Nothin' but the Blues

First, in Open-G tuning, blues songs in the key of G (and, to a lesser degree, the key of D) are very easy to play. But in Open-E, the key of E is the easiest key to play.
Secondly, in Open-E, at any fret, the highest string yields the root note of whatever chord that fret plays. This causes the chord to have a different "feeling" than in Open-G, where the chord is inverted differently. The difference is hard to put into words; to me, Open-E "feels" brighter and more upbeat, while Open-G "feels" a little more "brooding".

The two tunings create distinctly different moods and feelings in a song, and it is up to you to decide which you like better for any given song. Personally, I like Open-E better for more "retro"-style Delta blues, and I play it on a Telecaster to get that gritty twangy tone that fits Delta blues nicely. For other forms of blues, like Chicago blues, I like Open-G. But this is just my own personal preference. It is highly subjective.

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What exactly is slide guitar?

"Slide guitar" refers to the use of a cylindrical tube (or "slide"), usually made of glass or metal, which is placed over one finger. Instead of pressing strings down at various frets, the slide is placed in contact with the strings very gently, without pushing the strings down into the frets. The slide is moved up and down the length of the strings to change the notes, always gently touching the strings.

The result is notes (and chords) that bend up and down in pitch (e.g. they "slide"). All those notes sweeping up and down create that haunting sound so common in blues. The slide can also be vibrated up and down the string to create a vibrato effect. To hear a sample, click here.

The use of slide allows the guitarist to be very expressive, mimicking the human voice or invoking deep emotion or strong "bluesy" energy. Slide guitar can be done with a very clean guitar sound, yielding a very mellow, bluesy feeling, or it can be used with a more "rock-n-roll" distorted sound, which adds an exhilirating edge to blues-rock songs.

Slide guitar is also referred to as "bottleneck slide" because the broken-off neck of a bottle was often used as a slide in the early days of blues.

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What's so special about putting the two together?
When a slide is used in standard tuning, individual strings can be played, with their notes sliding up and down. But when playing several strings together, there are not that many places on the neck that result in pleasing (or useful) chords.

But in an open tuning, all that changes. Since you can play a major chord by barring any fret with one finger, this also means that all the strings will yield a major chord using the slide no matter where the slide is placed on the neck.

Since 12-bar blues uses lots of major chords, an open tuning plus the use of a slide make a perfect combination, allowing the slide to yield both individual notes and sweet sweeping chords that fit the 12-bar structure wonderfully, all the time adding that rich bluesy feeling to the song. To hear a sample in Open-G, click here.

I'll provide a sample in Open-E sometime soon.

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Who says Open-G (or Open-E) tuning is better than standard tuning?
In truth, neither is "better". They are all good and useful, each in it's own way.

Open tunings are well suited for blues, especially when using a slide, but it is a little harder to play minor chords in open tunings (also, playing more "jazzy" sounding 7th chords are harder to do). For most forms of music outside blues, standard tuning is probably better. Also, the pentatonic (or "blues") scale is a little easier to play in standard tuning. But, overall, Open-G and Open-E tunings work really well in 12-bar blues thanks to their droning "bluesy" sound.

In the end, it's really just a matter of what the guitarist is most comfortable with, as well as personal preference. Anyone with a more dogmatic view than this should probably not be listened to.

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Where did slide guitar come from?

The earliest use of the slide did not actually occur on the guitar, but rather, on the "diddley bow". This crude, one-stringed instrument was literally made from whatever junk was laying around, like wood scraps, a long wire, nails, and a broken-off bottle neck to use as a slide. This single-note instrument dates back to the earliest days of blues, especially for those too poor to buy a guitar. Without any frets to use as a visual guide, it was actually pretty hard to play a "diddley-bow", but when it was played by a master, the amazing sound was both haunting and eerie. To hear a sample, click here.

The "diddley-bow" used a slide out of neccessity, since it had no frets. But the use of a slide was soon considered a "neccessity" for guitars too. In the sticky, humid heat of the deep South, the weather wreaked havoc on the tuning of guitars, making the frets almost useless. Slides began to be used with guitars simply to be able to play a note that was in tune! But as playing styles evolved over time, the really cool sound became another good reason to use a slide.

Some of the earliest slide recordings were made by Robert Johnson in the late 1930s. Decades later, Muddy Waters popularized the use of slide again, making it his own personal trademark and inspiring an entire generation of blues musicians after him (including me).

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What kinds of slides are available?
Slides can be gotten in different sizes and materials. Different tube sizes are needed to fit on different fingers. Short slides will only span across a few guitar strings, while longer slides span all the strings. The size and length of a slide should be chosen based on how you want to use it, and which finger you plan to put it on.

The material the slide is made of will determine how it sounds. Heavier slides will produce the best tone. Pyrex glass slides are said to have a warmer thicker sound. Brass slides have a bright resonant tone, while chrome slides are brighter still.

I had to experiment to find the slide I liked best. In the process, I bought a bunch of slides that were overpriced, fit poorly, and sounded like crap. I then found the slide of my dreams, the magnificent "Rock Slide". This machine-crafted slide is the result of computer-aided design (CAD) and precision machining. It is designed to fit the finger perfectly without slipping off or pinching. It also has mass added on the inside to increase the output. I bought the medium size chrome slide (for use on my pinky finger), and I have never used any of the other slides since! By the way, the "Rock Slide" cost me less than the crappy ones it replaced...

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What finger should the slide go on?
Different players prefer different fingers. It just depends on personal preference. Personally, I use the pinky finger, because it frees up my other fingers to play regular (non-slide) notes and chords.

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How hard is it to play slide guitar?
Like anything, it takes practice. But I found I could do nice things with a slide pretty quickly. Even though I've never been that good at playing lead solos (with my slow clumsy fingers), I learned to play some basic lead solo riffs with a slide in short order. Using a slide allowed me to play lead solos well for the first time ever. So I guess it will vary with each person, but for me, I love it!

And, of course, being in an open tuning makes it easier...

Shameless plug:
In the songs I've recorded for "The Bluez Projekt", I have used Open-G slide extensively. And since I got my Telecaster, I've begun using Open-E more and more as well.

To hear samples that use Open-G slide at one point or another, click here , here , here , and here .
To hear samples that use Open-E slide, click here and here , and check back soon and I will have some more samples added here.

Or, just go to "The Bluez Projekt" to play the samples there.

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