of the rest of the music soundwise. The music is fairly traditional compared to the music of the previous video hence my choice for a more traditional sound of the Slide as well.
In terms of playing I use the Slide to enhance the notes of the riff and solo. I also use the Slide to play harmonically for the use of those “A” shape chord types. Even the Loop pedal is used in combination with the Slide. Every Tool used in this video serves the purpose of the sound of the Music!
Both last videos show how you can use a Slide in a very different and unique way. The first video is good for a general overview of what is on offer sonically by using a Slide.
There are other ways how one can use a Slide, I will write about those others ways of playing with a Slide for future blogs.
Hope you will have find this helpful for your own Guitar Playing and Music Making and hope to see you soon again for more.
Thanks and Enjoy!
Eddie