Slide Guitar: How To Start Fingerpicking

[@chrismason4224]

Us fingerpickers who keep their fingernails short gotta stick together! When my nails start to catch the strings I know it's time to shave 'em.

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Right! Same here, once they’re catching I have to clip em or else the strings will do it for me haha

[@davidhick4303]

I agree! I’m still a greenhorn but self taught so far. I was worried a bit about learning bad habits but I’m pleasantly surprised to learn that many of the techniques I developed are the way Dylan recommends to do. I didn’t use picks because I wanted to keep it simple and not worry about more gear, I have a hard enough time keeping track of my slide! I keep my nails short and I strum exactly how Dylan strums with index and thumb. It just made sense and I’m like, “why does anyone even waste their time with picks when it sounds this good without?!?”. I only just recently decided to start watching some stuff from these great KZbin teachers to start levelling up! Thanks Dylan!😊

[@sojourner-kl6ei]

as a bass player the translation to this slide guitar right hand technique is almost second nature. thanks for this lesson brother, well done.

[@TheMinorFallsTheMajorLifts]

Exactly the discussion I’d been looking for, but didn’t know how to search for it. As Dylan says, it’s not classical, it’s not Travis picking, it’s something else. So good.

[@Bmiah127]

6:17 Good day, Dylan. Wishing you well. All of your lessons and demonstrations are fantastic. This lesson is something i have always wished for. It seems you are becoming my super favorite demonstrator, and I hope that i can receive some insight into this/ your magnificent style. You have really done the work i may capture a small part of your inspiration. Thank you. Keep it coming. Excellent lesson. I gotta say!

[@Mistertbones]

There are plenty of great slide players who play without a pick, and plenty who play with a pick. Some of the great slide players who use or used a pick include Rory Gallagher, Mick Taylor Elvin Bishop, Bryan Bassett, and Joe Walsh to name a few. In my opinion, whether or not you want to use a pick is up to you.

[@_eden.c_]

This is awesome Dylan. I’ve been following for a while and I love seeing how much the attention you’re getting has grown. I’ve got a friend from Jacksonville who said she knows ya and had all great things to say. I’m glad to see people like you are starting to get the attention they deserve, can’t wait to see more ✌️

[@suttletovah]

This is great content, thank you. I've been learning/playing slide for several months now and stumbling around trying to figure out good right hand technique. This is really helpful.

[@toploadtele]

The best slide lesson I've seen... Thank you Dylan!

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Ah man I truly appreciate that, thanks so much for watching!

[@victorwong9622]

I don’t play slide but I was watching your lesson on modes and I was fascinated by your right hand technique, I’ve been trying to play fingerstyle after playing with a pick my whole life. I’ve arrived at a pim technique somewhat like yours, but it’s inspiring to watch you play single note lines so fluidly. Great lesson, thanks!!

[@victorwong9622]

So interesting watching you play single note lines, although you introduced the five positions playing alternating pim patterns, when you’re actually playing you often spontaneously double or triple pick with your thumb or index. I’ve often gotten bogged down trying to stick to straight pim, I’m going to try your technique!!

[@jwright8838]

Makes a lot of sense. Thanks. It explains some of the issues in my slide playing.

[@jhsams1977]

Thank you Dylan you are a great educator on Slide playing

[@Bmiah127]

My God, Dylan...I am really enjoying your post. I have been really learning a lot. I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed.

[@SharpsBox]

Thanks for the lesson. Wish this content was online 3 years back or so! Great stuff! Any chance to can give some death metal a run on the slide?

[@EnigmaEuslam]

Great lesson man. Can’t wait to sit down with it.

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Thanks so much! 🙏🏻

[@timsellsted521]

Super helpful Dylan!

[@deplinenoise]

Awesome explanation. I ended up evolving over 25 years of playing into exactly this way. Only thing I’d add is also exploring rhythm with “stabs” picked with a group of fingers at once. It’s a very cool sound on the guitar, more piano like. Great work!

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Great point, those chord stabs are very useful! That may have to go in the eventual part 2 to this video

[@mikefinley4367]

Yes! Thanks for this post, great demonstration, especially with & without a pick.

[@candid1954]

J J Cale was a great fingerpicker

[@Blues40]

Great lesson thanks man! You’re a great player and very inspiring 🙏🏽

[@markusfrieauff5651]

thanks for the instructive video. Just a day before the private lesson, haha ;-) Now I already have stuff to work on...talk tomorrow!

[@liseeistrupschrder4888]

Thanks for this lesson. It was really helpful. 👏🏻👏🏻

[@Dang...]

