[Bearz]

Hi KevKraft,
Besides Kirk's tutorials on playing in dropped D which I just ordered and looking forward very much to trying, there is a very good DVD on playing in regular tuning by Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule. He has a great and very clean approach to slide in regular tuning on the second part of his DVD called "Warren Haynes, Blues and Slide Guitar"
From it you can get to see the notes he plays and start to get a road map of the fretboard from a slide perspective. The way I see regular tuning is that it is actually half open tuning (d,g and b strings makes open 'g' right?) so this can help a great deal. My only criticism of it the DVD is that Warren Haynes does not really explain clearly his right hand technique which is vital for muting unwanted strings etc.
Anyway, this is my first post here and I look forward a lot to learning from you guys a little more about the very underrated and still relatively unexplored world of electric slide guitar.

Best
Bearz

[Cliff]

Kirk does a nice job showing the muting in his dvd. You'll enjoy it.

[gregory70]

Standard tuning mostly - just keep the slide in my pocket and pull it out when I need it. I also tuned a Suhr Tele to open E so I could play like Bonamassa. For most keys, I like standard. Sometimes, it seems necessary to play open E.

[Schermerberger]

for what it's worth, being a newbie to the slide I did try some of that great floor polish stuff out, you know the vestapol. It can clean the chrome off a trailer hitch and sounds cool too. I asked Lightning about it a few months ago. I didn't have a fretboard map in it but plinking around you can find stuff quick. However, I've enjoyed using Drop D tuning the most. At least I know where I'm at.

I really enjoy hearing all your testimonies

[emt]

As someone very new to this topic (ie. alternate tunings), thanks for some very nice explanations. I learned alot from this thread.

cheers

matt

[tinsmith]

My favorite tuning was G. I just prefer the voicings over E. My next would be D, although it's E's cousin. I am naturally drawn to D: when I strip the guitar of strings to change them, I tune up to D, without a tuner so D must be my natural key in my head.

Does that make any sense at all?

Right now, all the slide I am doing is in Standard. I am learning from a instructional book. I think I'm most partial to slide in Standard now although I love the sound of it in G.

I think I'm all mixed up.

[beglobal]

I use vestapol!

[tinsmith]

Originally Posted by Kirk

Could you please define Vestapol for me LightinBoy? Believe it or not, I've never heard of it before. It sounds more like a floor varnish to me.

Kirk

It's "D" tuning........


http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/001664.html


Some dang secret word or something.

After reading further, it sounds like all the tunings are vestapol.

[EddieAnton]

I tried Drop D and I like it, but I am so used to Standard tuning that I use it most.
I am also using Drop G6 tuning a lot

Eddie

[SlickCat]

I use open E on electric and open D on acoustic. (those are my faves)

I have played with open G and drop D too. Once you get used to different tunings its not that hard to switch. Standard works fine too...hey slide in Free Bird was standard tuning and sounds great.

[DemoEtc]

I've played open D and G (the Keef one with the D on the bottom) and have been messing with C6 on my lap steel recently, though I have everything turned down to A so I can get some playing room in and around the D position on the 5th fret.

Thing is though, when I'm in a corner and have to come up with something fast, I'll usually just do the slide parts in standard tuning.

I read that Howe tunes his steels to standard, and I can...sorta understand that.

[RockabillyBomber]

I use Open A or D, depending on my mood that day.

[GeetarGal101]

I've never tried playing slide outside standard tuning, but one of these days I'm going to get brave and...

[Kirk Lorange]

Originally Posted by GeetarGal101

I've never tried playing slide outside standard tuning, but one of these days I'm going to get brave and...

Actually, it's braver staying in standard tuning, geetargal. Open tunings are far easier to deal with than standard when wearing a slide. Give them a try, you'll see.

[GeetarGal101]

Originally Posted by Kirk Lorange

Actually, it's braver staying in standard tuning, geetargal. Open tunings are far easier to deal with than standard when wearing a slide. Give them a try, you'll see.

You've talked me into it! Christmas break is just around the corner and I'll have some free time on my hands. (and a slide on my pinkie)

You can't learn by just thinking about it...