Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[Johnm]

Hi Al,
Variant of C7, no, substitution for C7, yes.  It's not a function of the tuning either.  Any major triad, in whatever tuning, moved up three frets (a minor third) results in the major triad a minor third higher than the original triad.  A minor third above the IV chord is the bVI chord.  C-E-G raised three frets gives you Eb-G-Bb, the bVI chord in the key G.  If you want to assume that the ear continues to fill in the IV chord root, then you end up with C-Eb-G-Bb, a Cm7 chord or IVm7.  This is why moving a IV chord up three frets intact, despite the obvious raise in pitch, can sound like IV major going to IV minor:  the original IV chord had the major third of the IV chord, E, and the second chord, the bVI, contains the minor third of the IV chord, Eb.
All best,
Johnm

[blueshome]

I'm sure I've heard this bVI move in the accompaniment of some of the 20's women singers and also Charlie Jackson. I can't recall exactly where though.

[Johnm]

Hi Phil,
Little Hat Jones did it on his solos on "Rolled From Side To Side".  He was playing it in G in standard tuning, so when he came to his IV chord, C, he just moved the shape intact, with the little finger fretting the first string, up three frets for the bVI chord, Eb. 
All best,
Johnm

[alyoung]

Hi Al,
Variant of C7, no, substitution for C7, yes.  It's not a function of the tuning either.  Any major triad, in whatever tuning, moved up three frets (a minor third) results in the major triad a minor third higher than the original triad.  A minor third above the IV chord is the bVI chord.  C-E-G raised three frets gives you Eb-G-Bb, the bVI chord in the key G.  If you want to assume that the ear continues to fill in the IV chord root, then you end up with C-Eb-G-Bb, a Cm7 chord or IVm7.  This is why moving a IV chord up three frets intact, despite the obvious raise in pitch, can sound like IV major going to IV minor:  the original IV chord had the major third of the IV chord, E, and the second chord, the bVI, contains the minor third of the IV chord, Eb.
All best,
Johnm

I stand corrected, John, but I do think we're approaching this from different perspectives. I was responding specifically to a comment on Buddy Woods' playing style, rather than to the wider ramifications of the up-three progression, and I was approaching it from the viewpoint of a "by-ear" not-very-musically-literate overhand steel player ... I mean me, not Buddy Woods. I do not know what a bVI chord is (what's the "b"?), but I do know that moving the bar up three frets from C will give me a C7 version that works well in certain pieces. And I kinda suspect Buddy Woods and Black Ace might have seen it that way, too. However, lest I be misunderstood, I'm glad to have had the technical explanation of what's happening in the shift, and I'll be having a look at using it elsewhere.

[Johnm]

I'm sorry, Al.  I should have explained it better and more thoroughly.  "bVI chord" is synonymous with a "flat VI" chord, which is a major chord built off of the flat sixth note of the major scale.  The lower case b is used as the best substitute for the musical flat sign that is available on a conventional typing keyboard.  In Oscar "Buddy" Woods' instance, he's playing in the key of G, the major scale of which is G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G.  His IV chord is a C chord, C-E-G.  By moving that chord up three frets, he raises each of the notes that comprises the chord a step-and-a-half.  C raised a whole step gives you D, and the additional half-step gets you to Eb, the flat VI note of the scale.  Raising the third of the C chord, E, a whole step gives you F#, and the additional half-step gives you G.  Raising the fifth of the C chord, G, a whole step gives you A, and the additional half-step gives you B flat.
So the three notes you wind up with by raising the IV chord, C, three frets, are E flat-G and B flat, which make an E flat major chord, which in the key of G major is termed a flat VI chord, since it is built off of the flat VI note of the G major scale.  The sound of the chord works well following a bar of the IV chord, and that it is how it is most often used when it is used in blues progressions, in the sixth bar of a twelve-bar blues.  A less common use would be in the tenth bar of the form, resolving it down to the V chord by half-step as you noted Buddy Woods like to do.  It's all just sounds, and the sounds precede and have more weight than any explanations.  I think the justification for explaining is that by working out what happens in a structural sense, you're able to give a name to a sensation, and you end up being able to recognize that sound and sensation every time you hear it, not just in the first context in which you heard it.
I think my quibble with describing the chord as a variant or version of a IV7 chord, is that it is not a IV chord in any way, but rather a chord that works well in a blues progression when used in conjunction with a IV chord, and most often in lieu of a IV chord, where a IV chord would often occur in a standard blues progression.  And as an aside, another place the flat VI chord was used was in Mance Lipscomb's "So Different Blues".  Mance is playing out of C position in standard tuning there, so the flat VI chord ends up being an A flat chord, and it falls in the sixth bar of his form, having been immediately preceded in the fifth bar of the form by the IV chord, F.
All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have some new puzzlers for anyone that is interested.  The first is from Barbecue Bob, and it is his recording of "Hurry And Bring It Back Home".  Here it is:



