How To Play Slide Guitar

Learning how to play slide guitar can be a difficult and frustrating process. Even for many experienced guitar players, slide doesn’t come easy. Slide guitarist Jonnor Connor shared some tips with Blues Rock Review on how to play slide guitar during an appearance on the Blues Rock Show.

Use Your Pinky

“I use my pinky because that gives you the freedom to use your other three fingers,” says Connor. “Basically you’re going to anchor the slide against the ring finger, your third finger, the middle finger is going to kind of go down and the first finger is kind of going to be on top. The middle finger is going to dampen all the strings. You’re going to feel all the strings beneath it.”

Keep a Loose Grip

“The thumb on the back of the neck is loose. It’s not pressing,” says Connor. “Everything is extremely light and you always aim for the fret on the fret, so that’s just the basics.”

Keep the Slide Straight

Connor says to keep the slide straight and not go in other directions because that’s the intonation.

Conclusion

Slide is very intricate according to Connor. “Everything is really tiny and precise but it’s also easier because you’re not using any kind of pressure or force, so it’s actually relaxing once you get the hang of it,” says Connor.