Some basic techniques...

An important consideration when switching between the D and G tunings is that any riff or lick played in the open G tuning can also be played in open D by moving the same pattern down one string. For instance if the riff starts on the 1st string at the 12th fret in open G, it can be played by starting on the 2nd string at the 12th fret in open D. Remember that if your guitar is tuned to an open major chord, when you hold the slide across all the strings at one fret, you are playing another major chord. Keeping this in mind, practice sliding whole chords up the neck as well as individual strings. Applying vibrato to an entire chord produces a shimmering tone unique to this style of playing. The strings can either be played using a pick, your bare fingers, or using finger and thumb picks. Each method produces a dufferent tone and requires a slightly different playing technique. Listening is every bit as important as practicing. If you don't already have a good blues album collection, get one! A good idea is to copy slide guitar pieces that you particularly like or want to learn onto one tape from your records or CDs, and then listen to that tape until you know every note on it. As a staring point, albums I'd suggest listening to are anything by the following artists:
Robert Johnson, Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers, J.B.Hutto, Son House, Robert Nighthawk, Elmore James, Homesick James, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters, George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Roy Rogers, John Hammond, Leo Kottke, Ry Cooder, Duane Allman, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, Jeff Healey, Matt Taylor & Chain, Dave Hole, Kevin Borich, The Ten-cent Shooters ( These last four artists are all Australian).


	"It's child's play!"
	When playing with the fingers, notes are sounded by placing a finger behind the fret that you want to sound the note on. When playing slide, the note is sounded by placing the slide directly above the fret. When playing slide, the two most important words to remember are tension and anticipation. When a guitar is played in "normal" fashion, the notes are struck with a sharp attack and then the note gradually decays. With a slide, the attack becomes much longer, producing an almost horn-like tone. What makes the sound of slide guitar so poignant is that the notes are "squeezed" out of the guitar, rather than "struck" out of the guitar.
	Here's some examples of important basic techniques (All following examples are using open G )... Example 1, Sliding up. Place the slide over the 12th fret, then strike the 2nd and 1st strings in rapid succession. Now try this. Place the slide over the 10th fret, strike the 2nd string and slowly and gently move the slide up to the 12th fret. When you get to the 12th fret, immediately strike the 1st string, which the slide should now also be touching at the 12th fret. Remember, don't push the strings down onto the neck with the slide, just move the slide lightly over the strings. How you arrive at the note you play is just as important as what note you play. Above all, don't rush it! Example 2, Vibrato. Vibrato is a term used to describe rapidly raising and lowering the pitch of a note in small increments. Whether done with the fingers or a slide, is an important technique in all blues playing. Indeed, blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters and many others, have made this technique a "trademark" of their playing styles. Once you've practiced example 1 enough times to be familiar with it, try this. Play exactly what you've been playing in example1, but when you strike the note on the 1st string, move the slide up and down the neck in small, rapid movements. You'll need to have keep your wrist very relaxed to produce this effect smoothly. Example 3, Hammer-on. This is a technique that is fundamental to all styles of guitar playing. Simply put, it is the technique of playing a second note by rapidly pushing an already vibrating string onto the neck of the guitar. Try this: Hit the 5th string open - this produces the note G. While the note is still sounding, rapidly bring your 2nd finger down onto the string at the 2nd fret, producing the note A. Example 4, Pull-off. No, it's not what you think! A pull off is exactly the reverse of the Hammer-on. Try this: While holding the 5th string down at the 2nd fret, hit the string, producing the note A. As soon as you sound the note, rapidly pull your finger off the string. A second note, G, will now be sounding. Combining the hammer-on and pull-off in rapid succession is what as known as a "Trill". Both the hammer-on and pull-off can be done with either your finger or the slide. Example 5, Slide-lift and mute. Repeat what you practiced in example 1, but when you've brought the slide up to the 12th fret on the 2nd string, immediately lift it off the string, allowing the other fingers off your left hand to touch the strings, muting them, before striking the 1st string. This technique can be used to produce a sharp, staccato, rhythmic effect. Example 6, Arpeggios. Arpeggios are an important tool in slide playing. An arpeggio is simply when a chord is played by sounding some or all of it's notes individually. Holding the slide across all of the strings at the 5th fret, pick each string individually, downwards from the 6th string to the 1st string.
	Putting it all together: Have a look at my Youtube site for other clips
	Some other important stuff An important consideration when switching between the D and G tunings is that any riff or lick played in the open G tuning can also be played in open D by moving the same pattern down one string. For instance if the riff starts on the 1st string at the 12th fret in open G, it can be played by starting on the 2nd string at the 12th fret in open D. Remember that if your guitar is tuned to an open major chord, when you hold the slide across all the strings at one fret, you are playing another major chord. Keeping this in mind, practice sliding whole chords up the neck as well as individual strings. Applying vibrato to an entire chord produces a shimmering tone unique to this style of playing. The strings can either be played using a pick, your bare fingers, or using finger and thumb picks. Each method produces a dufferent tone and requires a slightly different playing technique. Listening is every bit as important as practicing. If you don't already have a good blues album collection, get one! A good idea is to copy slide guitar pieces that you particularly like or want to learn onto one tape from your records or CDs, and then listen to that tape until you know every note on it. As a staring point, albums I'd suggest listening to are anything by the following artists: Robert Johnson, Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers, J.B.Hutto, Son House, Robert Nighthawk, Elmore James, Homesick James, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters, George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Roy Rogers, John Hammond, Leo Kottke, Ry Cooder, Duane Allman, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, Jeff Healey, Matt Taylor & Chain, Dave Hole, Kevin Borich, The Ten-cent Shooters ( These last four artists are all Australian).

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Putting it all together: