Lesson 1

Lay the slide bar across the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings - at the 7th fret. This important, movable chord form is based on the G triad, G - B - D (3rd, 2nd, and 4th strings - open) taken up to the 7th fret. Play only the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings, the D major triad ( A, D, F#).

In the instruction video I call this chord form 1.

Now, with the slide bar firmly in this postion, twist your wrist slightly and place your index finger "behind the bar" on the 1st string at the 5th fret. (fretted normally)

This is an A note (the 5th of the D major triad). You may now play the first four strings.

The slide bar must remain in place on the strings directly above the 7th fret. The 1st string is fretted in the normal manner.

If it were easy then everybody would do this and they would have done it a long time ago. I began playing this style in 1975 as a way to get that highly emotional steel, dobro, blues sound of the slide that we all love so well into our music (acoustic Southern Appalachian "country" music) without sacrificing the ability to play guitar in the normal fashion .

We perform as a duo
Phil & Gaye Johnson. I did not want to learn a whole new instrument, new tunings etc. It works for me. It will work for you too!

Remember when you tried your first "Barre" Chord? Impossible right?

But, you eventually figured out how to twist your wrist and hold your left hand in that "gawdawful" uncomfortable position and discoverd a whole new set of creative possibilities up the neck.

The instruction video goes into great detail on how to play in this style. Every left and right hand tecnique is covered in easy to understand close up detail. If I can do it, so can you!