Introduction
Slide guitar has been used as a characteristic element in the blues style of music for centuries. It’s a distinctive technique where, instead of pressing the strings against frets on the fingerboard, one uses a metal or glass slide on the fretboard to produce notes that often have an ethereal quality.
These mesmerizing sounds have influenced and inspired generations of musicians, from early African-American roots blues up through rock ‘n’ roll.
Key Takeaways
- Slide guitar has been an essential component in blues music since its early African – American roots to present day Blues, Country, and Rock genres.
- Blues musicians such as Robert Johnson and Blind Willie Johnson utilized bottleneck slides combined with rhythmic techniques to create unique vocal-like textures for acoustic guitars.
- Electric amplification was employed during the 1940s & 1950s creating a louder rhythm section aspect that led to innovations in percussive artistry which paved the way for late 1960s genre ‘fusions’.
- Open tunings are useful when playing slide guitar: Popular tunings include “open G” (DGDGBD), “open D” (DADF#AD) & “open E” (EBEG#BBE).
The Origin and History Of Slide Guitar In Blues Music
Trace the roots of slide guitar playing in blues music back to its early African-American origin and throughout the Delta Blues era, to Chicago Blues and further.
Early African Roots and Blues Musicians
The Blues genre has strong ties to its African American roots and West African musical traditions. This music was believed to have originated among the slaves in the South after the US Civil War.
As they shared stories of their struggles, sorrows, and hardships amongst each other through work songs and spirituals, these traditions evolved into an oral tradition of expressive musical storytelling known as the blues.
At this time, early blues musicians such as W.C Handy and Blind Lemon Jefferson created soulful melodies that were reflective of life in the Deep South filled with themes of heartache, love lost, joyous celebration (believe it or not), and deep-seated experience rising from a mix of emotions felt by the oppressed at this time – something that could be heard in every chord change throughout their work.and a feeling which still reverberates during modern shows today.
The Delta Blues Era
The Delta Blues Era of blues music emerged from the Mississippi delta region in the late 19th century and is characterized by solo acoustic-guitar performances, preeminent slide guitar playing and powerful vocals.
Many renowned musicians sprang up during this era such as Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, Son House and many more. Slide guitar technique was a signature characteristic for the majority of these artists along with improvisational elements taken in from African traditional music styles woven into their artistry.
For example, Blind Willie Johnson famously achieved a robotic like vibrato through alternating double stops using his bottleneck slide at varying speeds which created an entirely new vocal-like texture for acoustic guitarists around him making his contributions hugely important to blues songwriting structures even still today.
Chicago Blues And Beyond
Chicago blues is a style of blues that emerged during the 1940s and 1950s. The city of Chicago played an important role in the development of this urban sound, as it was influenced by Mississippi-born musical talent that had settled in its streets.
Artists like Muddy Waters were searching for their voices and pioneering sounds to be heard above the crowds in noisy clubs. Of course, acoustic forms dominated before then, but now these sounds simply weren’t enough – so came electric amplification on guitars and many other instruments to shape this new form of music.
This period marked some major changes such as electrifying soloing styles from guitarists or harmonica players plus full band instrumentation with drums included. It was not only about amplifying their own abilities to generate more energy; another significant factor for those developing the sound needed for electrified ensembles was a louder rhythm section – which would bring forth countless innovations in terms of percussive artistry alongside lasting peculiarities such as swing/shuffle grooves alternating rapidly.
Techniques And Styles of Slide Guitar Playing
Slide guitar involves a fretboard-sliding technique as well as string glides to create emotion and expression in music.
Open Tunings and Their Role In Slide Guitar
Open tunings are basic to slide guitar playing, an essential part of the guitar’s expressive potential that can be heard in many blues tracks. Open tuning essentially involves raising the pitch of one or more strings, typically along with rearranging the notes across only four strings.
