Duke Robillard

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Muddy Waters Basics


Main Riff

Duke Robillard Lesson >

Muddy Waters Basics > Main Riff

Hi Folks,

This week we get back to the blues with a new song. None other than the Muddy Waters classic, Hoochie Coochie Man in the key of A. This great tune is simple but, as many blues songs are, deceptively simple. This week we start with the basic low string guitar line and I demonstrate how to play it in different positions for different sounds and also show you variations and subilties on the line to spice it up and keep it bluesy and interesting. We also learn the classic Muddy turnaround used in this song.

Enjoy! Duke

Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
Chicago Blues
Duke Robillard
Muddy Waters
Hoochie Coochie Man

Backing Track

Print Print Chords & Tab

Loop 1:29 Breakdown

Loop 6:19 Run-Through

$1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. | $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 |
$6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 | $6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 |
$6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 | $6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 |
$6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 | $6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 |
$6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 | $6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $6.5 $1. $1. $6.5 $1. $6.0 |
$5.5 $1. $5.5 $4.3 $1. $4.4 $4.7 $1. $4.7 $3.5 $1. $3.5 | $5.5 $1. $5.5 $4.h4 $1. $4.4 $4.h7 $1. $4.7 $3.5^ $1. $3.5^ |
$6.5 $1. $6.5 $5.3 $1. $5.4 $5.7 $1. $5.7 $4.5 $1. $4.5 | $6.5 $1. $6.5 $5.3 $1. $5.4 $5.7 $1. $5.7 $4.5 $1. $4.5 |
$5.7 $1. $5.7 $4.5 $1. $4.6 $4.9 $1. $4.9 $3.7 $1. $3.7 | $5.5 $1. $5.5 $4.h4 $1. $4.4 $4.h7 $1. $4.7 $3.5^ $1. $3.5 |
$6.5 $1. $6.x $5.7 $3.6 $5.7 $5./8 $3.7 $5.8 $5./9 $3.8 $5.9 | $5./10.$3./9 $1. $5.\5 $5.5 $5.6 $5.7 $5.h7 $1. $6.5 $6.8^ $5.7 $6.8^ |
$6.5 $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. $1. |

Loop 7:46 V Chord Variations

Loop 8:14 Closing Thoughts

 

 

 

Comments

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Scott Nowlan
Scott Nowlan Jan 11, 2015

Making progress now.  Got a camera working finally, though not great quality.  

Found a great Muddy Waters album apparently not available in the US on YouTube.  This is what I'm practicing from.  http://youtu.be/U5QKpsVzndc.  

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Dec 12, 2014

Sounds good Steve! 

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Dec 12, 2014

Sounds good Steve! 

Steve Lauder
Steve Lauder Dec 12, 2014

Hi Duke

Here i did two versus. The first is as instructed. The second is with a run down from the root on the D string leading to the 4. This is what i hear listening to the track. It may be Jimmy Rodgers on gtr doing the run down that i am hearing.

As you say there are many ways that this has been done but we must keep in mind what was on the track back in 1953 (according to Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven's "1943-1966 Blues Records"), upright bass, gtr, harp, drums and pno.

This is an incredibly powerful song.

Cheers

Steve 

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Dec 07, 2014

Hi Steve, Yes, there are many ways people play this riff. I just prefer to teach from the original source. It's always best to start from there anyway. I am not a tab reader so you would have to record a video as an example for me to hear your variations. Thanks, Duke

Steve H
Steve H Dec 07, 2014

So many ways guys and gals play this riff.  I like to play the lick in measure 1. Also do a octave root variant.

Ex 1

$6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 $6.5

or Ex 1a  (with octve)

$6.8 $5.5 $5.7 $6.8 $4.7

Most seem to play the following :  Ex 2

$4.7 $3.7.$2.7 $4.7 $3.5.$2.5 $4.7

Always seem to get a look if I play it the Muddy way (lick 1 above)  and not the double stop lick (Ex 2)

Especially from harmonica players....  Just sayin...

Super cool axe Duke.

 
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