My Slides Suck!

[dcj2]

What advice/excercises can someone sugguest to make my slides sound better? I do OK with a single string, but when I try to do barred or multistring slides (like in the into solo on "Wish You Were Here") its sounds awful. Too much pressure and I kill the sustain and the notes die before I get to the second position, too little pressure and I just deaden the strings. Is there a "trick" to getting a clean, smooth and sustained sound when sliding across more than one fret?

[raymix]

a Trick ?

I know what u mean, and something that works for me is to know exactly
where you'll land your slide. I don't put extra/or less pressure when sliding.
I just play the same way I do with 2 or 3 strings at the same time without sliding.

And stay relax.

My 0.00002 cents

Ray.

[ez-one]

its all about pracitcie practice practice, what I did was first get use to doing a double stop slide using the same fret on the first and second strings and also working on sliding the D7th chord (3 string slide) for me it seemed that the D7 was easier that the same fret first and second string, I would often pull the high E off of the fret and get a real nasty sound, once I was getting them to sound clean and smooth I started doing 3 strings and other chords C7, E, E7, Am etc.... you will get better at it if you keep practicing but its like anything else on the guitar, you don't start out playing a Randy Rhodes solo, first you need to learn the scales and pracitce finger exerises etc... its the same with slides, bends, you don't start out learning double bends before you have learned how to bend one string. So I would ssuggest going back and working on the basic slides first

[Scott7975]

You know, I remember when I first started learning (that wasnt long ago lol I am still very much a beginner), I use to have the same trouble you are describing. Press too hard and the sound fades press a little less and you mute. Then one day it all just clicked. I dont know how or why it just did. I think because my finger strength got better overtime and I think early on when I tried the slides I tended to put more pressure on the way down then I originally had. That may be what you are doing to. Try to keep the same pressure you have holding the chord during the slide and try catching yourself if you start putting more pressure on it.

[disobedience]

To add to what Raymix said...make sure you know where your going to land..and don't slide to slowly or you'll lose the effect ;)

[duckstabbers]

however dont go too quickly because the effectwill fly by!!! just takes some practise really!!!!

[joeuser]

I know if I just practiced more, I'd find the answer, but...

Do you keep your thumb pressure on the back of the neck when you slide? Or do you release your thumb pressure and instead keep pressure with your arm by pulling the guitar against your body while you slide?

Also some of those strings are coarse and really tenderise my fingertips when I slide around like that. Is this normal?

[ez-one]

sliding barr chords I keep about the same pressure as normal with my thumb, some double stop slides I seem to automaticlly lighten up on my thumb some. Use a good string cleaner/lubricant. Adding a slide or two into a song should not really tear up your fingers, as long as your strings are in good shape and not coroaded. Practicing nothing but slides for 20 mins will

[RADAR_Brian]

I'm no slide expert, but your guitar may be so good and have such a low action that it is extra hard to find the sweet spot with your slide. I've seen some people actually stick a nail under their strings at the first fret to raise the action. I wouldn't do that though hehe.

[GeorgeC]

You got some great advice. One addition, try thicker strings. You're not using 9s are you? Play slide with tens and up. Use a broad neck too. I can slide a lot better on a Gibson than my Fender.