This allows for unique chord shapes and melodic voicings which may not be possible on a standard-tuned instrument. In addition, these alternate voicings also permit intricate slides and dynamics that create vocal-like sounds when combined with rhythmic techniques such as fingerpicking.
The most popular open tuning used for slide guitar is “open G” (DGDGBD), which was used by early bluesmen such as Blind Willie Johnson and Robert Johnson but is still widely utilized today by artists like Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Derek Trucks, Sonny Landreth and Bonnie Raitt among others.
Other common open tunings include “open D” (DADF#AD) – found in songs like John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boogie Chillen’ -and “open E” (EBEG#BBE).
Bottleneck Slides, Lap Steel, And Dobro
Bottleneck slides, lap steel, and dobro are three distinct techniques of slide guitar playing that are associated with blues music. These methods involve the use of a special metal or ceramic slide to change the pitch of notes as the guitarist moves up and down across the strings.
The bottleneck technique originated in African American rural areas in the late 19th century where players would place a round glass bottle over their finger to press on all six strings at once while shifting it up and down for rhythmic figures.
This method eventually evolved into using blunt metal objects like kitchen knives or broken saw blades before being replaced by custom-made slides made of various materials such as bone, ivory, brass, porcelain, granite, and steel which produce different sounds depending on factors such as size shape and material used.
Vibrato And Slide Techniques
Slide guitar playing is a technique frequently employed by blues musicians. A key feature of slide guitar involves holding a hard object, such as a glass or steel tube (the slide), and pressing it against the strings while either sliding across them sideways to create glissandos or vibrating back and forth on one note for vibrato effect.
Open tunings are often used in slide guitar to help achieve these desired sounds.
Bottleneck slides, wherein the slide is positioned down near the nut of the guitar neck, allow for faster delivery of notes with more transparency and expression than other types of slides that require larger movements when crossing fretboard positions.
This creates a bright sound unique to this type of blues-style music. Lap steel guitars, typically tuned much higher than regular guitars due to their multiple sets of strings spaced closer together, produce smoother tones through use overdrive pedals; Dobro guitars are produced specifically for lap/bottle-neck techniques allowing for heavy usage without creating damage to the instrument; both being common fixtures in blues music today.
When applied correctly by an experienced blues musician – Vibrato adds drive behind soloing portions while Slides add emphasis within phrases – they can create truly stunning dynamics so characteristic to this genre’s signature soulful melodies that capture feelings difficult put into words alone!
Famous Slide Guitarists Who Shaped Blues Music
– Blind Willie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Duane Allman, Sonny Landreth and Derek Trucks are all notable slide guitarists who have put their mark on Blues music.
Blind Willie Johnson
was an American gospel blues singer, guitarist, and evangelist whose name is synonymous with the innovative use of slide guitar in blues music.
Johnson laid down a unique style of playing— combining elements from traditional African folk music with European hymns and ragtime—and used his bottleneck technique to build emotion into each song he created.
His powerful vocals influenced subsequent generations of Delta Blues performers while his skillful melodies have been revived by rock musicians such as The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton who have paid tribute to Blind Willie Johnson’s legacy over decades since recording first rose up alongside him during The Delta Blues Era.
His spirit lives on today through Slide Guitarists like Bonnie Raitt who described his playing as ‘the backbone’ for her own development on the instrument while Derek Trucks, founder of ‘The Allman Brothers Band’ carried on Johnson’s power chords tradition updating them within a modern context.
Robert Johnson
With his iconic, deeply resonant and distinctive vocal delivery style as well as an impressive prowess on the guitar, Robert Johnson made a profound impact on slide guitar in blues music.
His unique blend of Delta blues-style picking with intricate finger technique has inspired many modern musicians to learn from and emulate his playing style. Additionally, Johnson was one of the first to really experiment with open tunings – particularly standard tuning – which is still commonly used today.
Through experimenting with different tunings he developed an immensely expressive sound, featuring string slides and bent notes that convey strong emotion while also creating considerable atmosphere.
