When I first met Duane he did most of his slide playing in standard tuning (EADGBE) then eventually went to the open E tuning for everything. If you can find one of the earlier recordings of Mountain Jam, that was played in standard tuning. Duane perfected his slide technique by just playing everything in slide, to the point where Gregg said it was driving him insane even though he considered Duane a natural slide player after he mastered it so easily. I miss Duane and Gregg very much. Very informative video, Dylan.

If Duane had a video about how to make spaghetti sauce or change a tire, I'd watch it because that guy was just a cut above most of the people in the human race. I remember one lady who knew him (she had a photo album with pictures to prove it), and she told me that the man absolutely mastered everything he put his mind to. She also said that he was a daredevil who loved a challenge. Her exact words were "Duane Allman was a red headed triple Scorpio who believed that God was on his side in everything he did, and it showed in the way he drove his car, rode his bike and played his music." I saw him in Piedmont Park in Atalnta when I was a kid, and what you're getting with your rig here is close enough to Brother Skydog that I can feel that day in the park all over again when I hear you. Very nicely done. Hats off CHEERS!

As someone who's played for 52 years...starting in 1971 during the height of the Guitar God Era the ONE thing most players miss on those tones..... is simple : VOLUME.....sure...Duane and Clapton and Page would still sound like themselves...even playing on an acoustic guitar...but these guys played LOUD....just like everyone was. There's a symbiotic relationship between guitar pickups and amp volume that you need to find onstage. If you can't get stupid loud onstage you might do what I do here in Nashville....put your amp on a "tall" amp stand and get it right behind you...that way it'll be loud for you but not shooting by your legs into the house pissing off the FOH guy. So when Dylan is talking about too much gain/overdrive...that's what players feel they have do when they can't achieve volume because of limitations in their home/apartment or a small club. You just can't get those early 70s tones playing at 3 watts through a Katana. Sorry for the reality check...but it is what it is.

I'm old enough to have seen Duane play three times before he passed.... he's the reason I play guitar today.....you have to be able to swing.... he was special

His virtuosity was second to none. Whether it was bending strings, playing the slide, playing the folk guitar. Dobro In every genre, blues, R&B,folk,Jazz.Country& Western I had the honour of seeing his second to last live performance. I'm still in a hypnotic trance.

Totally agreed on the pickup selection/tone knob. I played in an ABB tribute for years with David Goldflies (ABB 78-94) and Mike Kach (Dickey Betts Band) and spent countless hours focusing on getting that tone. That’s where I landed after a few years of experimenting.

What a great breakdown of sound! ... and yes, it is extremely close to the original, if not spot on! It is clear that you care about being authentic! 👏👏👏

A few things. He always had his Marshall dimed completely out, so volume had a LOT to do with his sound. He had Y-clipped the channels together - which gave him more gain. He was actually somewhat obsessed about getting the most gain he could out of them without having to use a pedal (which he did do in his early days). Using 50 watt heads allowed him to get away with that a little more. Dickey used 100 watt Marshalls, so he had to turn down a little bit, and that's why he was a bit cleaner than Duane as well. A good bit of his sound which nobody ever seems to talk about was in microphonics. He would play loud and distorted enough to where he was always RIGHT on the edge of feeding back. You can listen to a ton of live recordings of him where you will hear it feeding back - or almost feeding back. That may be one of the bigger components of his sound. Whenever he couldn't turn the amp all the way up, his sound definitely tended to suffer somewhat. Listen to the solos on like One Way Out on Fillmore East and/or Don't Keep Me Wonderin' there as well. Listen also to the power chords he's hitting at the end of Mountain Jam. That was SERIOUS amp distortion - especially for back then! He definitely manipulated the tone knobs more than probably any player ever, and you definitely got that part right. Finally - the speakers. I've heard anything from JBL's (which I think he was mostly using), Altecs & CV's. His cabinets were also open back on his top 2 speakers as well. Even though he supposedly was using the same pups from his gold top in his cherry '59 & in Hot 'Lanta at the end, I'm still convinced that the cherryburst was the best sounding guitar he had. Hot 'Lanta had just a little bit more of an upper mid/low high sound (certainly on the bridge pup) to it - just like the gold top. The cherryburst was the smoothest sounding sound he ever got, IMO. That's the one he used at FE. When you've got as little as he did in the signal chain, even slight wood differences can make a difference! Great video, though - and great playing as well!

