Technique

Azrael · #1 June 16th, 2005

Hi everyone,

I just joined the forum. I've been browsing around here for a couple of days and haven't seen much information regarding slide techniques such as damping and muting. Just thought I'd start a discussion...see what works for different people.

I've started sliding on standard and dropped D tuning. Been sliding on open tunings before this...and although I didn't get that clear singing tone, i could plunk out a thing or two. I'd like to get my technique in order.

Look forward to hearing from you all.

Peace.

P.S. Nobody mentions Bonnie Raitt when slide or regular guitar playing comes up. I think she is a brilliant guitarist, musician and individual.

John · #2 June 16th, 2005

Hey, welcome! I'm fairly new here myself. I'm also an open "D" slider, and I've found that I like the overtones and harmonics that come out when you DON'T dampen the strings. On the other hand though, when I'm following a specific melody line, I mute behind the slide.

Azrael · #3 June 16th, 2005

Hey there jazz box, nice to meet you.

I like overtones and harmonics only when I want them there y'know what I mean....I'd like to be able to create that brassy sound and throw in harmonics only if I want them there. I've been working on muting behind the slide...those rockslides seem like they could fix the problem but i'd rather do it the hard way.

What about right hand damping. Doesn't seem like the most effective way to go about it though.

allthumbs · #4 June 16th, 2005

hey I dig Bonnie. BTW, she does wide slides,full fret and almost no damping behind the slide. I find that with a heavy slide, I dont really need to damp behind the slide. My focus is mostly right hand damping. Think about getting Kirks' brass slide. It's the heaviest one I have ever seen. Great slide.

Kirk Lorange · #5 June 20th, 2005

Hi Azrael, welcome to the forum.

I play exclusively in dropped D these days, except when I create my little movie lessons. Then I go into standard and don't know what the hell I'm doing for the first five minutes!

Have you seen any of the lessons I posted at this link yet? http://planetalk.thatllteachyou.com/granted.html You might find some of it useful.

PS: Remember who taught Bonnie to play, and did a damn good job too: Lowell George.

Kirk

Azrael · #6 June 20th, 2005

Hey Kirk,

I'm trying to get my hands on some little feat material. Can't find an album anywhere around here. The only thing i've heard lowell do is "Fool for a cigarette". I'd love to hear you do that one come to think of it. Bonnie learned from quite a few greats didn't she? Mississippi Fred Mcdowell being one of them if i'm not mistaken.

Say, I was wondering if you could make a few artist/song recommendations. I'm really into the "down and out" folky sorta material that retains that classic blues feel but isn't necessarily 12 bar. In fact, i'd prefer non-12 bar stuff. Something like Taj Mahal, Lowell's willin', randy neumann type material...y'know what I mean?

Thanks!

P.S. Wake up everybody, this forum needs more action. Theres things to discuss, stories to tell i'm sure....

Frankenstrat2 · #7 June 20th, 2005

Hi Azreal
You have a lot of catching up to do if thats the only thing yu ever heard from Lowell George or Little Feat.
I'd suggest you start with the definitive Little Feat live recording- Waiting For Columbus. Its a 2 cd set. No 1/4/5 on that CD. Just killer songs and performance. Classic.
Do you know about the used CD clearing house?
http://gemm.com/
Type in any artist or album title- it will give you a selection of used CD houses worldwide with prices and condition. A valuable resource.
What else haven't you heard?
Did you check the thread here listing everybody's favorite slide players. Lots to mine from there as well besides the Delta greats.
And yes- Bonnie is a national treasure.
b.

Kirk Lorange · #8 June 21st, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azrael

randy neumann type material...y'know what I mean?

Have you heard my resonator version of Randy Newman's 'Guilty'? It's here: http://www.thatllteachyou.com/mp3s/guilty.mp3 ... I was trying out my new mic.

Here's a story for you:

Several years ago, in Sydney, I got a call from an old friend and work cohort Ricky Fatar. Ricky is one of the world's great drummers and based himself in Sydney for years, where he produced records. I often wound up doing session work with him.

