| The Origins and Magic of Slide Guitar | | | | there is little evidence that players ever used a |
| | | | slide on a banjo. |
| It's a hot sultry night on the Mississippi delta. The | | | | Some musicologists suggest that Hawaiian music |
| full moon casts it's translucent light on the fields | | | | was the greatest influence in popularizing slide |
| and swamp oak trees. The lingering smell of | | | | guitar. This was about the time (early thirties) |
| barbecue and wisteria mix with honeysuckle and | | | | when steel bodied guitars were becoming available. |
| tobacco smoke. Folks are sitting on the front | | | | This music was played in "slack-key" or an open |
| porch trying to beat the heat. Someone picks up | | | | tuning as it is called today. The guitar is tuned to |
| an old guitar and begins to play a familiar tune. | | | | an "open" or major chord, such as a Gmajor or |
| The sound is unmistakable, cutting right to your | | | | Dmajor. There are many variations in these |
| heart, and emotions. It's distinctive voice, almost | | | | tunings, but most tunes are played in one of the |
| human-like, hangs in the night air like a soulful cry. | | | | three main open tunings. |
| That is the signature sound of the slide guitar. | | | | Hawaiian music was very influential in spreading |
| Where did this style get its start? The prevailing | | | | the slide guitar craze throughout the country. This |
| wisdom attributes its birth to the old single string | | | | gave rise to a great demand for slide style guitars |
| instrument called the jitterbug, used by black | | | | from manufacturers. The Hawaiian lap steel |
| musicians around the turn of the 20th century. | | | | guitars were more popular than standard guitars |
| This instrument was simply a length of thin wire | | | | all through the 1930's. All of the major |
| stretched between two nails on a post and played | | | | manufacturers had offerings: Gibson; National; |
| using an old bone or heavy nail. Some used a | | | | Dopera Brothers; (Dobro) Regal, just to mention a |
| bottle or other smooth objects as well. One could | | | | few. Hawaiian slide guitar was incorporated into |
| play a lead line or improvise an accompaniment to | | | | every style of music from Jazz to Mountain Music. |
| folk, blues, and spiritual songs. The jitterbug was | | | | This has continued on to the present. The list of |
| essentially one of the first blues instruments. | | | | today's accomplished slide players is large and |
| There are ancient African instruments much like | | | | ever growing. |
| the jitterbug but using a gourd resonator with the | | | | The adaptation of slide guitar techniques by early |
| single string. It, also, was played with a bone sliding | | | | blues musicians is, perhaps, the ultimate marriage |
| up and down a neck to change pitches. | | | | and is instantly recognizable. Some of the great |
| As guitars became more available, a lot of the | | | | masters of the past include: Son House; Tampa |
| early blues and folk players adopted them. These | | | | Red; Robert Johnson; and Muddy Waters, to |
| guitars had terrible action and strings were scarce. | | | | name a few. These magical and soul filled sounds |
| Using a slide allowed playing on some really horrible | | | | have captivated musicians and listeners alike. |
| guitars yet produced a very appealing sound. | | | | The voice like quality of a glass bottleneck or |
| Using a glass or metal slide would also save the | | | | brass pipe sliding up and down a guitar string has |
| fingers! | | | | a created musical tradition worthy of it longevity. |
| Guitars were very popular in the early part of the | | | | It resonates with our emotions and has found a |
| 20th century. Frequently, rural musicians got | | | | permanent home in our hearts. God bless those |
| inexpensive guitars from a mail order catalogs. | | | | who aspire to the sound of the slide guitar. |
| Banjos were very expensive at the time, but | | | | |