Hello Bruce. Your job is to play it as if you own it. Commit to your right thumb, and don't rush anything for anyone. The slow, steady pulse of the thumb, is what drives the song. The whole band had to listen to wolf, to know exactly when to change to the 4 chord. (D9) the slow, steady pulse is what enabled them to do that. Original Rolling Stones bass player, Bill Weyman, had the extraordinary gift of being able to play just the right notes, at just the right time, especially on the slow blues, and that is what allows the band to change chords as a unit. When you are playing this song solo, focus on the thumb, even more than the B minor chord. The slow pace gives it majesty, and authority.
Regarding the voice, I developed as a guitar player partly in order to hide my voice. Its thickness and clumsiness where a source of embarrassment to me. Claim the rhythm, and then claim your voice.
If the stretch is difficult because you need more practice, then you know what to do. If your hands are literally too small to make the stretch, then create a way. Try capoing up a few frets to lessen the space your fingers have to cover. Ultimately, you might try lifting the index finger, which bars the second fret, off of the neck while your pinky does its work on the 5th fret.( As long as you keep hitting the open A string with your thumb at regular quarter note intervals, your fingers can get away with a lot). You could resolve the sequence by doing a barred A cord at the 5th fret.
Cody, it's a wonder they let me anywhere near the Internet. We should be sitting with two guitars on the deck of my magic houseboat trailing a couple of beers In the cold water because my cooler's out of ice (and out of beer for that matter)
Wow Alex! You don't need any lessons from me. Your guitar work sounds alot like my friend Eric Bibb. You've got this tune down solid. Next time you see me, make sure that you are singing it too.
Mike, what I mean by the G7 is in the treble is that during this particular solo, the note F is pressed by the left index finger at the top of the G7 chord. When I am playing the G7 chord during the regular verse, the note G is fingered at the top of the chord, and the F is fingered on the third fret of the D string.
The object of this lesson is not for you to play it note for note on the baseline or the fingers. Just keep the rhythm solid. When your thumb work becomes second nature, the fingers, and everything else will follow.
Hey Boyd, I'm glad you brought this up. The guitar is there to serve your voice, not the other way around. When I want to play Robert Johnson songs, I use a capo and sometimes different tunings to help me. For instance I might use standard, instead of drop D. Open D instead of open G. RJ had a high pitched flexible voice. my voice is thick and low and a bit clunky. I try to use the same rhythm and guitar melody in a key that I am comfortable with, hopefully in a way that projects the same feeling that he had. If I were to try and sing it in the same key, playing note for note that he did on the guitar, I would lose the feeling of the entire song because I wouldn't be comfortable. The listener is depending on ME to interpret the song, not Robert.
Mike, there is nothing new in guitar playing. Revoicing standard chords is a way of saying the same old thing in a different way. To make a song flow, keep practicing it until you can play and sing it with authority. Guy Davis
Hello William. Thank you for the complement. I reckon there are worse teachers than me.
Bruce, there's always room for improvement in any piece that we play. Each time you play it, play it like you are discovering it. That keeps it alive.
TO BRUCE DUMES:
Hello Bruce. Your job is to play it as if you own it. Commit to your right thumb, and don't rush anything for anyone. The slow, steady pulse of the thumb, is what drives the song. The whole band had to listen to wolf, to know exactly when to change to the 4 chord. (D9) the slow, steady pulse is what enabled them to do that. Original Rolling Stones bass player, Bill Weyman, had the extraordinary gift of being able to play just the right notes, at just the right time, especially on the slow blues, and that is what allows the band to change chords as a unit. When you are playing this song solo, focus on the thumb, even more than the B minor chord. The slow pace gives it majesty, and authority.
Regarding the voice, I developed as a guitar player partly in order to hide my voice. Its thickness and clumsiness where a source of embarrassment to me. Claim the rhythm, and then claim your voice.
Reply to Boyd R:
If the stretch is difficult because you need more practice, then you know what to do. If your hands are literally too small to make the stretch, then create a way. Try capoing up a few frets to lessen the space your fingers have to cover. Ultimately, you might try lifting the index finger, which bars the second fret, off of the neck while your pinky does its work on the 5th fret.( As long as you keep hitting the open A string with your thumb at regular quarter note intervals, your fingers can get away with a lot). You could resolve the sequence by doing a barred A cord at the 5th fret.
Mike,I'm glad that it takes you someplace special. Make sure that you bring your wallet with you, in case you need to get a cab back home.
Thanks Jay.I hope that you can get Something out of it.
Cody, it's a wonder they let me anywhere near the Internet. We should be sitting with two guitars on the deck of my magic houseboat trailing a couple of beers In the cold water because my cooler's out of ice (and out of beer for that matter)
Thank Chicago Bill. I stole everything I know. (But I earned it by practicing until it became my own.)
Wow Alex! You don't need any lessons from me. Your guitar work sounds alot like my friend Eric Bibb. You've got this tune down solid. Next time you see me, make sure that you are singing it too.
Mike, what I mean by the G7 is in the treble is that during this particular solo, the note F is pressed by the left index finger at the top of the G7 chord. When I am playing the G7 chord during the regular verse, the note G is fingered at the top of the chord, and the F is fingered on the third fret of the D string.
The object of this lesson is not for you to play it note for note on the baseline or the fingers. Just keep the rhythm solid. When your thumb work becomes second nature, the fingers, and everything else will follow.
Spend the entire day using only your right thumb. Duct tape your fingers together if you have to!
To paraphrase John Fahey, the guitar cannot withstand the force of the human spirit.
Hey Boyd, I'm glad you brought this up. The guitar is there to serve your voice, not the other way around. When I want to play Robert Johnson songs, I use a capo and sometimes different tunings to help me. For instance I might use standard, instead of drop D. Open D instead of open G. RJ had a high pitched flexible voice. my voice is thick and low and a bit clunky. I try to use the same rhythm and guitar melody in a key that I am comfortable with, hopefully in a way that projects the same feeling that he had. If I were to try and sing it in the same key, playing note for note that he did on the guitar, I would lose the feeling of the entire song because I wouldn't be comfortable. The listener is depending on ME to interpret the song, not Robert.
Mike, there is nothing new in guitar playing. Revoicing standard chords is a way of saying the same old thing in a different way. To make a song flow, keep practicing it until you can play and sing it with authority. Guy Davis
Thanks for the compliment Charlie. Once you master your right hand thumb, there's no way part of Piedmont picking that's can hide from you. Guy Davis
William, I stole everything I know. Stealing's ok if you master what you stole and make it your own. Thank you. Guy Davis