Ricky called me because he was touring with Bonnie, was in town and asked me if I'd like to go to the show and join everyone for after-show drinks. Of course, I said. He said 'Bring one of your CDs along, Bonnie will be very interested in another slider'. Me and my gal Clancy went, watched the show (which was brilliant), and wound up in the closed off bar section of the State Theatre. Bonnie was there with a cluster of people around her, so I hung back. She chatted away with them ... I looked around for Ricky but didn't see him. There was what I thought was an opening in the gaggle of fans surrounding Bonnie, so I moved in and started to introduce myself. She turned and glared at me and barked 'Can't you see I'm talking to someone here!'

Well ... what can I say ... I moved right away. Ricky then appeared and said 'Come with me, you've got to meet Bonnie'. Before I could tell him what had happened, I was facing her, Ricky was introducing me, she was sheepish and apologetic for the way she spoke to me ... she took my CD ... we left soon thereafter.

Life seems to be a series of imagined upcoming events which become real events that bear no resemblance to the imagined version, don't you find?

I still love ya, Bonnie!

Kirk

Azrael · #9 June 21st, 2005

Its a rare pleasure when events really turn out exactly like you imagined them. I can't really remember a time when that actually happened to me.
I met B.B. King in Des Moines some years ago. I had always imagined him giving me one of his ES345s.

Yes I've heard your version of Guilty. I love it. Raw.

Frankenstrat2, Thanks for the suggestion and the link. Never been to that site before. I've got quite a bit of Ry cooder. The chicken skin album is great. I love the delta stuff, but I'm trying to find something thats less 12 bar. Something like Taj Mahal and tunes done in the style of kirks's version of "guilty".

I listen to a lot of african style music too. The rhythms are brilliant. There is Ali Farka Toure of course. There are a few great, but virtually unknown kora blues players around too. Here is something to take a listen to:-

http://members.aol.com/thekevinbrown/cds.htm

LightninBoy · #10 June 21st, 2005

Great story Kirk.
Bonney Irate! lol.

Frankenstrat2 · #11 June 21st, 2005

I guess its true that redheads have a short fuse.
Guilty is one of my favorite songs. I first heard it years ago in the Blues Brothers live album. Belushi sang it with Paul Schaeffer doing a great accompaniment for it. Never thought about it again until recently when I listened to Bonnie's Greatest Hits CD and ran into a second arrangement of it. I finally looked at the credits and realized Randy Newman wrote it. Of course! One of my favorite songwriters. Who else can tell a complete story in two 12 bar verses with a bridge?
I sat down and transcribed the piano accompaniment to acoustic guitar and its been in my repetoire for a while now.
"It takes a whole lot of medicine baby, for me to pretend that I'm somebody else..."
Kirk- I'll listen to your arrangement later- I didn't know you had a version of it. Looking forward to hearing your treatment.
b.

Frankenstrat2 · #12 June 21st, 2005

Kirk-
Very cool arrangement. Its in rotation on my Ipod now. thanks

Kirk Lorange · #13 June 21st, 2005

Thanks Frankenstrat ...

Schermerberger · #14 September 26th, 2005

this is my first true entry (on any forum/talk site) here, so lets see how this thing works

now back to technique;
I'm sliding on a pinky. When behind the slide muting, are any of you muting with the ring finger or just laying 'em all down behind, unless your behind the slide freting?

Perhaps Kirk, you could explain a bit how the loose slide is helping your virbrato technique....
Thanks

Kirk Lorange · #15 September 26th, 2005

Welcome schermerberger ...

I don't take much notice of muting behind the slide, I don't often hear anything too ugly coming from back there, but I know other players do. I don't know why I don't have that problem of unwanted harmonics ringing out. I just checked then and I can keep all fingers off the strings and still get no real problems.

I think my fingers must be pudging out a bit as I age as there is no real loosness anymore in my slides. They're not snug (yet) but there' very little air in there. I think I use the weight more than anything else for vibrato, a sort of upside down pendulum action. The slides I use have quite a heft to them. It's a relaxed thing, letting the slide do the work.