Bottleneck slide

The gear

A bottleneck (or “slide”) is a glass or metal tube. It usually goes on the ring finger or the pinky: the other fingers stay free to mute the strings or play regular notes.

A glass tube sounds softer, a metal one brighter. Any smooth tube will do to try it out.

The technique

1. Rest the tube on the strings without pressing: it mustn’t touch the fretboard.
2. Place it right over the fret, not in the middle of the fret space. That’s where the note is in tune.
3. Mute behind the tube: fingers laid flat on the strings, on the nut side, stop the scraping noises.
4. Mute with your picking hand the strings you’re not playing.

A phrase in open G

d|-10/12----------12-12\10----12-|
B|-------12----------------10-12-|
G|----------10/12-------------12-|
D|-------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|

The tube slides up to the 12^th fret on the high E string (tuned to D in open G), then on the G string, and ends on the G chord at the 12^th fret, on the three high strings.

Bottleneck vibrato

The tube rocks slightly on either side of the fret, without leaving the string. That’s what gives the slide its singing quality. Work on it on a held note, with the tuner in front of you.

You’ve got it when…

• Your bottleneck notes are in tune, with the tube over the fret
• There’s no scraping noise behind the tube
• You play the lesson’s phrase with vibrato on the final note