In this guitar lesson we're looking at the basic techniques you need to learn if you want to start exploring slide guitar. It's loads of fun but you need these basic principles if you are going to have a good go at making it sound cool!

Have fun!!

The main points in the video are:

1. Choose a slide
You need to experiment and try a few and work out which feels best for you!

2. Position the slide on the neck
Keep the touch light so you don't press the strings on the frets. Keep the slide paralell to the frets.

3. Choose which strings to play
Use picking hand fingerstyle to keep att the strings muted except the ones you are playing. Most common is to play the string with your 1st finger, while fingers 2/3 mute the thinner strings and thumb mutes the thicker strings.

4. Mute behind the slide
To get rid of the notes you probably don't want to hear, especially important on acoustic instruments.

5. Open Tunings
Are great fun but to learn the technique you'll probably find it easier to stay in regular tuning. Once you are comfortable with muting the right strings, open tunings become a lot more fun. NOTE: it is 'easier' in open tuning, which is exactly why regular tuning is a better start, will force you to learn to mute!

6. Vibrato
Move the slide left to right around the fret. This is much debated, some say you should only go behind the note (toward the nut), others say only above... I say, do what sounds good to you! :)