Slides
In short, a slide is when you go from one note to another by
keeping contact with the string the whole time. After picking the string to
sound the initial note, you then let your finger glide over the frets to a
second, targeted note somewhere along the same string.
Successful slides are a matter of touch. When you first pick
the string, fret the note as you normally do. As soon as you start your slide,
ease up slightly on your fretting finger so it will glide smoothly over the
frets to the next note. Too much pressure, and your finger won’t slide; too
little, and you won’t create the sound of the slide.
The note you’re sliding to is actually more important than
the note you started on! Think of it as trying to land your finger directly on
a target. Once you reach your desired note, reapply pressure with your fingertip;
otherwise, that note won’t sound.
What They Look Like
Slides are indicated by diagonal lines connecting notes in
notation (or numbers in tablature), like this:
Slides and bends are probably the most deceptive of slurs on
a guitar. They sound impressive and look easy enough to do, but they can
initially drive you to distraction. The trick is learning how to do them right.
Here’s how.
In the first measure of this example, you have a finger (try
the ring finger) on the A note located at the second fret of the G string.
After you pick that note, slide the ring finger up two frets so that it sits at
the fourth fret of the G string.
Slides can go either up or down the neck. The second measure
of the previous example has a downward slide, moving from the body of the
guitar toward the headstock. Slides can also be done on more than one string at
a time, as shown in the third measure.
Undefined Slides
“Undefined” slides are slides where the starting or ending
point isn’t given in the music or tablature. In the fifth measure, you’ll see
first an upward slide, starting from an unspecified note moving up to the tenth
fret of the B string. Most guitarists tend to start an undefined slide from
either two or three frets away from the target note, but usually where one
starts the slide depends on what happened immediately before it, musically.
To play slides starting on specific notes and ending on an
undefined one, as shown in the sixth measure, simply ease off on the pressure
of the fretting finger as you slide and let the sound trail away.
Bends
Normally when you fret a note, you push it straight down on
the fingerboard. When you push or pull a string up or down, you are bending the
string. This causes the fretted note to go sharp. Depending on how much you
bend the string, you can change the note up to a step and a half higher than
the original.
Bending strings doesn’t require strong fingers as much as it
does good ears. You need to be able to hear the note you want to achieve on the
bend in order to successfully perform this slur. And when first learning how to
bend, it’s best to have all your fingers involved.
Start with the “half-bend” or “half-step bend” in the first
measure. Before you even attempt it, play the G note at the eighth fret of the
B string. Then play G♯ at
the ninth fret. Try to set both notes (especially the G♯) front and center in your brain. The G♯ is your target, the note you
want to achieve on the bend.
Now place your ring finger on the eighth fret of the B
string, just as you would to play the note normally. Then place your middle and
index fingers on the seventh and sixth frets, respectively, of the same string.
Your ring finger is going to bend the note, and the other fingers are helping
provide support.
Your wrist actually provides the “muscle” when it comes to
bending. You want to use a motion like turning the key in the ignition of a
car. As you make that motion, your fingers will push the B string along the
fingerboard toward the center of the neck, raising the pitch of the note from G
upward. When you hear yourself hit the G♯
note, you’ve achieved your target and can stay put
for the rhythmic duration of the target note.
Full Bend
In the second measure of the previous example, you perform a
“full bend,” meaning that the note achieved by the bend will be one full step higher
than the starting note. Do yourself a favor and play the A note at the tenth
fret of the B string, and fix your ears on your new target. Then repeat the
steps you just took to get that note.
In some styles of music, especially in blues, Celtic, and rock,
you will run into “quarter bends,” shown in the third measure of the previous
example. Here your target note technically doesn’t have a name. It’s kind of
halfway between G and G♯.
All you need to do is give the string a little nudge to knock the note slightly
sharp.
Quarter bends are used to give the guitar a bit of a
personal quality, allowing it to be slightly out of tune for a brief moment
before righting itself, much like a singer or an unfretted instrument such as a
violin. The effect is both haunting and arresting when done well.
Practice, Practice
Even though they may seem easy, you want to put in a lot of
time practicing slurs, paying particular attention to adding them to your
strums. You can practice slides almost anywhere and anytime, but you have to do
three things:
- Work on the mechanics of the slide, making sure you’re sliding smoothly and evenly over the string and not getting snagged in the frets because of too much pressure by the finger.
3. Work on getting the notes on either end of the slide to sound clean and true.
Bending involves developing both your ear, to hear that
you’ve achieved the correct note in your bend, and your mechanical technique,
to perfect hitting the note on time. When you pick the note you’re going to
bend, see if you can sing the target note if it’s a half-step or whole step
higher. Try matching the note you’re singing to the note at the next fret (if
you’re targeting a half-step bend) or two frets away (for a whole-step bend)
and see how on or off you are. Try to start hearing the note you want in your
head before you even make the bend.
Slides and bends require some practice and finesse. But with
repetition and confidence, you’ll soon find that your fingers will develop the
strength and coordination to play them like a pro. Happy strumming!
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