This allowed him to craft some truly captivating original tracks such as ‘Cross Road Blues’ that continue to have a lasting influence across multiple genres even decades after his death in 1938 or perhaps prior 1939.
Bukka White
Bukka White, a master of the National resonator guitar, has left an indelible mark on the world of slide guitar playing. He was one of the few artists, alongside figures like Skip James, to utilize a crossnote tuning in E minor, an approach that added a distinctive flavor to his performances. His initial recordings, made by Victor Records in 1930, spanned both country blues and gospel music, reflecting the versatile nature of his talents. It was during these sessions that White recorded “Fixin’ to Die Blues”, a song that would later play a significant role in his rediscovery during the folk music revival of the 1960s.
White’s influence on slide guitar playing has reverberated through generations of musicians. His song “Shake ‘Em on Down” served as inspiration for Led Zeppelin’s “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper”, demonstrating his lasting impact on the rock and blues genres. Electronic artist Recoil utilized White’s recordings in the track “Electro Blues for Bukka White”, and guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd covered White’s “Aberdeen, Mississippi”, taking it to number 23 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks in 1996. Jeff Buckley posthumously recorded White’s “Parchman Farm Blues”, a testament to the enduring power of his music.
Posthumously, Bukka White has received numerous accolades that underscore his legacy in the world of slide guitar. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1990, and his “Fixin’ to Die Blues” was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients list in 2012. A marker was placed in his honor on the Mississippi Blues Trail in 2011, further cementing his place in the annals of blues history. The annual Bukka White Blues Festival in Aberdeen, Mississippi, carries on his name and his musical legacy, serving as a vibrant reminder of his profound influence on slide guitar playing.
Muddy Waters
was one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. A combination of masterful guitar playing, and a deep, almost other-worldly vocal style made him an icon in the genre.
Born in Mississippi to sharecropping parents, Waters taught himself to play bottleneck slide guitar as a teenager. His distinct technique – characterized by heavy use of slide on strings glided across the fretboard mesmerizingly – gained recognition throughout the Delta and soon began propelling Waters’ career.
Quickly becoming known for his soulful tunes, Waters became well known and respected among legendary blues legends like Robert Johnson or Son House being looked up to not only as Chris Thomas King referred “the folks father” but also as an innovator; aside from mastering various techniques he popularized Electric with amplifiers instrument/s (such as his Gibson Les Paul ) that no doubt played a pivotal role shaping Blues into what we know today .
Muddy Water’s has had tremendous influence over contemporary players taking up slide such Bonnie Raitt , Derek Trucks or Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings all adopting his fiery electrified sound to create their own visions spanning everything from Rock n’ Roll Blues-Rock to more space bound music used even within NASA Voyager missions who commissioned compositions containing elements taken right off Muddy’s records (featuring complete songs alongside frenetic punctuated lead guitars).
Elmore James
Elmore James was an American blues guitarist known as the “King of the Slide Guitar.” His electrified and unique slide guitar style was heightened after he visited Chicago in the 1940s and continued to develop throughout his life.
He blended traditional Delta blues musicians including Tampa Red with other musical genres such as gospel, jazz, R&B, and country which created his signature sound. Through covers of classic songs like “Dust My Broom,” Elmore showcased his mastery of electric slide guitar playing and will always be remembered for creating one of the most influential sounds in blues music that would later influence Rock & Roll music.
Duane Allman
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Duane Allman was a key figure in popularizing slide guitar playing and is widely regarded as the greatest of all time. This iconic musician revolutionized blues music and his signature bottleneck technique influenced rock musicians for generations to come.
Allman studied extensively to perfect his craft – taking inspiration from Robert Johnson’s Delta-style lap steel guitar sound along with jazz greats such as Kenny Burrell and BB King – giving him a unique edge over other players at the time.
He also developed strong bonds with several influential blues artists like Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Chuck Berry who further inspired his musical approach.
