Have any of you ever successfully switched slide fingers, from ring to pinky?

[TheGoodTexan]

I've been playing slide for 30 years on my ring finger. There's no specific rationale for why I started on the ring finger, other than it felt the most natural when I first started.

Over the years I've tried to switch to the pinky finger a few times, just so that I could chord better with the other three fingers... but I've never been able to make the switch. I've even stuck with it for months at a time, only to have a gig with a song that required slide, and I couldn't get it all together for gig... so I just stuck it back on my ring finger.

I almost always play in standard tuning (sometimes I lower the A string to G, for a modified open G), and my slide style most resembles Billy Gibbons or Joe Walsh.

 

[Bill]

Yes.

I played some slide in my late teens. Used my ring finger since that felt natural.

Then didn’t play slide for decades but my ring finger still felt like my dominant slide finger.

Early this year I took a ten week acoustic blues slide class and the teacher went through the advantages and disadvantages of each finger. He suggested if we could, try and use our pinky for slide for the reason you suggested, plus it leaves you free to play riffs with the other three fingers, and it makes it a bit easier to reach higher up the neck.

I switched and it took a few weeks, but then it felt fine and I like the advantages. It is a little harder to create a smooth vibrato though.

The main thing I’d suggest is to not try and use your old slides. Buy one specifically sized for your pinky. Otherwise it will feel loose and sloppy and you’ll wonder why you aren’t playing as well in control.

 

[Crashbelt]

No - I've tried but just can't get the same level of control with the pinkie

 

[jimash]

I use the pinky and have never succeed in switching to the ring finger ( ostensibly to get more control).
I also usually play in standard or drop D. But I was fooling around with a full D chord yesterday.

 

[crossroader]

I experimented with ring vs. pinky, especially when I was first trying to figure out the whole slide thing.
I liked the control with my ring finger, but it was easier to play everything else with it on my pinky.

I eventually went with my pinky and learned to get the control I needed.
I almost always play in standard tuning, so wearing the slide on my pinky makes doing everything without the slide MUCH easier.

And, yeah, getting a slide that fits well is important, whichever finger you're using.

I will also add this.
I played slide for years in the privacy of my home before venturing out in public with it.
And even then, it wasn't pretty.
But I kept hearing Joe Walsh in my head (paraphrasing something I heard in an interview with him), "When you first play in public, you will be terrible. After a while, you'll still be terrible, but it will get better."

So, I just kept at it (hey, I've suffered for my art, now it's your turn ).
And now, I'm probably still terrible, but people let me play slide on stage, so I guess I've gotten less terrible.

 

[Rasmuth]

I use my middle finger.....would love to use the pinky but it just feels so less...in control...lol

 

[AAT65]

I’ve played slide (on & off) with my pinky for a long time, but recently tracked down a bigger slide (brass) and switched to my ring finger — the goal being more control. I’ve got both options now I guess but initially ring finger feels much more comfortable.

 

[Ron R]

Yes, but it was a long time ago, and I played (and still do) so little slide, it wasn't a big deal to me.
As for the 'control', if you kinda pin the slide between your ring finger and pinkie when you're doing slide parts, you can get some of that control back. Kinda similar to supporting your ring finger with your middle finger for big bends.

 

[John Owen]

I switched for all the reasons already mentioned. At this point I have used my pinkie exclusively for at least 15 years.

Like any fundamental change to an established motor skill, I contend that the only way to really make it happen is to focus all your practice time for the next 3-4 weeks on nothing but that one item. I'd spend the first week not even trying to play any licks - just a single note, or double-stop, or whatever and just get the feel for making a smooth vibrato and not fretting the string out, then go to a different area of the neck and/or string combination, lather, rinse repeat. Just keep it really simple for longer than you think you need to and let your hand get the feel of that new position.

Full disclosure - every once in a while, I will run across one of my old 3rd finger slides and I'll try it out for a minute. It still feels more 'natural' to have that thing on my 3rd finger but I tell myself that the trade offs for the 'less natural' pinkie approach is worth it.

Good luck.

 

[brookdalebill]

Nope.
I like it on the “wedding ring” finger.
Slide, for me, is a minor part of my playing.
I can do way more “regular” chording and soloing if I leave it on my WR finger.

 

[brookdalebill]

I use my middle finger.....would love to use the pinky but it just feels so less...in control...lol

You’re in good company, Bonnie Raitt does, too!

 

[Obsessed]

I started on my pinky, but as time went on, more songs seemed to work better with the ring finger. As a former violinist, my pinky is very strong, so it is nice to have is available for hammer ons and pull offs and 7ths. I am now more exclusively ring finger, but contrary to someone earlier, my vibrato is way better on the pinky. As mentioned above, get a different size slide for each finger.

 

[radiocaster]

I've only used the pinky but I use a half-slide (goes over about 3 strings).

 

[memorex]

I used to play slide, but I was always looking for my slide at gigs, and finding out I left it at home. Now, I just use the digital whammy effect to imitate slide. The problem with that is, I'm too much of a klutz to use an expression pedal standing up, so I lose my balance.

 

[Flaneur]

If you're worried about a lack of control, go lighter- with a shorter, glass slide. If you prefer the tone of a metal slide, you can return to that, when you feel comfortable using your pinkie.

Good fit is key, too. A loose, heavy, over-long brass slide on your experimental pinkie slide finger, sounds like a recipe for discontent.

I like the extra flexibility of using my pinkie. I want all the fingers I've got, for creating complex fingerstyle riffs and rhythms. If I'm playing solo acoustic, or as the only guitar player in a band- even more so. If you never grab chords, or play fingerstyle runs and are a pure bottleneck slider, intonation and eliminating unwanted noise, are bigger concerns . In that case, whichever finger feels best, is best.

 

[Bill]

Something to consider. Maybe try a heavier weight or a different material to give a different sense of control. For instance, after trying a bunch of different ones I found an amazing stainless steel slide with a knuckle cut-out and a tapered inside with a weighted tip. The guy makes slides that cost up to around $300. But this one was more like $30.

Unfortunately he only made 4 and I got the last one.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

If you play slide in standard what are you asking any of us advice for ? I revere you, Beck, Rick Vito, Warren Haynes, and any other moogerfooger who does !

I switched from ring to pinky 20 years ago and I still think I had more control/better damping using my ring finger - but I aint going back.

I slog around in A/G or E/D and it still impresses the limited amount of folks I play with - none of whom play slide.

BTW - I like brass or copper for electric and a glass one with a finger crotch cut out for acoustic.

 

[RodeoTex]

Somewhere i have slides to for fingers 2,3&4. I'd change back and forth depending on the song
I never got much good with any of them.

 

[mad dog]

Long ago, starting out with slide, I used my middle or third finger. Better control (at least in those crude attempts) initially, but gave away too much in chording ability. So I went with the pinky. Using a light metal slide.

Years later, I discovered glass slides, at the same time began to understand the importance of left hand and right hand damping. The result was way better sound, especially at higher volumes. It's a longtime habit now, lightly dragging the index finger behind the slide, barely touching the strings. I would find that much harder w/o the slide on the pinkie.
MD

 

[Tele56]

Still working on my slide technique but I use both the ring finger and pinky depending on the song. As previously mentioned I have a few different slides for both fingers...prefer them snug.