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hedding
Jan-09-2006, 4:36pm
what fingers do you use when your doing a slide down on a string. For example I see a lot of stuff tabbed out that i've tried to play with slides from lets say the c# on the A string (4th fret) to the b on the A string (2nd fret).

I have a hard time doing this with any speed and i think its because i can't decide whether to do it with my first finger or my second. Do you do the slide with the finger of the fret that you're going to or the one you're coming from. (sorry if thats confusing, only way i can think to explain it.)

It would make sense to me to use your first finger because when i slide up from the 2nd to the 4th, i use my middle finger, which feels extremely natural. but when i slide down i can't get the speed and the clarity.

Anyone else experienced that and have advice for me? anything advice is appreciated.

thanks

red7flag
Jan-09-2006, 4:40pm
I slide with the finger that I would use to fret at the end point of the slide. That way my hand is in position to keep playing.
Tony

Jim Broyles
Jan-09-2006, 5:39pm
To me, it all depends on how you arrived at the C# to begin with. Whatever finger you landed on the C# with, use that one to slide down to the B. Or determine where you are going after the B and use the finger which is most natural for the next note. There is no rule which states "You must slide down with ____ finger."

250sc
Jan-10-2006, 12:22pm
It really depends on where I'm going next.

AlanN
Jan-10-2006, 12:43pm
Learn all.

As an example, I will play on occasion (on D string) 1,2,3,4 with all four fingers, breaking the 'rule' of 0 to 1 to 2 with index, 3 to 4 with middle, etc. It all depends on the tune/moves of the moment.

Dfyngravity
Jan-10-2006, 12:53pm
It absolutely depends on where you are going next. I think if you have trouble with speed than that is just something you need to practice a bit. Sliding down or towards the nut is probably something that many players don't practice a lot. But it's just like those pull-offs. Sliding up and hammering-on are actually fair easy to learn and do with speed in no time, but pull-offs and down sliding tend to take a bit more time to get the hang of. I know when I was really practicing hard on my pull-offs my pick stroke was what was getting me in trouble, especially if the pull-off started on an up stroke which in return the next pick stroke was usually an up stroke as well. Tough at first but I finally got the hang of it.


Practice your sliding in all sorts of situations while using a metronome to keep you on beat. Practice them start with both down and up strokes. Also practice them with all four of your fingers sliding different amounts of frets. One way I did this was to put it to use in a song. I would figure out where I could use a slide instead of a pick stroke and went from there. Putting things you are practice into use by using it in songs you know is a great way to learn it faster. Soon you will be able to do it with out even thinking about it.

mando_toss_flycoon
Jan-15-2006, 9:16pm
Can someone recommend some CDs with downsliding examples? I'm having trouble imagining what a well executed downslide sounds like. I'm not sure if I know anyone who plays them.

mando_toss_flycoon
Jan-22-2006, 1:54pm
I figure I'll toss out the bait and bobber again to see if I get a bite.

Can someone recommend some CDs with downsliding examples? I'm having trouble imagining what a well executed downslide sounds like. I'm not sure if I know anyone who plays them.

Dfyngravity
Jan-22-2006, 2:37pm
Chris Thile does a tune, When Mandolins Dream but I don't think he has recorded it yet. The only place I know he plays it is on his Homespun DVD. However you can go to www.mandozine.com, go to practice tunes and listen to the tab. From measures 144 and on there is nothing but down slides. That should give you an idea.

Basically it should be played and treated identically to an upslide, you are just sliding down instead of up. Or you can look at it like a pull off using a slide instead. Hope this helps.

Vincent
Jan-22-2006, 4:11pm
Go to Mike Compton's fine website (created by cafe member Jim Richter)and listen to Jimmy Fell Off The Wagon, full of downslides.

http://www.mikecompton.net/index.php?page=Music

More commonly, Lonesome Moonlight Waltz slides down from the D note on the A string in the opening bit.

Stephanie Reiser
Jan-23-2006, 5:56am
Chris Thile does a tune, When Mandolins Dream From measures 144 and on there is nothing but down slides.
I have this tune memorized, and is one of my staples.
There are several downslides, but there is no cut-and-dry certain finger used. It all depends on how you got there.
In that tune I use both the 2nd and third finger.

Tom C
Jan-23-2006, 10:12am
Sometimes on longer slides, you need to start it out with one finger -say the third and finish it up using the first finger so your second finger can play the next note.