To my ears, (everyone knows that is subjective) this is the best representation of Duane’s tone without plugging into a cranked Marshall, which the majority of people viewing this video can’t do……or shouldn’t do. 😂 It’s obvious you’ve put in the hours of not only playing along to, but diligently listening to these recordings to hammer out this tone. And for that I’m thankful! Never stop playing Dylan, awesome stuff man! 🍑 ✌️

Duene Allman's guitar always had a swing to his solos even acoustic guitars

Super valuable knowledge!! I love it

Yes. Les Paul, Fender tube amp played loud (or Blues Driver pedal), bridge pickup, tone pot rolled halfway back. Nailed it.

Thank you Dylan! I'll try this out the first thing tomorrow!

Great stuff! Love how you always point out the work you put in is the most important part of the sound, and it clearly shows on your end how much you love the stuff and the hours of work you have put in.

This is SO helpful! Thank you! I wish I'd seen this video twenty years ago! :) Keep up the great work!

Dude! NAILED it! Very nice.

Incredible playing, sir!

Thanks for those tips. Very useful. 🎸😊🎸

Thank you Dylan for sharing your knowledge ❤ you are amazing.

Thank you Dylan for sharing your knowledge, you are amazing ❤❤❤

Great playing, Dylan! Great tones, too! Thank you so much. 🖖

Kudos to you, man! All your hard work has paid off, you’ve got the sound and feel of the real deal!

Duane used a “Y” cable to use both channels of his amp (a Marshall #1986T). Derek Trucks owns one of the amps that had belonged to Duane.

Amazing breakdown with great points! Sounds pretty darn close to me!

Great video! Even better tone👊

Very well done. You have a great touch!

You did a fantastic job dialing it in. Great video. Thanks.

Great instructional video Dylan Adams ! BRAVO !

You nailed it with your pickup and tone selection. That's it.

Great job bud - I will keep this approach in mind.

Ery time I watch you play I think damn, that’s probably the best slide playing I’ve ever seen in standard tuning. I never knew that was possible. Spot on w the Duane tone. Cheers

Really nice Video!

Great playing man!

Yep sounds good!!! I will totally try that.

Sounds awesome most importantly!

Dylan, thanks again for this video. The way you've absorbed so much of the essence of Duane's phrasing yet still maintain your individuality is outstanding! Much success to you.

Dylan Senseï, your playing is as usual, so clean, controlled, musical. You really nailed that sound with your gear, but the most important thing is how well you master these techniques and soul it's so impressive!

Brilliant playing and informative video. Used to play a little slide many years ago and now trying it again. Came across this video. Very helpful.

Nice job man. Obviously did the work all around.

Fantastic I agree Sounds great

Great channel!

Great guidance; thank you

Great tips!

This is fantastic! Thank you for posting this👍

Great job

Nice job. I’ll subscribe.

Sounded good to me. Great playing

Excellent lesson.. Thanks

Fantastic info!

Great Job Man 🎸

Thanks man!

Incredible

Great subject Dylan, and very nice slide playing on your part too. Isn't it wonderful that after all these years we are all still talking about the greatness that was Duane Allman, and many of us still on that quest to get near his inimitable tone. The are so many intangibles to his style and tone, and another one to add to the mix is image having that band, the original Allman Brothers Band, as the canvas upon which to create your art. That band, at that time, was a force of nature. I too have spent a virtual lifetime attempting to capture the essence of what Duane wrought. I have two songs on KZfaq with me playing slide where it was two completely different approaches, and yet each one sounds quite similar to me. So probably the hands thing and also just what's in your head. And I definitely agree on the right hand fingers approach. One of my songs, 'A Brother's Dream' is me using a Fender Strat, with the pickup selector in the second position - bridge and middle pickups - with the middle pickup tone rolled all the way off, volume maxed, and using a 'Slide Rig' compressor and playing through a small Boss Cube Amp set to medium overdrive. The second song, 'Redneck Revelry', was recorded using a custom built Hurricane/Silvertone Amp (opening scene image) made by Gary Drouin of Hurricane Amps, which is basically an all tube 8 - 10 watt amp cranked wide open, and using a 61 reissue Gibson SG, middle position pickup selector, and volumes and tone knobs wide open, and no effects. Just straight into the amp. I still think - and know - that my tone is more muddled than Duane's tone, and the difference is that you have to be able to take it right to the edge of being too harsh, but still keep it warm and comforting. I think that is what made Duane such a master, his tone was aggressive and snarling, but at the same time warm and comforting. I subscribed to your channel tonight and look forward to more great videos from you. Thanks!

You have good hands and a good brain kid • Well done - I’ve been listen to L @ TFE since 1972. Great VDO Thank You

Great insight!

Thank you!

Great info as allways... Not much mystery. set tone knobs and use your fingers right... your info is so good and usefull! great channel!

Great tips Dylan, I've been playing over 40 plus years raised also on Allmans tunes being in a hot bed of music during the 70's. They were the most played band here

Excellent thanks.