Duane Allman took electric slide guitar playing to new heights by creating mesmerising sounds using augmented chords fueled with wah-wah transients that evoked an ‘otherworldly’ sensation when performed live or on recordings – another example of experimental genius which has earned Allman recognition as one of world’s most innovative axe man ever! As part of The Allman Brothers Band he electrified audiences by blending hard driving Southern boogie riffs mixed seamlessly with gritty Delta blues licks – this formative collaboration helped to establish what we now know today as classic southern rock.
A virtuoso player renowned for both soloing prowess and searing lead tones that shape memorable melodies; he significantly impacted popular music worldwide even after being with us only two short years before tragically passing away aged 24 due to motorcycle accident.
Sonny Landreth
Sonny Landreth is an American blues musician well-known for his innovative and emotional slide guitar playing. Receiving two Guitar Player magazine covers for introducing a new era of blues with southern influences, Landreth uniquely blends together jazz, Cajun, zydeco, blues and rock music that result in spacey yet soulful tracks.
His exploratory approach to listening has allowed him to collaborate with renowned musicians such as Eric Clapton and Lucinda Williams while finding inspiration in the farthest reaches of musical styles.
From emotionally charged guitar solos on classic Delta Blues standards to reinvented electric riffs accompanying the Allman Brothers’ ‘Little Martha’, Landreth’s skillset as both a composer and slide guitarist have offered up many unmistakably captivating classics that continue to influence artists today.
Derek Trucks
Derek Trucks is an American guitarist, composer and bandleader widely regarded as one of the best slide guitarists of his generation. Although he struggled with small hands that limited his ability to play conventional blues styles, he quickly developed a unique bottleneck technique for slide guitar.
His influences include Duane Allman and Elmore James, a pioneering electric blues singer-guitarist known for his hard-driving music featuring amplified slide playing. The Derek Trucks Band combines genres such as blues, soulful jazz rock , Indian music and Latin music into something new and exploratory.
Trucks’ skills on the instrument earned him accolades from many including multiple Grammy awards throughout his career as well as has inspired countless collaborations with artists across musical genres like Gregg Allman, Eric Clapton Oteil Burbridge; Susan Tedeschi; Kamasi Washington; Robert Randolph & Sheryl Crow among others.
Some notable live performances by Trucks include World Cafe Live in Philadelphia (2009), Red Rocks Amphitheater (2011), Atlanta Symphony Hall (2015) & Montreux Jazz Festival (2016).
The Impact and Continued Influence Of Slide Guitar In Blues Music
Today, slide guitar is still found in modern blues – from contemporary artists such as Derek Trucks, Bonnie Raitt and Sonny Landreth to rockers like Jack White and Gary Clark Jr.
Contemporary Artists Using Slide Guitar
Modern slide guitar players are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with cool and unique sounds. From blues-rock veterans to folk-inspired singer/songwriters, to just plain wacky avant-garde soloists, there’s something for everyone on the current slide guitar scene. Some notable contemporary slide guitarists include:
- Bonnie Raitt – Drawing inspiration from Delta blues masters like Mississippi Fred McDowell and Son House, Raitt has established herself as a brilliant slide guitarist and an important figure in creating the link between traditional acoustic blues music and modern electric blues-rock interpretations.
- Derek Trucks – A student of both Southern Soul music and classic bluesmen like Duane Allman, Trucks has crafted a signature studio and live slide sound that ranges from lowdown Chicago Blues raunch to soaring southern rock intensity.
- Sonny Landreth – Recognized as one of the most innovative modern blues slide artists out there today; Landreth is an expert at combining gorgeous melodic lines with blazing hot chops that delight listeners all across the musical spectrum.
- Roy Rogers – For over four decades Rogers has been crafting his own distinctive hybrid blend of American roots music styles such as blues, folk, country and jazz; layering elements together through his signature use of bottleneck slides with both electric and acoustic guitars.
