I’ve just started working on slides. I’m currently tackling “Merrily Kiss the Quaker” and “Dennis Murphy’s Slide.” I’m taking it really slow, but to get the proper lilt, I realized that I’m tonguing every note. Can someone give me the proper tongue-to-slur pattern for a slide?
Will O’Ban
Ordinarily, I scoff at people who say tonguing is not traditional.
However, I’ve got to say that I just ran through a couple of slides, and I tongue very little in them, and certainly not in a regular pattern.
Can you try just slurring it all?
In Denis Murphy’s Number 1, I tongue very little, mainly just here and there as accents.
Thanks for your response, Colomon (and U 2 FJohn). I’ve tried slurring the whole tune (Kiss the Quaker), but it seems to be lacking that kick that I’ve been told good dance tunes should have. It’s a happy tune that should get the listener’s foot tapping, but right now my playing sounds rather blase. Of course, my playing it slightly faster than a death march probably has something to do with it 
, but I don’t think that’s the complete answer. Maybe as I get more experience with the tune it will come alive.
Will O’Ban
I may be totally off base even suggesting tonguing patterns. I do have a classical music background, which can be a handicap and a blessing. So please, anyone who has a better sense of this, step in and tell me off.
I would try, if you must tongue, separating the third note in the triplets of eighth notes. So, in Merrily Kissed the Quaker, it would start by tonguing the G, slurring into A, and then tonguing B. I do this on some tunes with this sort of rhythm and it sounds okay.
Anyone else out there do it this way? I am far from expert in these matters. 
Jennie