In This Article
1 What Are Guitar Slides?
A slide is a technique where you fret a note and then move your finger along the string to a different fret while maintaining pressure, creating a smooth, continuous pitch change between the two notes. Unlike hammer-ons and pull-offs which jump discretely between pitches, slides glide through every pitch in between, producing a vocal, expressive quality.
Slides are notated in tablature with a forward slash "/" for ascending slides and a backslash "\" for descending slides. Some tab notation uses the letter "s" between fret numbers (e.g., 5s7). You will see slides in virtually every genre of guitar music, from subtle position shifts in classical pieces to dramatic ascending runs in rock solos.
There are several types of slides, each with a different musical purpose. Shift slides move you from one fretboard position to another. Legato slides connect two specific pitches smoothly. Grace note slides approach a target note from above or below for a scooping or falling effect. Each type has its own feel and application.
This technique is distinct from slide guitar (also called bottleneck guitar), which uses a glass or metal tube on the finger. Here we are talking about standard fretting-hand slides using your fingertips directly on the fretboard.
2 Shift Slides vs. Legato Slides
A shift slide is used to move from one position to another on the fretboard. You pick the first note, slide to the destination fret, and then pick the destination note again. The slide itself is a transitional sound—the emphasis is on arriving at the new position cleanly. Shift slides are practical tools for navigating the neck.
A legato slide, on the other hand, is a musical statement in itself. You pick the first note and slide to the second note without picking again. The second note rings purely from the momentum of the slide. This creates the signature smooth, connected sound that makes slides so appealing.
Shift Slide (pick both notes):
e|--5/7---7---9/12---12---|
Legato Slide (pick only the first note):
e|--5/7-------9/12--------|
^ ^
pick pick
Grace Note Slide (quick slide into target):
e|--/7-------/12----------|
(from a fret or two below)
Grace note slides are quick, decorative slides that approach a target note from one or two frets below (ascending) or above (descending). They happen so fast that you barely hear a distinct starting pitch—the effect is more of a scoop or dip into the target note. Blues and rock players use grace note slides constantly to add attitude and character to their phrasing.
Pro Tip
Listen to B.B. King or David Gilmour to hear masterful use of slides. They often slide into notes from a half step or whole step below, giving each note a vocal quality as if the guitar is "singing" the phrase. This simple ornament can transform a basic melody into something deeply expressive.
3 Executing a Clean Slide
The physical motion of a slide is straightforward: press a string down at the starting fret and glide your finger to the destination fret without lifting off the string. Maintain consistent pressure throughout the entire slide. Too little pressure and the note dies mid-slide. Too much pressure and you create excessive friction that slows you down and wears out your strings faster.
Speed control is critical. A slide that is too fast sounds like a hammer-on. A slide that is too slow sounds uncertain and weak. Practice controlling the speed of your slides by using a metronome: slide from fret 5 to fret 7 over exactly one beat, then try it over two beats, then half a beat. Being able to control slide speed precisely gives you much greater musical expression.
Exercise 1: Controlled Ascending Slides
e|--3/5---5/7---7/9---9/12--|
B|--3/5---5/7---7/9---9/12--|
Exercise 2: Controlled Descending Slides
e|--12\9---9\7---7\5---5\3--|
B|--12\9---9\7---7\5---5\3--|
Exercise 3: Mixed Direction Slides
e|--5/7---7\5---5/9---9\5--|
B|--5/8---8\5---5/10--10\5-|
When you arrive at the destination fret, your finger should land precisely behind the fret wire, just as it would if you were fretting the note normally. Overshooting or undershooting the target fret is a common problem that gets worse at higher speeds. Practice landing accurately at slow tempos before speeding up.
For longer slides spanning many frets, you may need to adjust your thumb position on the back of the neck as you move. Do not let your thumb anchor in place while your fingers stretch away—your whole hand should travel together smoothly along the neck.
4 Slides for Position Shifting
One of the most practical uses for slides is connecting different scale positions on the fretboard. Instead of jumping abruptly from one position to another, you can use a slide to transition smoothly. This not only sounds better but also helps you visualize how the fretboard connects across positions.
Take the A minor pentatonic scale. In first position (5th fret), the pattern covers frets 5 through 8. By sliding from the 7th fret to the 9th fret on any string, you shift seamlessly into the second position. This technique is how experienced players move freely up and down the entire neck rather than staying trapped in one box pattern.