- Gary Clark Jr – Blending influences ranging from singing Delta greats like Robert Johnson to Steve Ray Vaughn’s late-’80s reawakening of hard rocking Texas flourish; Clark Jr’s edgy yet soulful approach to intense modern electric slide playing combined with thrilling melodic finesse has pushed him to be one of the modern day masters on the six string.
The Impact of Slide Guitar On Modern Blues Music
Slide guitar has had a huge influence on the modern sound of blues music, resulting in some truly unique and interesting recordings. This technique involves pressing an object against one or more strings of the guitar to produce a singing, sweeping tone that is both mournful and soulful at the same time.
Used to create music in various styles such as Delta or Chicago Blues, slide guitar has been popularized by legendary blues musicians such as Blind Willie Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Duane Allman.
Over time, this expressive style of playing was utilized in Pop and Rock genres by players like Bonnie Raitt and Roy Rogers who are equally respected for their virtuosity with slide instruments.
In today’s musical landscape, we can still hear hints of traditional acoustic slide taking cues from classic tunes while contemporary blues artists incorporate amplified sounds alongside electronically-produced slides combined with steady loops; creating something new altogether—space-bound solos full of interstellar flavors! Sharlotte Gibson (Gibson Borthers), Derek Trucks (The Derek Trucks Band) Sonny Landreth (John Hiatt’s backing band) are just some examples of current slide players blending all different kinds of techniques into their modern take on old classics—in truth they have taken things centuries beyond what most considered possible!
Beyond its traditional roots within blues music lies a universal impact that cannot be ignored: through its powerful combination between energy and emotionality we find ourselves propelled into realms far beyond this planet when listening to somebody play electric lap steel; it can’t be described better than “cosmic” – It has always touched our spirit like nothing else does! Even if you look back at historical past performances – Slide Guitar will nurture your soul each single time – no matter if acoustic or electrified – No other instrument manages to succeed uniting environments further away from where humanity began…
How Blues Slide Guitar Influence Rock Music
Blues slide guitar is an important and often overlooked element in the rock music genre. The connection between blues and rock dates back to the early 1950s when artists began blending traditional blues and country styles with rhythm and blues infused electric guitar tracks of the time, later known as rock ‘n’ roll.
This fusion of genres was spearheaded by greats like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Ike Turner and more – all of whom owe a debt to Blues musicians who came before them.
The influence is particularly evident in their use of slide guitar for soloing purposes or as texture within arrangements.
From there onward it became an integral part of popular music throughout the 1960s onwards; from Eric Clapton’s cover interpretations such as “Crossroads,” George Harrison’s work on All Things Must Pass LP which featured slide-guitar heavyweights such as Ben Harper or Ry Cooder on many songs through Led Zeppelin’s “The Lemon Song” which opens with some spectacular bottleneck slides performed by Jimmy Page himself.
Iconic Slide Guitar Solos In Popular Music
Slide guitar has been used on some of the most iconic recordings in popular music. In recorded songs from all genres, a slide guitar provides a soulful depth and emotion that is unique to this instrument. From Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” to Bonnie Raitt’s, “Something To Talk About”, let’s explore some of the greatest bluesesque soloing ever created with the use of slide lines.:
- Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Child: Known for his virtuoso electric solos and flamboyance onstage, Hendrix also dabbled in open-D tuning on acoustic guitars during classic tunes like “Voodoo Child.” A good example for sound experimentation using bottleneck slides over an alternate-tuned electric guitar in A minor pentatonic scales such as those found in Blues Jamming traditions.
