Simple Slide-Guitar Tuning

for Disabled Players

V.T. Migliore June 24, 2018

Overview

Playing a slide guitar is a technique whereby a glass or metal tube is used on the
fret board to create the notes of a song. The use of a tube to form the notes frees
the player from the boundaries of the fret system, enabling glissando and vibrato
effects to make the music more expressive.

Slide guitar most commonly uses open tuning, such as open-G tuning, so that the
slide placed above any fret produces a major chord. The open strings in open-G
tuning, for example would produce a G chord, with G-D-G-g-b-d tuning. Playing
minor and 7th chords is much more difficult, requiring fancy fret-hand finger work.
In the technique described here, alternate string tuning allows the player to strum a
complete chord for the major triad, plus the 7th, and the minor chord for each note
with just one position of the slider on the fret board. This opens the door for
players with physical challenges to play a much broader repertoire of chords with
just one slider position. I call it “Miggy Slide Tuning.”
OPEN STRING NOTES
Standard Tuning Open-G Tuning Miggy Slide Tuning
String Note Freq. String Note Freq. String Note Freq.
1 E4 330 1 D4 294 1 F4 349
2 B3 247 2 B3 247 2 D4 294
3 G3 196 3 G3 196 3 B3 247
4 D3 146 4 D3 147 4 G3 196
5 A2 110 5 G2 98 5 B♭ 3 233
6 E2 82 6 D2 73 6 D4 294
Table 1. Standard, Open-G, and modified slide string tuning.

Alternate Tuning

Standard guitar string tuning appears in Table 1. This provides a broad range of
tones over several octaves. The tuning recommended here, also in Table 1, uses
open-G tuning for strings 4, 3, and 2, to form the G-chord triad in root position;
that is, G-B-D in ascending frequency. The first string is tuned to 7th note for each
chord, again providing a preferred root position sequence chord (See Figure 1).

The 5th string is tuned to the flat-third of each chord to form the minor chord. The
6th string is tuned to the 5th note of the chord, the same as the 2nd string. This
permits the player to strum strings upward from the 4th string to create the minor
chord. This minor chord, again, is in the preferred root position format. It produces
the major chord simply by strumming down on strings 4, 3, and 2, and the 7 th chord
by strumming down on strings 4, 3, 2, and 1. Likewise, the 7th chord is created with
a simple up-stroke on strings 4, 5, and 6.

Figure 1 shows how to play the G, the G7 and the Gm chords with open strings,
and D7 and Dm chords with the slider at the 7th fret. It also shows the Am chord on
the 2nd fret and the C major chord on the 5th fret.

If you’re not a technical person, and you don’t know about chord structure, then
just study Figure 1. This will help you understand the strumming or plucking
sequence required to form each chord. You can easily create any major, 7th, or
minor chord from G with open strings to G on the 12th fret.
Figure 1.
Strumming
Chords

Start at the
bottom of the
image. If you
strum open
strings 4, 3,
and 2, you’ll
get a G
chord.
If you strum
open strings
4, 3, 2, and 1,
you’ll get a
G7 chord.
If you strum
open strings
4, 5, and 6
(upwards)
you’ll get a
Gm chord.
With the
slide at the
2nd fret,
you’ll get the
A, A7, and
Am chords,
respectively.
Pros and Cons

The system described here allow players with limited mobility of one hand, the fret
board hand, to play major, minor, and 7th chords by simply holding the slide over
one position on the fret board. A handicapped player might not be able to form
standard chords on a regular guitar, but if he or she can grasp the single slide, this
will allow a more varied chord pool to select from.

As with any slide guitar, notes and chords can be augmented starting at a position
lower in pitch and rising to the desired chord. Likewise, the slide can be oscillated
to create a vibrato sound. This method also makes it easier for the beginning slide
guitarist to learn and play chords without needing to press strings on frets different
from the main slide position.

Standard guitar string tuning appears in Table 1. This standard tuning means that
each individual chord has an abundance of notes (up to 6) stretching over several
octaves, which provides a richer, more robust sound than can be achieved with the
limited spectrum (just 3 or 4 notes) for the alternate tuning suggested here.

Although this tuning provides a broader spectrum of simple-to-form chords, it does

not include less common chords, such as augmented, diminished, or suspended
chords.

Variations

The slide guitar tuning shown here uses modified open-G tuning for demonstration
purposes. Of course, you can use open A tuning, open D, or any other note as the
base condition. You might also tune the 5th and 6th strings an octave higher or
lower to provide more variation in sound for the minor notes.
This discussion focuses on just three chords, the major, minor and 7th. You can,
with a little bit of practice, also make a minor 7th chord by playing strings 4, 5, and
6, followed by the 7th note on the first string. Of course, other variations are
possible.
Stringing the guitar

For string 1, highest pitch, use a standard E string tuned up slightly higher to F.
For string 2, use a standard E string (normally the 1st string) and tune it down to D.
For string 3, use a standard B string (normally the 2nd string) tuned to B.
For string 4, use a standard G string (normally the 3rd string) tuned to G.
For string 5, use a standard B string (normally the 2nd string) tuned down to B♭.
For string 6, use a standard E string (normally the 1st string) tuned down to D.

The 2nd and 6th strings are tuned the same. You will need three standard (high) E
strings for this tuning.

Conclusion

The technique shown here allows players to form major, minor, and 7th notes on an
open tuned guitar. The method only allows for 3- and 4-note chords, but it makes
the slide guitar much easier to play and more versatile. With just one position on
the fret board for the slider, the selection of chords is simple and straight-forward,
allowing players with physical challenges able to play a wider spectrum of chords.

~ ~ ~

Dedicated to my brother, Robert “Eagle Heart” Migliore who was confined to a

wheelchair due to cerebral palsy. He taught all of us how to be productive and happy
while wrestling with a major handicap. Thanks, Rob!
This document is licensed as Public Domain with Accreditation, meaning you can copy
all or part of it simply by mentioning the author. Example: “Reprinted with permission of
the author, V.T. Migliore, Folsom, California.”

Contact: V.T. Migliore, BlossomHillBooks@aol.com