We've looked at finding ‘The Sweet Spot’, and here I want to take it on to the next step - maintaining that sweet tone whilst moving around the fretboard. Let's concentrate on achieving the perfect balance of pressure, something I call ‘parallel pressure’, to ensure your slides are as smooth and clear as possible.
Understanding Parallel Pressure
The essence of slide guitar lies in controlling the pressure you apply as you move the slide along the strings. Think of it as maintaining that sweet spot we found last week. As you slide, try to apply consistent pressure across the fretboard. This consistency is crucial for avoiding unwanted noises, like the string being pulled onto the fret or poor slide contact.
Problem 1: String pulled onto the frets
One of the most common problems I see when beginners are trying to get a smooth slide, is a zing-ing sound. This happens when the string is being pulled onto the frets as you slide up. Usually this can be addressed by checking what your elbow is doing. Most people automatically leave their elbow where it is while their hand moves. This causes the slide to dip inwards and pull the string onto the fret, creating the buzzing.
Solution 1:
The solution is that you need to move your elbow as well as your hand. Imagine your hand and elbow as one cohesive unit, making precise and controlled movements. Move them as one piece up and down with the slide.
Problem 2: Not enough contact
However, it’s also possible to go too far the other way, and not maintain enough contact between the string and the slide. This will also lead to an uneven and unsatisfying sound. It’s important to really listen to your own playing, and learn the difference between the two sounds - so much pressure that you’re pulling the string, or not enough pressure.
Solution 2:
Listen, listen, and listen again, to be sure which of these problems you are having. If it’s not enough contact, experiment with increasing your pressure, and maintaining it at the right level. Here’s a video to explain the two problems and their solutions: https://share.descript.com/view/TgGbyNmEdru
Let me know how you get on in the comments!
Happy sliding!
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