Lets talk slides

Slides are a well-known and great sounding accessory for any guitarist to have. They have roots most strongly in blues but have also been used in jazz, rock, country, folk and many more. They are highly versatile and mastery of the slide is a very impressive and desirable skill. Personally, I'm not the best at using a slide but i can produce a basic sound largely in the realms of traditional blues-type-vibe. My dad can slide very well and it was listening to him that made me want to learn to slide correctly and i would like to share some of my knowledge of slides with you right now on here.

Types and styles

Just like guitars and musical genres themselves, slides come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. They vary from standard brass or copper slides and can include a range of materials such as metals, plastics, and even traditional bottle-neck slides. The different material along with the length and thickness of that material will decide what type of sound you will get from them. For example, a long and thick plastic slide will give you a far duller sound that a short and thin metallic slide, which will consequently sound brighter and more crisp. They increase ability for vibrato and when paired with a 12 string guitar they can produce some very unique and deep tones.

Price

Just like with the sound, this will vary very much depending on the style and the material you choose. A simple, standard long copper slide will cost in the region of £10 whereas a silver slide will cost more towards the £20 mark or possibly more. It is possible to create your own bottleneck slide with a glass bottleneck and a sander although doing it properly will require a certain level of skill. 

Artists

Many artists all over the world and genre spectrum use guitar slides in their music. These include the likes of BB King, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Richie Sambora, John Mayer, Slash, Ronnie Wood, and many more. They are versatile and relatively cheap and easy to acquire and give you another sound to infuse into your own personal style.