Slide mando

[sirmando]

I have been listning to some slide guitar stuff on some blues CD's. I was wondering how you can od it on a mando? If you can want are the tunings for the strings, what are the chord shapes you would use or would you bar the chords, and what type of slide would you use? If ther is anything else you think could help me please let me know. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Ken Sager]

Two tips I've found helpful.

1) A radiused board is easier to slide on without sounding too sloppy.
2) An open tuning GDGD is easier to slide on.

I'm also just posting so my avatar can argue with your sig line.

Best,
Ken

[meskalito]

Check out the record Hold On, We're Strummin' by Sam Bush and David Grisman. #Bush plays a mean slide mandolin on the second track, called "Swamp Thing". #It says he's using an ADAD tuning.

I hope this doesn't seem too dumb, but I assume that's ADAD from low to high. #What's funny is in the same liner notes, the writer lists the mandolin's tuning as EADG, so I am slightly confused. #I couldn't see tuning the G all the way up or down to D. #Am I wrong?

[arbarnhart]

I saw someone play one in regular tuning with an interesting technique. He had the slide on his index finger and it was sticking out past his middle finger only enough to cover 2, but not 3, courses of strings. So when he was playing the GD pair, he had the slide across all 4 strings but muted the AE pair with his middle finger. He was picking and not strumming, so all he was muting was sliding noises. When he slid #down to the DA pair, the G course was uncovered, but I think he was muting it some with the heel of his right hand for incidental bumps. He never played the E course while I was watching.

[bjc]

I use slide on occasion in standard tuning...just to break things up...I use a little 1/4 type slide on my pinky...one that doesn't cover the whole finger and allows me to still use my pinky...I just find that's it nice to add a new flavor to the stew...and on electric, it's great...

[Ken Sager]

I'd love to hear Niles H. chime in on this one. He'd have some terrific ideas. Let's see what happens...

[Jim M.]

I saw a picture of Niles H. using, IIRC, lug nuts on his fingertips instead of one big slide.

[Jim Yates]

Check out Sam Bush on Guy Clark's Boats To Build album. On the tune Picasso's Mandolin, he plays some great slide mando.
Any time you can get to see Fred Eaglesmith, his mandolin player Willie P. Bennet is guaranteed to play at least one slide mando tune. He does not retune and uses some weird (for mandolin) effects pedals. He has been refered to as the Jimi Hendrix of the mandolin.
Niles did a column on slide mando tuned GDAD in the Mandolin Newsletter hed used to put out. Check his web page for reprints. I found it useful, although I tuned my G down to A.

[sirmando]

Well I just bought a slide and now I need to know how I should tune the mando and where the chords would be(2nd fret would be the A cord ect...) I would also like a web site that would have some things about slide mando if there is one. Thank you for the help.

[meskalito]

If you tune it ADAD, the mandolin is in open D tuning (i.e. tuned to a D chord). Thus, you can barre any fret with the slide and play other chords. The 5th fret barred is G, and the 7th fret barred is A. Then, you need to work out some licks around the chord positions. You can play a mean slide mando blues that way.

[mandocrucian]

I keep it tuned standard - GDAE, unless I've got the National out, in which case I'm tuned down a major or minor third to Eb Bb F C or E B F# C# #(because that instrument sounds better lower).

Slides on the 1st and 3rd fingers. Each slide can 'fret' two adjacent pairs, or if used on the tip, one pair or strings while leaving the adjacent strings free to ring open. I can slide doublestops of 3rds, or 4ths, (not just 5ths), skip strings, and even split the strings! I can also transition between the two slides, eliminating audible shifts or having to momentarily damp strings.

Here is a previous board thread, (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=4;t=15376) with photos.

Niles H.

(This is a good example of of freeing your mind, by asking "What is the underlying sonic purpose?, not the 'traditional' mechanics?" and then arriving at another way of doinging it, hopefully removing some, or many, of the limitations of the 'standard technique'.)

[sirmando]

OK is have a slide and I am going to tune the mando to GDgd for the open tuning now were would all the cords be on the mando? If I do not like this tuning I will change it to something else. Thank you to all who have given me the info. I do not know what I would do with out the cafe.

[arbarnhart]

Open will be G, 1st fret G#, 2nd fret A, etc....

I just picked up an axle spacer at Lowes for a little over $2. It's polished steel, 1" long, 3/4" ID. I figure it will be good for play two courses at time (sometimes muting another string) and I will just leave the tuning alone.

[meskalito]

In GDGD tuning:

Open — G
2nd Fret — A
4th — B
5th — C
7th — D
9th — E
10th — F
12th — G

Thus, to play 12-bar blues, which goes I I I I IV IV I I V IV I I, the I chord could be G (open), the IV chord would be C (5th fret), and the V chord would be D (7th fret). Also, throw in F on the 10th fret for that modal sound.

For single-note runs, try licks using the minor 3rd (3 frets from root) and the flat 7th (3 frets from the 5th). Thus, any notes you play 3 frets above the starting position should sound good.

Oh, and Niles, that 2-slide technique is amazing!

[Ken Sager]

I knew Niles was good for some insight. Thanks!

[sirmando]

Thank you all for the info. sorry for all the questions I know nothing about music. The only thing I know is what the chords are then I just do the rest on my own. Thank you all again. I will try the two finger style after I try this so I might have some more questions later