How much pressure to put on the slide - Slide and Alternate tunings

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

Ricochet — Wed, 17 May 2006 00:39:44 +0000

Today I'm using my Craftsman socket on my tricone reso. It's an 11/16", and when I use it on my ring finger it fits snugly on the last two phalanges, distal to the PCP joint. On my little finger, it fits over the whole finger. Technique's a little different that way, but both ways work.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

kronie — Tue, 16 May 2006 21:39:14 +0000

Right now I'm using a brass preachin' pipe sort of one, great tone! I tend to use my ring finger as well, but I'm working on the pinky more and just a general solid technique. I've only been playing slide for a short time, but it's working out. I love it either way, and will always be in my repertoire.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

Ricochet — Sat, 13 May 2006 01:27:11 +0000

I slid mostly with my ring finger for years. Lately I've mostly used my little finger. I switch for certain tunes, as there are things you can easily do with one but not the other.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

DemoEtc — Sat, 13 May 2006 00:08:33 +0000

Thanks for all the help guys!!!

I would have prefered a metal slide, but as I said, I'm saving for an electric!!! ; )

Just a few other questions... what finger should I put my slide on?? Does it matter, or is it preference?
And when buying a slide, should it should fit snuggly on your finger right? It shouldn't really be loose?

Thanks for all your help with my sliding!!!

-Alex You should experiment with having it on each finger. I wound up using it mostly on the pinky (for years), and recently started putting it on the middle finger because I was interested in getting what I found out were called 'slants.' Then I got a lap steel and haven't played much slide guitar since. ;)

As far as the fit is concerned, again you can check out different sizes. My regular metal slide was one of those 'standard' Dunlop ones - for the pinky - and it would fit up to the second knuckle. But I've also gotten the larger ones where my finger can rattle around inside and it still doesn't make too much difference because when you're playing your finger sorta bends inside it and it gets snug all over again. I've also got an actual medicine bottle (not Coricidin though) - I think Bufferin had a bottle in the 70s or something. That one's weird because it fits all the way over the pinky but there's no hole on the other end so your finger becomes like a clapper in a bell, almost. Plus your finger sweats in there :)

Right now, I'm sticking with a steel bullet bar.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

dogbite — Sat, 13 May 2006 00:08:04 +0000

alex. good to see you hanging in there.
you are playing a round neck (non squreneck lap style) guitar with a glass slide.

what finger the slide goes on is a bit subjective; players will have favs.

when I did bottle neck slide I tended to favor the ring finger.
somehow I wanted my pinky free to hit other strings and other frets while sliding.
another reason , my ring finger felt like it had more stregth.
not hat much is needed for bar pressure, but for the extra work that finger got.

I am looking for small metal slides for the fingers now myself.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

Geek in the Pink — Fri, 12 May 2006 23:28:03 +0000

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

lanzdona — Fri, 12 May 2006 04:28:56 +0000

I like the metal slides
I've broken too many of the glass ones
You'll end up with at least a dozen or more anyway
just so you can find one when you want one
I leave them all over the place so I can just reach over and grab one when I need it!

Be sure to keep your slide parallel with the fret and not at a sloppy angle
It takes practice, but it's addictive!

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

greybeard — Thu, 11 May 2006 10:27:43 +0000

I wll echo Rico's sentiment about Diamond slides. In contrast to many companies, you'll also get excellent customer service.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

Big D. — Thu, 11 May 2006 02:04:25 +0000

Thanks Rico.... :wink:

Slide On!

Ian.

RE: How much pressure to put on the slide

Ricochet — Thu, 11 May 2006 01:41:38 +0000

DO click on Ian's link above to http://diamondbottlenecks.com/ No finer glass slides are to be found anywhere.