- Bonnie Raitt – Something to Talk About: Another fierce female taking not only Slide Guitar’s namesake but also her place amongst Heavy Rock fans is Bonnie Raeit; proving that slow rhythm blues chugging riffs can give Pop hits their flavor. She introduces improvisation licks within an eight bar form into ‘Something To Talk About’ which gives it its Smooth Americana charm vibe backed up by Brothers LPs with Quincy Jones who featured now well-known musicians including Dixieland Waymasters band member Roy Rogers whose notes you may recognize opening Johnny Cash’s 1993 version of Delia’s Gone where he graces us all with blazing dexterity built around seamlessly done brushed fretboard sliding patterns over lyrical bends perfecting what was then already regarded as Folk Blues canon while further inspiring more important fusions between yesterday and today. Acts throughout subsequent decades ever growing genre subculture offshoots across roughly two centuries and eventually ending up being woven together right here since remaining present until these days ’til long after.
- Derek Trucks Band – Joyful Noise: Here we have 15 minutes song crafted by Grammy Award winning Husband & Wife (guitarist/vocalist Susan Tedeschi & renowned multi-instrumentalist Derek Trucks) who entertain listeners entirely based on passionate energy shown throughout their blistering heat inducing performances.
Conclusion
Slide guitar is a technique that has been central to the history and development of blues music. During the early part of the 20th century, slide guitarists such as Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, and Bukka White established new approaches for playing this style of acoustic blues.
Then in late 1960s through 1970s musicians like Elmore James and Muddy Waters helped popularize an amplified sound that could be heard in venues all around America. Slide guitar also had a profound impact on rock ‘n’ roll with Duane Allman’s groundbreaking work featuring reverberating licks – now classic sounds – with his band The Allman Brothers Band.
Later Bonnie Raitt became one of the few female ‘masters’ (not just players) of slide guitar, inspiring other artists to continue exploring further variations as they pushed past traditional boundaries to redefine what was possible musically within the genre.
Moreover modern slide virtuosi from Roy Rogers to Derek Trucks have incorporated different styles into their repertoire; combining Western swing jazz elements along with electric funk grooves while echoing Sun era recording techniques.
FAQs:
- What is slide guitar?
Slide guitar is a style of playing the guitar that involves using a metal, glass or ceramic object called a “slide” fingerpicked along one or more strings in order to produce certain notes and melodies. This technique was widely popularized during the blues music era and continues to be an important part of modern-day performances.
- Who are some prominent slide guitarists in blues music?
Some of the most influential slide-guitar artists in Blues Music included Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf who all revolutionized these techniques over time while also collaborating with different styles & rhythms resulting in distinct soundscapes that remain revered as classics within today’s recordings & performance venues.
- What role did slide guitars play during the early days of blues recording?
Slide guitars were commonly used by blues musicians during their recordings due to its ability to infuse soulful riffs into melodic journeys emanating from tales ranging from love lost & lamentation too advances made throughout society granting reliefs dedicated performers rarely experienced prior – creating unmatched sounds staying etched upon listeners memories long after actual listening sessions concluded owing testament to it being both part heartfelt genuine communication yet still mysterious undeniable gift everyone remained awe about where origins derived leaving only legends behind driving imagination ever forward standing test time sustaining industry through longevity..
- In what ways has slide guitar been used beyond traditional blues music?
Slide guitar has proven its versatility beyond traditional blues music by finding its place in various genres. In rock music, legendary guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Joe Walsh have incorporated slide guitar, infusing their rock compositions with a soulful and bluesy edge. In country and Americana, slide guitar has added a distinctive twang and emotional resonance to the music of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton. Folk and singer-songwriter artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Ben Harper have used slide guitar to enrich their acoustic-driven music with haunting melodies. Slide guitar has also made its mark in world music, merging cultural influences in Hawaiian music and creating captivating cross-cultural fusions in the hands of artists like Debashish Bhattacharya. Additionally, slide guitar has found a place in jazz and fusion genres, expanding sonic possibilities for artists like Sonny Landreth and John Abercrombie. Finally, slide guitar has been embraced by experimental and avant-garde musicians like Glenn Branca and Fred Frith, who explore unconventional sounds and challenge conventional notions of music. Overall, these examples demonstrate the diverse ways in which slide guitar has been utilized, showcasing its adaptability and expressive capabilities across a wide range of musical styles.
