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We all have our favorites moves – and we often cater to them. Why do some things become our favorites? Probably because they come easily to us. Or because they feel natural. Or because they make sense to us within our worldview of playing.

But what about our un-favorites? Those things we dread doing (or the more dramatic of us would say hate doing). Just like our favorites, our un-favorites are there for the exact opposite reason – they don’t fit the way we look at the world, or they feel unnatural, clumsy, or just plain wrong!

For me, these are slides. I will turn myself inside out to avoid doing a slide! I will endure some crazy fingering just to avoid a slide of any ilk!

And what does this tell us? Yup – I need to practice them more!

So, the one of you that asked how to do a 4 slide didn’t know my love/hate relationship – but now you know where that look on my face came from!  Since you asked…

…let’s learn to do a 4 slide! I made you a video to follow along. The most important thing that cannot be overstated is – TAKE IT SLOW! Let your hand, your arm, your brain each learn what you’re asking them to do. Don’t be in a rush. Don’t accept shoddy. Don’t give up! And perhaps most importantly, keep in mind that you are never going to do a 4 slide in isolation – you will always be going up to somewhere else, so don’t waste time trying to do it without your other fingers (don’t ask me how I know how pointless this is).

Take a look. Give it a try. Take it slow and don’t think this is a one-and-done activity! I have found that, like so many of our harp techniques, at first you may struggle. Then you’ll be brilliant and delighted. And then you’ll hit the ungainly adolescent phase of the technique when you’ll play like you’ve never seen a harp before. And then it all gels and you are a strong, confident performer of 4 slides!

And as always, let me know how you go – I love hearing from you!

Your comments

This is something I’ve never attempted. I know what I’ll be trying this afternoon. Thank you.

Regards — Kate

Yuk! Overly dramatic me HATES that. But what do I know? The way that I’ve tended to deal with a 5-note run is 3-2-1-2-1 (mostly). Who uses a 4th finger slide that much?

I hear you! Typically, I do the 3-2-1×2-1 too. But for some (unknown to me) reason, sometimes that 4 slide just comes in handy! More practice!!

Which reminds me – I like to think I’m fairly ok at webpage stuff, but I’m not really. I have taken the comment form off the posts because when it worked, I brought me loads of spam. So, feel free to send me an email (use the contact form which does work) with your comment and I’ll append it to the post so others can see and chime in as well!