Top Tips for Playing Slide Ukulele

If you like these tips, please consider tipping me: support me on Patreon: / jonsukulele
This video covers what I've learned about playing slide ukulele over the last couple of weeks.
I'm assuming you can already play and know at least what a classic 12 bar I-IV-V chord sounds like. These tips are what I've discovered playing around with a slide over the last few
days.
Get my free guide to campanella fingerstyle here: jonsukulele.gumroad.com
1: Use open tuning GCEG 0:21
2: Play directly above the fret 0:56
3: Learn some fingerstyle 1:56
4: Keep the slide moving 3:05
5: Learn Cm pentatonic scale 4:18
6: "Leave and come back" licks 6:58
7: Don't cover all strings at all times 8:28
8: Go listen to Ry Cooder.
• Ry Cooder - Vigilante ...
Get more licks and a slide ukulele guide book at Uke Hunt:
ukulelehunt.com/2016/11/03/blu...
An excellent tutorial from someone who knows a lot more than me:
• Slide Ukulele Tutorial
0:00 Introduction
0:22 Use Open Tuning GCEG
0:56 play directly above the fret
1:57 learn to play fingerstyle
3:05 keep the slide moving
4:20 learn the Cm pentatonic scale
6:59 "leave and come back" licks
8:30 don't always cover all the strings
10:12 go listen to Ry Cooder

[@esaurito2323]

Thanks a lot for this video this is hands down the best ukulele slide tutorial I ever seen

[@jonsukulele]

Thank you, that's very kind of you. I just wanted to share some of the things that I've learned - I wasn't really into slide playing until recently.

[@JBearwa]

This is fantastic! My dad is 101 years old. Last year he wanted to use learn the ukulele. So we both learned what we could. I progressed fast since I play guitar. He learned a C chord😉. He came up with the idea that he’d like to do something like this and I said that’s called a slide guitar. And then I said I will look to see if you can do it for ukulele and this is perfect. Thank You!

[@jonsukulele]

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing this. I think that open tunings are the way to go for older learners who find it hard to make chord shapes, and slide playing simplifies things even further. I'm glad your dad made it to 100- I lost mine this year at the age of 91. Cherish the time you have together :-)

[@shish39]

I have been enjoying your campanella style posts and have fallen in love with the ukulele. The way you make it sound blows me away. I absolutely love this style and will make it my new obsession to try and make a similar sound. Thank you for the advice and inspiration.

[@jonsukulele]

Thank you so much for your kind words. If you haven't already done so, I have a free guide to campanella picking on my website with some scales and practice tabs. Good luck!

[@bluegrassukulelecelebration]

I have found that my new kala resonator uke becomes the center of attention when played with a Zoom play along group. Appreciate your service to the music world, Jon. Dr. Dennis

[@marksalvetti4894]

Great video, awesome instruction. Thanks for this. ✌🏽😎

[@jonsukulele]

You're welcome! 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@angerock49]

Brilliant, thank you! Very clear

[@jonsukulele]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bluegrassukulelecelebration]

Super job! Thanks, Jon. This is exactly where I am in my musical journey. Dr. Dennis, Bluegrass Ukulele

[@jonsukulele]

Glad you liked it Doc! I'll be checking out your Bluegrass stuff soon :-)

[@uke4free907]

Very helpful! THANK YOU VERY MUCH for sharing, Jonathan!!!

[@jonsukulele]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching :-)

[@rollordont]

Nobody ever told me not to push down! That helps so much!

[@jonsukulele]

That's great! Happy sliding :-)

[@martinwebb3394]

What a great find this video is Jon - I'm going to have ago at this as I love the sound of slide music. If I can make it sound anywhere near half as good as you I'll be very happy!

[@jonsukulele]

Thanks Martin! Glad you found the video and hope it will help you :-)

[@andydunn5673]

Nice little film Thanks for sharing your knowledge Going give this ago Got a concert 4 string And a Tenor 8 string, I’m thinking the 4 string would be better to start on Thanks again

[@hughmcelveen3352]

Great tutorial, thanks. I like tip 8! That’s the very reason I want to play slide. Off to listen to Paris Texas.

