Fretboard Roadmaps for Slide Guitar (Sokolow) might be another option.
I bought it and If I remember correctly that's a book and an audio cd with no visual. The sound samples were of electric guitar with a backing track.
That's correct. The book is blues based but maybe to blues-rock orientated for us acoustic freaks. And yes raising the action on your guitar is the first thing you do when playing with a slide.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2015, 06:13:37 AM by harry »
Feldmann is a good place to begin but just get a slide, tune to Spanish or Vastapol and start sliding without worrying too much so that you get a feel for things and start to get a clean sound. This will put you in a betr place to decide on which equipment would best suit. Then get stuck into some songs.
I think youtube is a good place to at least explore -- sometimes you have to wade through a bunch of muck, but I am often surprised by the good instruction on youtube. Searching for "acoustic blues slide guitar lesson" turns up lots of hits. One recommendation - I see many on youtube putting the slide on their third finger. Use your pinky, in the long run it is a more versatile technique. Get a slide that has a little heft to it.
I agree with Slack that Youtube is a good place to start, and also about using your pinky and getting a slide with a some weight to it. Orville Johnson has a nice intro to slide:
I recommend getting a couple of different slides to start with--one with a tighter fit and one with a looser fit--and learn how to use them both (precision vs. vibrato). I'd definitely stay away from the pricey designer or boutique items until you're sure that they are right for you.
There's so much on Youtube that's it's difficult to find the time to watch the seemingly endless offerings, but take a look at Catfish Keith for his use of vibrato. And of course, Ry Cooder.
I've seen Brozman's series and IMHO, it's quite informative. But to say the allegations that surfaced after his death have been troubling for many of us, is an understatement.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2015, 01:33:44 PM by Stuart »
I'd suggest staying away from those cheap pyrex slides.
I broke my treasured, hand made by me, real bottle bottleneck slide back in the mid-70s and bought a "Clear Glass" brand (remember those?) small heavy to use in its place in a pinch. I was able to adjust to it and it worked pretty well until I could make a suitable replacement. I think Clear Glass went out of business, but Dunlop makes a similar product. Yeah, I prefer the good stuff, but I can play with the cheap shit junk as well.
I watched a couple and they seemed okay, although I would recommend wearing eye protection. If you or someone you know has a Dremel tool or a similar tool with a cutting disk for ceramics and/or glass, they should also work. The Dremel has attachments that will work well for smoothing the rough edges.
Also, a while back we discussed the "Delta Slider" bottleneck that Elderly sold at one time. I checked and it looks like the website is still up, although I don't know if they are currently available.
I watched a couple and they seemed okay, although I would recommend wearing eye protection. If you or someone you know has a Dremel tool or a similar tool with a cutting disk for ceramics and/or glass, they should also work. The Dremel has attachments that will work well for smoothing the rough edges.
Also, a while back we discussed the "Delta Slider" bottleneck that Elderly sold at one time. I checked and it looks like the website is still up, although I don't know if they are currently available.
Thank you so much Stuart, I was inspired by the how-to videos and made one myself! Its much easier than I thought. Here is my second attempt at making a bottle neck slider (the first one didnt come out so great...):
Well done, Zohar! Like Slack says, make sure the edges get smoothed out.
Some glass and ceramic artists use a wet belt sander to smooth rough edges. But it's not like there's a glass artist on every corner. However, it might be worth your while to check to see if there's anyone in your area that has one.
Hi Zohar, that's a great way to start out with slide, cutting your own !
I expect you've got a bunch of songs in your head you want to learn, but if you're thinking about trying some instructional material, my vote is for Steve James, like this for free on youtube :