Grateful Dead Music Forum

Well he wasn't on the slide when he wrote this song as he was just reaching a creative peak in a year or so.

But I mean Jerry played slide lead guitar on this and I was wondering if anyone had any hints or examples of his approach with the slide on this song or his slide playing in general because I think he was very creative when he played it?

Thanks...

Shaggy, the tone of your question implies you deon't know much about slide to begine with so I'll give you a few pointers and some notes to play with cosmic charlie.

Jerry usually plays slide in standard tuning, muting everything but the D,G, and B string with his right palm. then he just fools around with the 5 string Barre formations. Vibrato is key.

for most of the song you'll slide between A and G, here's some examples to fool around with

E---------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------
G-12/14--14/12--/14--14/12--14/12------12/14--
D-------------12-----------------12/14--------
A---------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------

also try something like this

E--------14/12--12/14---------------
B-12/14-------12--(14)--------------
G----------------------14--14/12/14-
D------------------------14---------
A-----------------------------------
E-----------------------------------
*() indicate harmonic ring
g
and finally try this over the "go on home your mom is calling you" bit

A G D A
E------------------------------
B------14--------------19------
G-12/14--14-/12--12-/19--19/12-
D--------------12--------------
A------------------------------
E------------------------------

I hope this helps a little, you'll have to play with the timing and technique a little, but I'm sure you'll get it.
Your cosmic brother
Spilly Mcgee

spilly - Firstly, thanks for taking time and replying. I appreciate it.

Yes you are correct, I am not too well versed when it comes to the slide, it's the one aspect of guitar playing I haven't given enough time to to feel comfortable with yet. You know one of those things you really want to nail but have to sit down and get into it first and never get round to it!

Thanks for your reply, I will look into what you said and take it from there. Thanks again for sharing....

do you have any more pointers you can throw in about the slide guitar and jerrys approach?

try to hook up through a tuner so you can check your intonation, if your ear isnt trained that well yet, nothing worse than every note being a little sharp....and RESOLVE...even if u do slip and go a little flat just resolve it and do it again and then its not a mistake anymore its "vibrato" lol