[@jonsukulele]

Thanks! Tip 8 is probably the only one you need :-)

[@hughmcelveen3352]

@@jonsukulele Not at all. They're all great. I'm taking on the theme to Paris Texas as an ukulele exam piece. Your tutorial is going to be really useful.

[@jonsukulele]

What exam are you taking? Glad my tips were useful!

[@hughmcelveen3352]

@@jonsukulele I'm taking Victoria College of Music exams. They have a great ukulele program which apart from performing pieces also tests you on improvisation and composition which I really enjoy. So the slide pieces, many being blues based, would be great for improvisation when I repeat a passage. The VCM have a set list of pieces but if they approve your selection you can choose your own. I really like that flexibility. I'm looking at the Theme to Paris Texas for grade 6.

[@magicelliotth]

Thanks for this. I really enjoyed it. Why the Cm scale particularly and not the C major one?

[@jonsukulele]

Glad you liked it. The minor pentatonic is generally used to solo in blues music, however better players than me would be able to switch from minor to major for richer solos. This video wasn't intended to go into theory but there are a million videos that do explain using scales, I'd suggest looking at some of them - I think I will too :-)

[@chientingq]

Thank you so much, it's really a cool stuff, can I know what material of the slide bar work better? Is it steel or glass?

[@jonsukulele]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! I know a lot of people say glass is better, but on the ukulele I don't think it makes much difference. Before buying a slide you can experiment with a drinking glass or beer bottle, then something metallic like a pen or the side of a screwdriver, for example.

[@chientingq]

Thank you, I really like your clean style, and clean layout.

[@flg947]

Now I've gotta get my slide.

[@jonsukulele]

Go for it! Thanks for watching the video :-)

[@imlafonz8047]

I use a shot glass

[@jimcummings4712]

What strings can be used for slide uke?

[@jonsukulele]

Any. I'm using Aquila Nylgut, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't make much difference.

[@ShadamAran]

not sure if I understand retuning so you can have an open major tuning. GCE is Cmajor, and CEA is aminor 1st inversion, you already have 2 different chord qualities. seems to me like therein lies more than twice the possibilities in standard tuning, the only cost being to mute the string you don't want to sound...

[@jonsukulele]

Sure. Maybe a better player than me could do great things in C6/Am7 tuning, but I prefer to keep things simple. Give it a go.

[@ShadamAran]

@@jonsukulele I doubt I'm a better player than you lol, I've just never heard of anyone doing that, piqued my curiosity is all

[@jonsukulele]

@@ShadamAran the reason that most slide players tune to an open chord is so they can cover all of the strings with the slide. Guitarists rarely use standard tuning to my knowledge, although you could say the same, about it already having a G and an Em chord in the open strings.

[@LastDaysIntercessors]

Is this a baritone? Looks like a tenor, if I'm not mistaken...

[@jonsukulele]

It's a tenor.

[@user-fw9si7dm5o]

is it concert or tenor?

[@jonsukulele]

Tenor 🙂

[@suhitsomvar7593]

Help me with the high hopes solo

[@jonsukulele]

What, the Pink Floyd song? On a ukulele? Are you kidding? I'm sorry my friend but you have to accept the limitations of the uke :-) Anyone does that on the uke, I'll be their biggest fan lol

[@suhitsomvar7593]

Jonathan Lewis I thought u could bro thanks tho

[@jonsukulele]

@@suhitsomvar7593 Sorry to disappoint. Maybe one day when I have lots of time I'll have a go, but it won't be anytime soon. Anyway, appreciate you watching my video, any other questions, let me know.

[@suhitsomvar7593]

Jonathan Lewis sure I’ll ask bro

[@suhitsomvar7593]

Jonathan Lewis thanks for your cooperation I’ve seen a lot of channels ignoring the comments I’m glad that that u replied

[@alanlaudani6379]

Having audio out of sync fails every demonstrated point. super confusing

[@jonsukulele]

Not out of sync. Either I'm just a crap player or there's a problem with KZbin😬