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Tips for playing slide in standard tuning

- CHARLIE STARR

A CHIEF CONSIDERATION when playing with a slide is the tuning. Many of our favorite slide players - Elmore James, Duane Allman, Johnny Winter, Derek Trucks - play slide almost exclusively in an open tuning, such as open E or G. One great benefit of using an open tuning is that you can lay the slide across the strings at a given fret and sound a pleasing major chord. But when playing slide in standard tuning, you don't have that luxury and lose access to some of those familiar sounds. As a result, more attention and care is necessary in order to avoid unwanted sounds. You have to go "peckin'" to find the right ones!