So helpful. Really appreciate it. Using a Silvertone SG, 11s, Quilter Aviator and Mini Tube screamer. Trying out the bridge pickup with halfway down on the tone nob. Thanks mate.

Thank you....Great class!

Great video! I’ll be booking the next lesson & scheduling regularly first of Nov.

Thanks man.

Another great slide video! A few comments: I looked through my folder of Duane images and videos. He is about 50-50 bridge or neck pickup. When I saw him live in 1971, he lived on the neck pickup. Primarily played the Les Paul. switched to the SG a few times. No pedals. I play a very old Les Paul through a late 60's 50 watt Marshall head, now throw an early 70's 4x12 slant marshall bottom. The 50 watt head came with an 8 x 10 Marshall bottom. Great sound, rough to gig with.. Back then the sound you got was hands, guitar settings, and amp. NO PEDALS. I still do not use pedals. Going from 10's to 12's made a significant difference. Love the 12's. My Duane sound is on the neck pickup. A little more tone than the woman tone Clapton got. I have never been able to get the streak highs out of the bridge pickup. I do use the middle setting, but not for Duane. Minor point, I use the Dunlop Crricidin bottle, glass slide. Back in the 70's, I used a real Corricidin bottle on my ring finger like Duane. Tried many other slides. Steel or brass just does not sound Duane enough to me. We all sound like, ourselves. Wether I am playing a Les Paul, my Strat, Santana I, Little Sister, my ears, brain and hands lead me to "My" sound.

Fantastic

I appreciate your talent , im new to slide and not doing very well , this was a big help , im really not trying to sound like anybody , im just trying to get the technique and the open tuning thing and getting the scale learned at this point, slide is pretty hard to get right so this is my focus , Not trying to sound like a hero, Thanks for the video.

I THINK YOU NAILED IT

Great video dude. You just confirmed for me that the way I have been playing it for years was about right. Sadly these days you just can't crank it up and wail like they did 50 years ago! Thanks for the vid, rock on man!🎸

Nailed it!

Dillan, I love your hand control. I wish I had that ability.

You are my new guitar hero ❤

it sounds awesome! thanks :O)

Dude! I would LOVE to have that slide thone, Duane or no Duane. You rock, man. I am starting on slide, and super intimidated about it. Keep the videos coming.

On your way to becoming a legend.

Yeah I agree, been playing 40 years or so and my slide (always in standard, so I can go back and forth between slide and regular during a song), I use a Boss Turbo Overdrive gain and around 1 o'clock and either use the middle or bridge pickup. When will put the slide between my pinky and index finger on my picking hand in a song where I need to do slide and regular. That way I can just slide it on my finger and take it off and have it ready. Takes a little getting used to picking while holding onto a slide but I have been doing it for so long it just works for me. Great tone and playing!

I was there and only 10 yards away not once but twice, your tone is very much like I remember his sounding

Thanks!

I'm a world-class professional guitarist and bassist and I like your video !!! LOVE IT ❤❤❤😢😢😢😅😅

Yep , you be right. Grew up listening to Fillmore east. That’s damn close. Excellent playin too dude!😌

Very cool 👍👍

Love your work Dylan ‘ I’ve been playing around with guitars for fifty years and always wanted to play better slide guitar and some of the other videos before Dickie passed’. We used or use bass heads and base cabinets l Marshall . Great pedal . Keep up the great job and much continued success with your growing channel. ❤🎸👍😎❤️

Wow! Great information. Great breakdown of the elements that help to capture/approximate Duane's unrivaled tone. Also, really nice playing - Dylan. I can see & hear that you've put in the practice time to create such a tasteful performance. Love it. Finally, I'm assuming that the type of slide doesn't matter that much? You're using brass and Duane used glass.

I'm in my mid-thirties now and I used to play a bit of guitar in my late teens and early twenties. I wasn't particularly good, IMO, but I enjoyed it for the fun of it anyway. Other stuff in life came up and I gave it up, but lately I've been thinking of picking it up again. I always loved slide guitar but never picked slide up myself - it seemed like a big hurdle to overcome for me, who is kind of a slow learner anyway and I never quite "mastered" guitar the traditional way. But videos of slide players of different skill levels have inspired me, and I'm looking into buying a basic Tele (usually the most ergonomic neck for my left hand) + amp and a slide and give it a go. Your channel has played a part in this - I hope the water in the slide pool isn't too cold :D p.s. I looked up a couple of Smokestack gig videos, I particularly enjoyed your rendition of Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers Band. Are you familiar with Skydog? They're an ABB tribute band from Virginia. Good stuff.

