Left Hand Technique
A very important part of slide guitar is the correct use of the left hand. Using a slide is very different to any other style for the guitar, so it will be necessary to practice some new basic fundamentals of left hand technique.
The Thumb
The left hand thumb should be positioned behind the neck. Keep the thumb behind the second finger of the left hand and the face of the thumb against the back of the neck. The thumb must be kept straight.
Thumb must be kept straight.
Keep the thumb behind second finger.
The Slide
Slide must be kept parallel with fret wires.
The slide is mostly used on the fourth finger of the left hand. It is rare a slide player would use another finger. It is important to keep the slide perfectly parallel to the fret wires.
Damping
Damping with left hand fingers.
With the slide on the fourth finger, at least one of the other fingers must lay across the strings behind the slide. This will help dampen the strings when the slide is lifted off the strings. It will also deaden any overtones which may occur when the slide is on certain frets.
Fretting
Hold slide above fret wire.
When a note is played with the slide it is necessary to hold the slide on the string directly above the fret wire and not before the fret wire (where a normal fretted note is played). The amount of pressure on the string will be something you will slowly get used to. When you move the slide try to keep the pressure as even as possible.
Sliding
As you slide from one fret to another, it is important to keep the slide parallel to the frets. The thumb must trail behind the neck with the left hand fingers still damping the strings. The shape of the left hand should not alter as you move up and down the fretboard.
