Okay ... I had some requests for some slide guitar ... so let's start out with one of my favorite musicians and songs ... Fred McDowell's "You Got To Move."

The song is in open D tuning (D-A-D-F#-A-D, from low strings to high strings).

All the notes are played with the slide, except, obvioulsy, the notes on the open strings.

Please note ... very few slide guitar players play with the slide exclusively ... most of us use a mix of slide work and fretting with our fingers. Muddy, Son House, Robert Johnson, Furry Lewis, Bukka White, Johnny Winter, Tampa Red, Fred McDowell, Taj, John Hammond, Ry Cooder, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie Mctell ... just about everyone combines the slide with finger fretting. Of course, there songs/pieces that are exceptions ... and this one by Fred McDowell is an exception to the rule.

"You Got To Move" is a good place to start ... 'cause most of you know how the song goes ... and that makes learning and correcting mistakes easier and more apparent as you work your way through it ... and it's short.

Like always ... take it sloooowly ... crawl before you walk ... don't rush ... it can/should sound just as good at a snail's pace ... as it can/should at a medium tempo. As a matter of fact ... i prefer this song to be played slowly and ... with feeling.

Note ... in lieu of my comments above about mixing your slide technique with finger fretting ... IMHO ... a guitar that you are using for slide should have the action set up a bit higher than 'normal,' so that it plays cleanly with your slide, with no fret buzzes, yet is still easy enough to play by fretting with your fingers when necessary. If your guitar's action is set up too high, and you can't fret it with your fingers ... you might as well be playing a lap steel guitar. So, the set-up should be a happy medium of action between standard finger-fret playing and slide use.

Also note; Don't be too 'aggressive' with your slide ... even though it might look like us slide guitarists are really slamming the slide on the neck (especially in the Son House videos) ... in truth ... the touch for slide guitar is really very delicate, much more delicate than fretting with your fingers ... so only apply enough pressure to get the string to respond ... don't push down excessively with the slide ... you will eventually find just the right touch/balance to get the strings to respond properly. A light touch is better than a heavy touch ... your ears will inform you.

Have fun with this one.

Cheers, and Happy Pickin' and Grinnin'

Hawkeye

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Good job Hawkeye.

Thanks Grady.

I'll try to keep 'em comin' ... until touring starts to dominate my time ... at the end of the month.
Cheers,
Hawkeye

Hawkeye,

Thank you very much.

BG,

Much obliged.

(Get that action readjusted to suit both finger-fretting and slide playing )

... and by the way ... this Fred McDowell song is a good one for church services, ya know ... it's a 'sacred song.' Here's photo of Fred McDowell's grave in Como, MS ... with a verse to the song etched in his gravestone.

Enjoy,

Hawkeye

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thanks once again hawkeye.

jaycee,

sho' 'nuff.

Enjoy.

Hawkeye