Thank you Sooo much for this Dylan!! I’ve been playing since age 6 back in 1957 and knew Link Wray back then. I locked on to Dickey at first from LAFE and could imitate him some but Duane absolutely perplexed me! This really shed some light on his tone so I’m gonna pull my ol’ 58 LP jr. Out that Santa gave me in Xmas of ‘57 and see if I can pull some of this tone out of it. Thanks again Son!!

Practical approach! I always turn the tone knob down when playing the Les Paul.

I have a 2017/18 Les Paul Custom Standard. I like playing slide with the bridge pickup and I do the full volume as it give the full pick up sensitivity. I just dial in the tone until it sounds like what I like. The highs, mids, and lows must all have a clarity without muffle and bit of crunch to suit me. I use both glass and chrome plated brass slides which each slide has its own tone quality. I do have a full stack Marshal DSL100H, but practice through a Roland Street EX which suits the neighbors a bit more. Ina about '69 I had the pleasure of playing through a Fender Twin 50 amp which was awwesome. Through the years and different guitars, from my first guitar, a Kay Strat copy to hollow body electric for the softer tone around '69/'71, to Fender Stratocaster with dual humbuckers, string lockdowns, and fine tuning, in about '86, to Les Paul Studio in '91, to my newest Les Paul. I always prefer the bridge pickup unless messing with some jazz and top pickup, cleaner tone. Early influences are Jimi Hendrix when he was still alive, (could have seen him live in Miami in '70 and did not take advantage: Was already trying to play some of his music), Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter/Rick Derringer, Jimmy Page, Rolling Stones in general, Rory Gallager, Steve Miller, Joe Walsh, Alvin Lee, Beatles, Carlos Santana, Cactus, etc... Those were magic days for sure. I also have a 12 string single cut-away acoustic/electric Takamine, single cut-away acoustic/electric Martin, and a made in Spain Victor 6 string Flamenco classical style guitar, (3 gut strings), with very sweet tone. One of the main reasons I prefer Les Pauls is my '69 forward early enjoyment of that Allman Brothers sound.

Thank you for the great tips on Duane's tone. I've been playing slide like Duane for decades. Statesboro Blues I play like a classical piece, lol, note for note. It never occurred to me to cut the tone knob on the bridge pup. Excellent! I love your playing style. Unfortunately, I started slide using my ring finger ages ago. Hard to get out of it now. Btw, you should be more famous. Terrific player.

excellent

most of the tone comes from your hands and the way you slide to each note and the soft flattening of the note when on it too. I could always play slide as a drummer but now my hands are messed up so I can not play and slide is all I can play. I need to jump back in and learn to play standard. you channel is inspiring me to start playing again.

You rip, dude! Great vid!

I first learned of you through Rhett Shull, and have been following you since. Great tone and playing! I know you recorded a video on slide construction, and I found it interesting that you didn't use a glass slide for this video.

Word!

And thats just what i did...Didnt know the dadgad. Tunning..Brilliant fellow.

ONE WAY OUT live at FIMORE EAST in 1971 is my favorite A.Bs song.

Wow, You are an excellent player-- both with and without the slide, but your slide chops are fantastic. You totally have the Duane feel, and as you said at the top of the video, that has about 1000x more to do with you as a player than the settings on your gear. I'm more interested in your tips on slide technique than anything to do with knobs or switches... can we get a video on that?? 😉

I use my Bluesbreaker amp with a ox Box for my slide tone . That’s it

We really enjoy your videos, Dylan. Cheers from the Micronesia Blues Society on the island of Guam. Any videos on Robert Nighthawk or Earl Hooker?

it's amazing how much guitars seem to come alive when rolling off the tone of the bridge pickup...I think Eric Johnson did the same thing with his bridge pickup to get his signature sound. Great video.

YEAH, even he’ll yeah! Thanks Dylan! Excellent video and yes it sounds like it to my and I’ve been listening to Duane (and yah, Live at Fillmore specially) since that album came out. Totally agree that is his best sound. Only thing missing, which is hard to get is the sag. To me one day decades ago listening to Fillmore I suddenly realized that the sag is what makes Duane’s (and Dickies too) guitar also sound very harmonica-like when harp players blow hard, that bloom. But your tone here is way close. I also would not have thought to have EQ guitar tone way down (but it is the bridge so I always tended to turn some down..) and also the OD. But I realize too as you mention that you are countering the “buzziness” the BD can get. So wondering, where do you set the BD-2 gain? I’m definitely going to try this, and also just have to make myself stop using a pick on slide. Thanks so much! Also am amazed at what you get out of standard tuning. Going to check out more of your videos for tips there too.

Was all about his exceptional touch. 15 Secs watching you play. I believe you have the touch also.