Creative Slide Masterclass

For this masterclass package I’m going to explore the technique of fretting behind the slide. Created by Sonny Landreth, this has helped develop the bottleneck vocabulary and offers new compositional options for slide players.

How does this work? Essentially you’re going to be using the slide as normal but also fretting notes BEHIND the slide (on lower frets). By pressing the string down onto the fret, it no longer touches the slide, so you get the regular note at that fret.

Now, this is a progressive technique and therefore requires an understanding of the bottleneck basics, but I’ve designed all the licks and exercises so that relative beginners will be able to manage most of it.

Here’s a check-list to help you prepare for this new approach...

1. Heavier strings than normal. In the video I’m using .13s with a wound third.

2. A flat fretboard radius if possible, so your slide can sit across all the strings (concave metal slides are available to purchase, which can help with this issue)

3. A medium to high action. If it is too low you’ll have problems with fret rattle.

4. A good right hand muting technique to block unwanted strings. For this reason I’d advise you not to use a pick at first. By picking the strings with your bare fingers, you have much closer control over both picking and muting.

5. Being comfortable wearing a slide, ideally on your 4th finger. This means your other three fingers (your strongest fingers) are available to fret behind the slide.

6. Accurate intonation using a slide. This is very important, so work hard on positioning the slide right over the fretwire, and listening carefully to learn how a note should sound.

To help understand the concept and learn the principles involved, we’ll stay in standard tuning (EADGBE) for the first two exercises, then the rest of the playing is in open E minor (EBEGBE). This tuning is very similar to standard tuning (four strings are the same) so a lot of the shapes and patterns will be familiar.