For today's lesson we will learn the Son House tune Dry Spell Blues. This is one of my favorites because it is so simple and at the same time challenging. I start with a short demo and then break down the important parts. Pay attention to your rhythm and tempo.
Have fun.
Corey
Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
Open A Tuning
Corey Harris
Slide Guitar
Son House
Delta Blues
Dry Spell Blues
Open A Tuning
Print Chords & Tab
Loop 1:07 Open A Tuning ( E A E A C# E )
Loop 1:33 Run-Through of Dry Spell
Dry spell blues have fallen, dry every where I go
Dry spell blues have fallen, dry every where I go
And the money men lie in a rattlesnake coil
Mmmm, you know I solemy swear
Throwed up my arms, you know I solemly swear
No need of me changing towns, dry everywhere I go
Stood in my backyard, wrung my hands and screamed
Stood in my backyard, wrung my hands and screamed
I couldn't see nothing, couldn't see nothing green
Loop 3:44 Breakdown of Main Riff
Loop 5:15 Slow Practice Loop of Main Riff
Loop 6:04 Medium Tempo Practice Loop of Main Riff
Loop 6:57 Breakdown of the Second Riff
Loop 9:00 Closing Thoughts
Comments
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Hi Corey
what a sound, are you playing with metal picks!
Do you always play slide with meatl picks. I have restrung my esonator with 12-53's and it feels better, seem to have better control ove rthe dynaics and feels better when I play chords. I was playing with the slide on my ring finger, I moved it on to my oinky but it felt way to loose so I got a little gauze square and wrapped it around my finger and it fels really comfortable.
I love Between Midnight and Day, and i wish I heard it along time ago.
Cheers
I have found if you have a loose slide, get some "mole skin " and line your slide wih it.... hope this helps
Greetings James.... Yes I use Jim Dunlop metal picks. I am glad that you switched to the little finger for the slide. I find that it opens up a whole world of possibilities lol. Thanks for everyting and happy playing.
Hi Corey
Just cruisin around checking out the sights and sounds (your lessons are like going on a blues holiday) I have always been a little afraid of Son House, his rhythm is so hard to get, but after practicising with for awhile, suddenly its starting to sound almost like it should! Brilliant.
Its a real snap and grab kind of thing, like he's angry but not at anything in particular ...just stand back!
I am very fourtunate to own a National Resonator Trovodor, which is almost identical to yours (doesn't quite sound like yours yet though but its in there just waiting to come out
Your totally right about the open A, Iv'e always shied away from it, thinking my guitar will ping apart so tuned to the open G and capoed, but wow it really picks up a gear in Open A
Iv'e got to get myself soething to record myself with so you can hear what's happening or not happening. It's all good, jusy loads of love and patience will always cut the cake. Iv'e been learning Ry Cooder's "Feelin Bad Blues" which has helped me to learn to control that slide sound. Stefan Grossman said that learning slide is both the "easiest and hardest" thing to learn on guitar. When I first bought the resonator my wife told me later that she was really worried! I think it took me at least 6 months before it started even dimly like it should!
Thank You
Jmaes
it was you that turned me on to open A on the streets of New Orleans, I thought you were in G but it sounded different... thats when it all made sense....The tension does give more volume. Open d has a deep soul sound to it.... but once again I think more volume in open E from the tension.
Thanks Harry I am honored. When I play in open G or D is feels way too slack now for me.
I look forward to working on this. I love open A, Been working on Berry Owens lately. Keep up the good work.
Thank you
I give thanks Harry. Since I discovered open A, I never look back! lol Keep playing and enjoy.
Great song and love that second riff. Open A tuning just sounds beautiful / soulful to me.
give thanks Mike...yes this is one of my favorite from one of the all time greats. I like open A better for my voice and I feel that the guitar cuts through better. When I first started playing, it was always open G, but after playing on the street I needed to cut through the noise a bit more and open A did it for me. I also like the tension of the strings better in open A because it feels easier to pick with fingerpicks.