CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS
Not all slides are created equal…
“When you’re playing slide guitar, obviously you need one of these. The slide you use and the finger you use it on is really personal. I’ve come to slide guitar from playing lap steel, so traditionally I’m comfortable playing that way with a heavy tonebar. But for this new record, this instrument is much better. So it’s very much a learning curve for me. I’ve been through glass, ceramic, short, fat, heavy, and all kinds of slides. I’ve settled on this fairly heavy brass slide at the moment. I’m not sure how much it weighs, but it’s quite thick, so heavier than the regular Jim Dunlop slide that you’d just walk into a store and buy. It’s a bit more cumbersome, but the advantage of a heavier slide is better sustain. What you lose in manoeuvrability I think you gain in tone and sustain. The one thing I would say is that it just takes time to get comfortable, and everyone’s approach is going to be different. So try a bunch of stuff until you find something you’re happy with. You’ll find metal slides have a different sound to ceramic or glass slides which are smoother and have a less bright or aggressive sound to them.”
DIGIT-AL PICKING
Get your fingers used to slides and picks
“When I first started playing slide, I was much more comfortable on the third finger, and I don’t think that’s unusual. Your little finger is not really your pointing digit, so I felt that I got better tone on my third finger. But over time, the notion of having these three fingers to work independently on the fret has created more voicings and more tonal opportunities than having a slide on the third. So my little finger has become the natural choice.
This story is from the December 2019 edition of Total Guitar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2019 edition of Total Guitar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Ihsahn – "Extreme music lends itself well to experimental arrangements"
In an extraordinary double album, former Emperor guitarist Ihsahn delivers new material in two contrasting versions: metal and orchestral. "It was a perfect match," he says, “because my guitar had the same tuning as the cellos!"
Rosie Frater Taylor – "I Love Guitarists That Started in Jazz but Moved Into Pop"
It's a bold claim, but one that we're prepared to make: there is no other guitarist in the UK right now who sounds quite like Rosie Frater-Taylor.
DIRTY SOUND MAGNET
Swiss psychedelic trio Dirty Sound Magnet have created a unique racket that's both thrillingly expansive and potently evocative.
ELECTRO-HARMONIX PICO POG
You should be familiar with the Electro-Harmonix POG- it's the Polyphonic Octave Generator that set the standard for multistring, multi-octave layering and has graced the pedalboards of legends ranging from Jack White to Joe Satriani.
BOSS KATANA AIR EX
More Air, vicar? Boss pump up their popular wireless desktop amp
FGN BOUNDARY ILIAD BIL2MHS
With Japanese quality and top tones, could this be your next T-style?
THE 2024 GUITAR WORKOUT
Smash your new year guitar goals with our 30-day technical workout
"TAPPING IS THE MOST-USED WEAPON IN MY ARSENAL!"
Jon Gomm's tips for getting more out of your acoustic guitar
"THE BEST GUITAR SOLO IS A SONG WITHIN A SONG"
Ace Frehley: the guitar hero of KISS, and an influence for Tom Morello, Dimebag and many more
"THE SIMPLE PARTS ARE THE HARDEST TO GET RIGHT”
Lzzy Hale's recipe for meaty arena rock and killer tone