This is a little known approach within slide guitar playing, yet it’s one of the most attractive. I’ve always felt that lead guitarists in general spend too much time concentrating on the higher strings and positions, while neglecting some of the equally cool, if not cooler, lower positions available to them.
This kind of lick and phrasing can be very effective emotionally, and is a great tool to call upon when you really have “something to say.”
The term “slam” comes from the fact that in this case we are actually doing a very aggressive slide hammer-on action that can only be classified as a “slam.” In fact, on my acoustic CD, Drive it Home, I actually played a song using this technique that I simply called “Slamming.” Ry Cooder also made this approach quite famous with his work on the Rolling Stones song “Sister Morphine” from the Sticky Fingers album.
As you’ll see, it requires good slide “angling” for the correct approach down low, so you don’t have to hit too many wrong notes and strings. Correct accuracy is critical to this style, as is a very strong vibrato for that great vocal quality we’re looking for. Enjoy!—Arlen Roth
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