A Minor Pentatonic - Position Shift via Slide
Position 1: Slide to Position 2:
e|--5---8-----------> e|-------8---10---|
B|--5---8-----------> B|---8---10-------|
G|--5---7/9----------> G|---9---10-------|
D|--5---7-----------> D|-------10---12--|
A|--5---7-----------> A|-------10---12--|
E|--5---8-----------> E|-------10---12--|
Pro Tip
When using slides to shift positions during a solo, try to slide on a note that belongs to both the phrase you are leaving and the phrase you are entering. This makes the transition sound intentional and musical rather than like a mechanical position shift.
Practice connecting all five pentatonic positions using slides as bridges between them. Start by ascending through all positions, then descend. Eventually, you want to be able to move to any position from any other position using a single slide as the connector. This will completely unlock the fretboard for you.
The same principle applies to major scale patterns, modes, and arpeggios. Wherever two adjacent positions share a note, that note is a potential slide point for smooth position shifting.
5 Expressive Slide Techniques
Beyond position shifting, slides are one of your most powerful expressive tools. A well-placed slide can add emotion, tension, and drama to an otherwise simple phrase. Here are some advanced slide applications to practice.
The slide-and-vibrato combination involves sliding into a note and immediately applying vibrato. This is a signature move for blues and rock players. The slide adds the initial vocal approach, and the vibrato sustains and enriches the note. Practice sliding from two frets below your target note, then applying a controlled vibrato as soon as you arrive.
Double-stop slides involve sliding two notes simultaneously on adjacent strings. Fret a two-note shape (like a third or a sixth interval) and slide both notes together to a new position. This creates a rich, full-sounding slide that is particularly effective in blues, country, and classic rock contexts.
Slide into Vibrato:
e|--/12~~~~---/15~~~~---/7~~~~--|
(slide in, then vibrate)
Double-Stop Slides:
e|--7/10------10\7------7/12---|
B|--8/10------10\8------8/12---|
Long Expressive Slide Run:
e|--3/5---5/7---7/10---10/12---12/15---|
Cascading slides create a waterfall effect by sliding on multiple strings in sequence. Play a note on one string, slide up, then immediately pick the next string and slide up again. When done in rapid succession across multiple strings, this creates a dramatic ascending (or descending) effect that sounds much more complex than it actually is.
6 Common Mistakes and Fixes
The most common slide mistake is losing pressure during the slide, causing the note to die before reaching the target fret. This happens especially on longer slides where your hand has to travel a significant distance. The fix is to focus on maintaining even, firm pressure throughout the entire motion. Think of your finger as a train on a rail—it stays locked onto the string at a consistent depth.
Overshooting the target fret is the second most common problem. When you slide quickly, momentum can carry your finger past the intended destination. Practice at slow tempos first, and develop a feel for where each fret is by its physical distance from the starting point. Over time, your muscle memory will become more accurate.
Unwanted string noise is another issue. As your finger slides along the string, it can generate a squeaking sound, especially on wound strings (the low E, A, D, and sometimes G strings). While some squeak is unavoidable and even desirable in certain styles, excessive noise usually means you are pressing too hard. Lighten your pressure slightly—just enough to maintain the note without generating excessive friction noise.
Pro Tip
If string squeak is a persistent problem, try using coated strings (like Elixir Nanowebs). The coating reduces friction between your fingers and the wound strings, significantly cutting down on slide noise. Many professional players use coated strings partly for this reason.
Finally, make sure your slides are rhythmically intentional. A common beginner habit is to slide to notes randomly without any rhythmic purpose, which sounds sloppy. Every slide should have a clear starting point, a clear destination, and a clear relationship to the beat. Practice slides with a metronome, landing on the target note exactly on the beat.
Key Takeaways
- Slides connect notes smoothly by gliding along the string—maintain consistent finger pressure throughout.
- Legato slides (pick once) and shift slides (pick both notes) serve different musical purposes.
- Use slides to connect scale positions, unlocking the entire fretboard for soloing.
- Combine slides with vibrato for maximum expressiveness in blues and rock phrasing.
- Practice landing precisely on target frets at slow tempos before building speed.
- Control slide speed deliberately—fast, slow, and everywhere in between—for greater musical expression.