AllMovie

Though learning how to play the bottleneck slide guitar can be rather difficult, students should be able to pick up a number of valuable tips from instructor Mike Dowling. He explains such basics as turnarounds, syncopations, and ways to master vibratto. The mixing of fretted chord forms with slide work is also demonstrated. To help students see how these techniques are properly employed, Dowling plays such songs as "Mean Ol' Frisco," "Stranger Here," and Tampa Red's "Boogie Woogie Dance." Dowling breaks down the elements used in some of his own tunes, including "Swamp Dog Blues" and "Jan's Song," to make it easier for students to follow along with him.