Ok, maybe just for an old fart that's been playing regular six string all his life.  I keep wanting to press down too hard with the slide.  I'm thinking of changing to thicker strings.  Learning to mute appears to be key, so I don't have all that unwanted noise and buzzing.  It's totally like learning a new instrument for me, and that isn't as easy as it used to be!  Tips and gratuities gladly accepted!

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  • Thanks so much everyone, I will take all of your advice to heart.  I restrung my CBG with slightly heavier strings, and bought a ceramic slide.  It seems to be better for me than the bottle.  It really helps to keep the guitar tipped out, so I can only see the side markers, to get the slide straight and level on the fretboard.  I'm starting to see potential, so now it's practice, practice, practice!

  • Well, all the real good tips have already been given so now it's a question of spending time having at it. Looking at it like learning a new instrument is helpful so you can have some patience with yourself and not expect instant gratificacation. I play with slide on my pinky usually and use my index to lightly dampen strings behind the slide. This helps to lessen unwanted sounds. Good luck!

  • 2 more.  Keep that slide flat and parallel to the finger board.   Best to use the little finger or at least practice with that finger some.  Because at some point you are likely to do some finger noting or chording.  

  • Others say the same, but here are my keys.  Sit up straight with good posture for you and the git.  Use a strap to hold the git in place.   Slide firmly but not too heavily and drag you index finger behind the slide.   Slide up and into the note or chord.   A bit of slide movement is good.   Mark the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets.  Those and open are your key spots.   5 minutes a day of playing. 

  • slide rattle  can  depend  on alot of things ..  different people  hold  a slide   at  different  angles     and with    different  fingers  . 

    even  different  slides  ..  if your angle  is  not  flat across   ,,   you    may   get   rattle on  either  end string  ,,     if  by  nature  you  cant  break  the habit  of your      finger  / wrist angle  ..  try a tapered slide  , like  a  bottle  neck  ..  try  it   both  ways  too. taperd  back  and  foward  . 

    some folks also     use   their    trail   fingers to  mute the strings  behind  the slide  abit  ..  because  you are bound to  get some rattle    no  matter  what  . ( or palm  mute .)

     also  there  is the     "approach"   to  the  string     , i  say "approach"  because ; think   of the  slide  as an  airplane    landing   on the string    at an  angle,   and  approach  the  string as  such  ..this  will  reduce   rattle  .

       a head on  drop  is  more likely to  produce rattle ,

    the same  with  lift  off    . but  dont  be afraid of  the string approach   even on a drop.

    bottom line  ,  the more  you  play ,  the more  you will  find  out  what works best   for you  . 

    it  will  get  better  . 

    sit up straight  also    , that  helps  . ;-) dont  tilt  the  guitar to  see the  fret markers  , use the side markers  .

    then again  ..  some  folks  let  it  rattle away     and  call  it  "character"  ;-)

     that works too. 

    and if all  else  fails  ..  you  can  kill  the  problem  totally  with this  .

    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/swamp-witch-guitars-re...

  • Take Seasick Steve's advice, "With only one string you can’t go wrong" and build yourself a diddley bow. It's easy to get a handle on it when you only have to worry about one string.

    The key to learning slide for me has been using open tunings, either G or D, and working on some basic Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor licks. If you try to jump right into something complicated like standard tuning slide and/or Sonny Landreth or Derek Trucks style stuff, you'll get frustrated quickly.

    Getting a slide you're comfortable with is important as well. I've got about 30 slides, not counting ones I make for resell. You can use moleskin to pad the opening to get a better fit.

    I've found that using a thumb and finger pick works better for me than a regular pick but everyone is different.

    And, yes, muting is important but you can get away with some string noise and such if you play easy and raucous music first before trying the cleaner stuff.

    • Thanks Frank!  Good advice.  I just ordered a ceramic slide because the Coricidin bottle didn't feel right.  Good point about the rowdier music.  Distortion should help on my electric too!

  •   As an old fart six string player who couldn't play slide , I will offer up "my" tips.   #1:   Sneak up on your six string and attack it with the slide .  I did this by ignoring it for two years and playing slide on my 3 string CBG.  Then I tuned my six string to a open chord, only to investigate what string combinations I might want to use for my next 3 string, and ......Surprise...... I could play slide on a six !     #2:  Don't do #1 , it takes to long.    Maybe try playing only three or four of the treble strings on the six to start.     #3: I do like thicker strings with slide, for more string tension.   Without changing strings try tuning up to a different open tuning , for more tension.   Slightly higher action on the guitar will help too.     #4:  Muting is key.  So much so that, I have grown to think of muting as isolating the strings I'm playing . I do finger pick ,which helps "me".     #5: The slide. Your slide should have a radius like the strings on your six.   Different players prefer different materials for a slide.  When I began brass was the only thing that worked for me,at all.    For me the fit of the slide is critical.  I need it to feel like it's part of my finger.     #6:    Attack it, keep at it, play sloppy, make mistakes forgivingly and learn from them.   Make it fun!   Something will "pop" suddenly and you will discover the basics of your technique.            I hope some of this helps.                   

    • Awesome, I was hoping a grizzled veteran could give me some pointers! I will give these points a try.
  • Stick with it!  Things'll pop soon enough!

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