Thank you.

[@ButlerBluesJourney]

Great video!

[@wildepascal]

Hi Dylan, thank you for this and your other introductions to slide playing, really helpful and very thoroughly explained! My question though: I've recently started again at guitar after a very long interruption, and am focusing on fingerstyle acoustic (I played electric with a pick before, and frankly not very well). I decided to go with three plucking fingers (pima) right away, thinking that using only two fingers was the lazy approach, and that it would be much harder to transition to three later... Am I mistaken? Am I uselessly disappointing myself by making it overly hard? Or will I just need some more patience, and is this approach going to be fruitful in the end? Anyone knowledgeable, feel free to comment. Thanks a lot!

[@DeGroove]

I would totally buy a slide course off your hands...

[@ryangunwitch-black]

❤great stuff. And I will have a Mavis. At some point. 😂 Does the cutaway really offer that much more useful accessibility with the slide?

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Thanks! The cutaway does give you a lot more upper fret access, at least on the higher strings, which can be useful if you’re really digging in on a slide solo. So if you think you may end up playing that high up on a somewhat regular basis then I’d say it’s worth it!

[@ryangunwitch-black]

@@dylanadamsguitarawesome. Thanks for the response. I’m hoping I can get out and see you play sometime soon. I’m Duval-based so my only excuse is being lame and old. 😂

[@GM-mv1ch]

@@dylanadamsguitar better access compared to an SG? thanks man

[@dylanadamsguitar]

@@GM-mv1ch oh definitely not haha, it only has around 19-20 frets and nowhere near the upper fret access of an SG. This model has a totally non-cutaway version that’s shaped like a standard acoustic guitar, so the cutaway version has a lot more upper fret access than that, but it’s not comparable to any typical electric guitar in that way. Both versions play more like an acoustic overall

[@GM-mv1ch]

@@dylanadamsguitar thanks man very helpful. Congrats for your playing

[@Krizrax]

Any particular reason not to use the ring finger? I'm trying to get that one involved as well, picking-wise. But great vid in breaking down the techniques!

[@dylanadamsguitar]

No reason not to if that’s a goal of yours! I’ve just never been able to get it happening, and for this particular Duane/Derek style of fingerpicking it’s not essential

[@Krizrax]

@@dylanadamsguitar Haha I can totally understand, it's not as 'natural' a feeling as the three you advocate. But I feel like if I get it really up to speed then I don't have to switch positions as often. Plus for me it's only a hobby so it's ok to mess it up :) Anyhow, thanks for the answer and have a good one!

[@chrismason4224]

I use my 4th finger when I'm learning Fahey or Kottke songs, but for the most part 3 can get it done. There's nothing wrong with being able to switch back and forth between styles that use 4, 3 and even 2 fingers. A lot of the syncopated Hill Country blues uses only 2. I was a 3-finger picker for about 20 years before I decided to add the ring finger into the mix and it probably took a solid year before it felt comfortable. Just stick with it.

[@lucasgustavo7663]

Hi Dylan and guys on the comments, can you recommend some songs on leven easy on slide? i'm trying to play stateboro blues, but i think it's avanced level.

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Elmore James tunes like “Dust My Broom” and “The Sky is Crying” are great places to start!

[@loki3292]

I've always done a lot of fingerpicking, but somehow it never occurred to me to do it with slide. Developed a whole technique around playing slide, specifically around standard tuning, and requiring a pick; and now I'm trying to remember why...

[@racersedge8569]

It's called three finger style I use it for my 12 string

[@racersedge8569]

I'm banjo trained as well that's what I started on

[@Myce]

I’m just here for the algorithm

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Thanks!

[@michaelnc4450]

I have a Republic Tricone.. and use my fingertips.. but the strings I have been trying are not comfortable for the slide-fretted technique... I am used to 9s on my Les Paul... and Acoustic stings never bothered me... but I just can't seem to get a good feel for the resonator strings... am I making any sense?

[@dylanadamsguitar]

Regular acoustic strings are perfectly fine on resonators, I’d recommend trying them out on your tricone!

[@michaelnc4450]

@@dylanadamsguitar Thanks for that suggestion! 😎👍

[@Angus1966]

looks like i am holding a pick when i strum but I'm not too

[@Haku_records]

Ha I thought me and Luke mcquery were the only cats who were going fingers 🎉big love! Dig the f out of your playing

[@michaelmusterer7066]

You are not the only guy who uses fingers proffesser,do you lecture kids on how to finger paint the proper way also

[@davidpendlebury1234]

Nice😊