Playback Sessions

Ariel Posen Breaks Down His Signature Slide Tone (5 Levels)

Playback Sessions

Show Notes

From Sideman to Slide Guitar Icon! Ariel Posen opens up about his journey from touring the world with other artists to building his own voice and his brand-new Fender Signature Guitar. In this Playback Sessions episode, Ariel breaks down the 5 Levels of Slide Guitar, revealing the techniques, tone secrets, and mindset that shaped his signature sound. Whether you’re chasing better tone, control, or creativity, this one’s packed with lessons straight from one of the most inspiring modern guitarists today.

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📍 Chapters: 00:00 Ariel intro: sideman to signature Fender 00:38 Episode setup: 5 Levels of Slide + new guitar 01:15 Kickoff & Cory Wong camp recap 20:18 Signature Fender: concept & build journey 24:30 Pickups/electronics (P-90 bridge + JM-style neck in P90 housing) 35:40 Level 1: Right-hand muting (finger vs pick) 37:00 Level 2: Left-hand anchor, tip-of-slide, intonation, vibrato 48:50 Level 3: Vocal lines, scale glides, sequencing 59:40 Level 4: Hybrid playing (slide ↔ fingerstyle) 1:02:10 Level 5: “Behind the slide” pedal-steel illusion 1:06:50 Volume swells & tone control for expression

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🎥Filmed live at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, Tennessee. 🎙️Host: Spencer Handley 🔥Guest: Ariel Posen Editor: Carl Reeverts Executive Producers: Spencer Handley Camera/Sound: Mitch Goudy

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