[SantanaFan]

Does anyone have any tips on sliding a chord shape down the neck a semitone or a tone? It seems to require lots of finger pressure to keep the strings ringing as the fingers pass over the frets. Is it just down to developing finger strength or is there a special technique?
Thanks everyone!

[Andy S]

Not sure what it is exactly your looking for. When I hear notes slide up or down, it's usually just two notes or maybe a triad, not the whole chord (using the basic barre chord as the standard)

If that is what you are looking for, it isn't that difficult to maintain the notes. Will there be some loss in the strength of the notes, sure, since your hand or finger will slide over the fret up or down, it will partially put a damper on the vibrating strings.

But if your referring to holding a complete chord of 5 or 6 strings?? I would need an example of a song with it since I really can't recall a song that would do that.

Remember, that certain songs, using certain amounts of volume and distortion, just a couple notes or three notes, can sound like a full chord.

Hope that helps.

[allthumbs]

Some chords are easier to slide with than others. Basic 9th chord slides are very common in blues and jazz. It also depends on fret sizes. Jumbo frets can feel like speed bumps so they can be tough. In the end it is just practice.

[felixdcat]

Originally Posted by SantanaFan

Does anyone have any tips on sliding a chord shape down the neck a semitone or a tone? It seems to require lots of finger pressure to keep the strings ringing as the fingers pass over the frets. Is it just down to developing finger strength or is there a special technique?
Thanks everyone!

It's easier if you usually hold the string near to the frets, at least I think so, because you need less strength for the actual chord...

[SantanaFan]

Thanks folks. I've started to work through Basic Blues Guitar by Steve Trovato. There are lots of examples of sliding 2 and 3 note shapes. On the CD he keeps a nice full sound with barely any drop in volume. At the moment I am finding it difficult to emulate that.

[felixdcat]

Originally Posted by SantanaFan

Thanks folks. I've started to work through Basic Blues Guitar by Steve Trovato. There are lots of examples of sliding 2 and 3 note shapes. On the CD he keeps a nice full sound with barely any drop in volume. At the moment I am finding it difficult to emulate that.

If it electric guitar, turn up the gain, set the pickups near the strings.

[Ben_Sir_Amos]

Of course, I might be misunderstanding your particular issue, but when I've come across this type of problem in the past with relatively inexperienced guitarists, I've suggested that they try fretting the notes with their nose.

This sounds stupid, but what it usually illustrates is that you don't need an awful lot of pressure to fret a note.

So finger strength is not an issue - unless you want to crack walnuts as a party trick as a side show.

I'm very experienced so I hardly need any pressure at all - this means I can slide double-stops or chords without difficulty. But I can't crack walnuts. It's not so much finger strength as control - and that comes with practice. It helps if you can relax too. Try some relaxation exercises before you play and see if that makes your playing smoother.

I guess the trick is to use control to hold the chord shape, not finger strength to squeeze the string into the fretboard. If you played the tune with your nose you would use the minimum pressure possible.

I always say that it helps to turn the amp up to 10, too. Of course, it doesn't help at all, but it makes it much more fun.

[wjp01908]

To echo the post above, I find it`s helpful to fret the chord or double stop with the absolute minimum pressure required. I`ve tried it out myself to see how I actually do it and find that I increase the pressure as I reach the target fret, squeezing it as I come to a stop - this is what seems to keep the notes ringing out without having to add loads of gain.

Try looking at the target fret just before you slide too - not your fingers, they are already where they should be - and visualise "braking to a stop" just behind it.

A compressor will help smooth out your playing in terms of volume, but you`ll gain in the long term if you can learn the control to keep your axe singing "clean".

Will