Matt Smiths Theory on the Origins of Slide Guitar

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20 thoughts on “Matt Smith’s Theory on the Origins of Slide Guitar”

  1. Gary Powell
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    The Diddley Bow may well have been the first slide, and invented and played by Africans.

  2. Gary Powell
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    The diddley bow derives from instruments used in West Africa. There, they were often played by children, one beating the string with sticks and the other changing the pitch by moving a slide up and down. The instrument was then developed as a children’s toy by slaves in the United States. They were first documented in the rural South by researchers in the 1930s

  4. Andrew Scott
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    Far from an original theory as I’ve read this story all over the place, but it makes sense. The only hole is that the slaves were already using "Slide-y" bluesy sounding instruments before 1906. The two together combined into something, but it’s pretty stretching to say that slide guitar came over in 1906. The diddly bow, already mentioned in the comments, and the zither were both happening long before.

  5. 0713mas
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    I like that theory, I have an added thought. Anyone who has ever attempted to build a cigar box guitar, a diddley bo or stringed instrument of any kind. Knows it is very difficult to get the neck & frets right, or the intonation even close to perfect. That said, it makes things a lot easier, just to leave the action high & slide on it. Then to try and push down the broom wire strings with your fingers, old hand me down guitars often have high action. That was always part of my theory anyway?

  6. Gasolineboy
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    great slide videos man. i been playing guitar for awile but just started slide guitar these videos have helped. God bless.

  7. Glaeken1961
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    I think this "myth" has plenty going for it. Diddley Bo for sure is African, but there was banjo ahead of guitar in common use. The slide banjo? Sure Gus Cannon. But generally, guitar was where slide got popular. The blues maybe beat the Hawaain introduction, because island music is lap position and uses a bar, but Delta blues holds upright and uses bottleneck or spine of a knife, or whatever was sonic. So both origins have something to say for gradual development of the HOLY style.

  8. mark hughes
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    Can you please tell me the tuning you have here playing that Hawaiian intro? cheers

  10. pauliewaulieflimflam
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    Thanks for the tip. The guitar I have is exactly
    like the one you are playing in this vid. Identical. It has no name
    on it though, nor any numbers. I was curious if you know who
    made yours. It is repaired now & has a wonderful sustain, nice tone
    to it. Brings a smile to my ears.

  11. daddariostrings
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    Haven’t a clue as to what the brand of your instrument might be. If the guitar has gone thru a great deal, strain-wise, you might look into those EJ17 (medium gauge) or maybe even EJ19- which is a medium light (.012 – .056)

  12. pauliewaulieflimflam
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    Hey man good vid, nice easy style. I acquired a guitar like the one
    you have here. Very bad shapeit was, neck warped, separated from body
    missing bits and negleted. So after many hours of TLC, ready for new
    daddario’s. The guage? Not sure yet, got phosphor bronze ej18s
    and 17s on hand, The neck was so bad 18s may strain it? Thoughts?
    It came with a flat steel nut perfect for flipping over from a righty to a
    lefty. What is the make of this guitar, can’t find a name on it.
    Cheers

  14. daddariostrings
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    Depends upon your tuning, technique/style, tone (the tone you’re looking for). We make flat tops which have a polished surface, which some players like because it minimizes the sizzle you get from the slide running over the surface of the strings. However, many players like that sizzly sound – so experiment – don’t be afraid to try new things – electric strings on an acoustic, flatwounds – etc – run wild with it and enjoy the process. You’ll learn plenty in the process as well.

  16. Mike Felber
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    Hey Mr. Smith, that is very interesting. I have heard that both Hawaiian & Delta Blues developed the slide guitar, in case of convergent (coincidental) evolution. A problem with your theory is that W.C. Handy documented a "loose limbed Negro, with the sadness of the Ages seemingly upon him" (quote from memory) sliding on the strings with a knife in a Tutweiler Ms. Train station, when waiting for a train 9 hours late! They have a marker to that I visited there, erroneously listed as 1895!

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