INTRO SOLO

I've got them blues, brown, I can't be satisfied
Got them blues, brown, I can't be satisfied
Got them so bad I could just lay down and die

INTERLUDE

Woke up this morning, my clock was strikin' four
Woke up this morning, my clock was strikin' four
Someone's there knockin', kinckin' on my door

INTERLUDE

I went to see what the noise was all about
I went to see what the noise was all about
Someone told me, "Your broad done left this house."

INTERLUDE

It fell on a Monday morning, first thing's bad news
On a Monday morning, first thing's bad new
Listen here, Professor, play for me those blues

Now mama, mama, hurry and bring it on back to me
Mama, mama, hurry and bring it on back to me
You are so crazy for ever leavin' me

Now, haven't I done everything you asked me to?
Haven't I done, mama, everything you asked me to?
You know by that I don't love no one but you

INTERLUDE

Listen here, sweet mama, I'm 'on tell you the natch'l facts
Listen here, sweet mama, gonna tell you the natch'l facts
You got what I want, so hurry, bring it back

The questions on "Hurry And Bring It Back Home: are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Barbecue Bob use to play the song?
   * Where did Barbecue Bob fret the descending passage from :10--:11?
   * How is Barbecue Bob getting the sound he gets from :32--:36?

The second song is William Harris's "Keep Your Man Out of Birmingham".  Here is his rendition:



INTRO

If you want your man, keep him out of Birmingham
If you want your man, keep him out of Birmingham
There is some red hot mamas, down in dear old Alabam'

Now, let me tell you what these women will do for you
Now, let me tell you what these women will do for you
They will take your man, they will laugh out loud at you

If you see my man, sneakin' 'round, places where that he should not be
If you see my man, sneakin' 'round, places where that he should not be
Just tap him on the shoulder, send him right on home to me

My man, he have been there, but this letter says he's at home
My man, he have been there, but this letter says he's at home
I am from the 'Bama, and I don't know right from wrong

Says, the road is rocky, so they do say
The road is rocky, so they do say
But I am careful, I'm likely not to find my way

If you want your man, keep him out of Birmingham
If you want your man, keep him out of Birmingham
For there's some red hot mamas, down in dear old Alabam'

The questions on "Keep Your Man Out of Birmingham" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did William Harris use to play the song?
   * Where did William Harris fret the descending line from :43--:45?
 
The third puzzler is William Harris's "Kitchen Range Blues".  Here it is:



INTRO

I got a range in my kitchen, it don't do me no good
I got a range in my kitchen, it don't do me no good
Gon' get me a New York woman, to burn my coal and wood

Gon' get me a New York woman, to burn my coal and wood
Gon' get me a New York woman, to burn my coal and wood
'Cause these Alabama women, they don't mean you no good

She had the nerve to tell me, she didn't want me no more
She had the nerve to tell me, she didn't want me no more
But that Good Book do declare, you've got to reap just what you sow

So many cold mornings, you drove me from your door
So many cold mornings, you drove me from your door
But that Good Book do say, baby, you've got to reap just what you sow

Ahhh, baby, what are you trying to do?
Ahhh, baby, what are you trying to do?
Are you trying to quit me, break my heart in two?

Say, I wonder do my baby, ever think of me
I wonder do my baby, ever think of me
Then I wonder, do my baby, ever think of me

I'm gonna tell you, woman, dago told the jew
I'm gonna tell you, baby, dago told the jew
If you don't want me, mama, what do I want with you?

The questions on "Kitchen Range Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did William Harris use to play the song?
   * Here did William Harris fret the triplet passage he plays from:10--:13?
   * Where did he fret the run he plays from :19--:21?

