What tunings should you use?

The slide is limited when it comes to chords because there is only one chord shape possible and it depends on the tuning of the instrument as to which chord type it is. It is also common for slide guitarists to use their free fingers to fret other strings in order to include that sound as well. This opens up the possibility of playing other chord shapes.

Open tunings are usually used by slide players, however sometimes standard tuning is also used. With open tuning, the strings are tuned so that when they are played with the slide parallel to the frets, a given chord will sound. Moving the slide up and down the neck will create that chord in different keys.

Tuning your guitar to an open chord definitely makes slide playing simpler and more stylized. Most players will use open D, E, G or A. G and A as used by Rory Gallagher on classic songs like Could A Had Religion, Who`s That Coming and Bullfrog Blues are actually the same tuning just a note higher . See the diagram below for some of the basic tunings.

Alternately you can mix the best of both worlds by tuning down the 1st E to a D this gives open G tuning on the first four strings to play nice blues slide and you can play the guitar in normal standard tuning letting you jump between playing lead solos and slide solo.