Please use only your ears and your guitars to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Friday, March 31.  Thanks for your participation and I hope you enjoy the songs.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any takers for the Barbecue Bob and William Harris puzzlers?  Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

The questions on "Hurry And Bring It Back Home: are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Barbecue Bob use to play the song? - A standard
   * Where did Barbecue Bob fret the descending passage from :10--:11? - F sharp chord to E chord to A
   * How is Barbecue Bob getting the sound he gets from :32--:36? - slides partial first position Ab chord to partial first position A chord


The questions on "Keep Your Man Out of Birmingham" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did William Harris use to play the song? - Spanish capoed at 6th fret
   * Where did William Harris fret the descending line from :43--:45? - plays open 5th string against descending  321 on fourth string


The questions on "Kitchen Range Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did William Harris use to play the song? - E standard
   * Here did William Harris fret the triplet passage he plays from:10--:13? - second position E7 chord to first position E and E7 chords
   * Where did he fret the run he plays from :19--:21?

[banjochris]

I agree with Prof Scratchy on the first two, but "Kitchen Range" is played in C position capoed up to E.

The triplets are
X-X-X-X-5-3
down to a first position C chord, brushing the top three-ish strings, then a first position C7

The run is
third fret, 1st string; fourth fret, 2nd string; open 1st string; first fret, 2nd string; second fret, 3rd string; open 3rd string; first fret, 4th string; second fret, 4th string; third fret, 5th string, then a thumb brush on a C chord.

I think the move Harris does on the V chord, sliding the G notes on the 1st and 6th strings up to A, may be unique.
Chris

[Prof Scratchy]

Mmmmn...yes, you're right on the money, banjochris!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blueshome]

Nothing to add to Scratchy & Chris

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It looks like all of the answers are in on the Barbecue Bob and William Harris puzzlers, so I'll post the answers.

For Barbecue Bob's "Hurry And Bring It Back It Back Home":
   * His playing position was A position in standard tuning, as everyone had it
   * For the descending passage from :10--:11, he does a melodic walk-down on the fifth string, from the fourth fret to the second fret, to the open fifth string.  As he fretted the fourth fret of the fifth string he also fretted the fourth fret of the fourth string, and brushed both of those strings with his thumb.  At the second fret, it sounds like he only hits the fifth string.  The walk-down has a sort of exotic sound, maybe because the fifth string melody takes the fourth string along for the ride.  George Carter did a similar move in "Rising River Blues", in the turn-around, but in the key of E and brushing the top four strings as he walked a partial barred down from the fourth to the second fret, with his melody on the first string.
   * From :32--:36, while droning with his thumb on the open fifth string, Barbecue Bob moves repeatedly from the open first string  to a slide from the first to the second fret on the second string, then to the second fret of the third string, back to the first string, back to the slide, back to the second fret of the third string, perseverating on the lick.

For William Harris' "Keep Your Man Out of Birmingham":
   * His playing position/tuning was Spanish tuning, as all had it
   * From :43--:45, William Harris played a descending chromatic line on the fourth string from the third fret down to the open string, while brushing open strings.  This is just as Prof Scratchy had it.

Didn't William Harris have a beautiful tone in Spanish tuning?

For William Harris' "Kitchen Range Blues:
   * His playing position was C position in standard tuning, as banjochris had it
   * From :10--:13, William Harris is brushing triplets on his first three strings, first fretting, going from third string to first, 0-3-5, then 0-1-0, and ending up on 3-1-0, the top of a C7 chord.
   * His run from :19--:21 was exactly as banjochris had it.  First triplet, third fret of the first string to fourth fret of the second string to the open first string.  Second triplet, first fret of the second string to third fret of the third string to open third string.  Third triplet, first fret of the fourth string to second fret of the fourth string to third fret of the fifth string, resolving on the downbeat of the next measure to a brushed C chord in the treble.  I think this run shows a Lonnie Johnson influence, and William Harris' "Early Morning Blues" shows an even stronger Lonnie Johnson influence, despite being played out of C, as was "Kitchen Range Blues".

Somehow or other, I had missed these two William Harris cuts in my previous listening and was surprised to find such clean copies of them in the Nico Fournier postings at youtube.

Thanks to Prof Scratchy, banjochris and blueshome for participating, and I hope folks enjoyed the songs.  I'll look for some more puzzlers.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
My first post on the answers to the most recent puzzlers was done in too much haste, and has been edited to answer the questions more thoroughly and accurately.  For one thing, banjochris had William Harris' triplet run in "Kitchen Range Blues" spot on, and my first assessment of the run had the concluding note of the run wrong.  Please return to your normally scheduled programming.
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Going back to "Kitchen Range" for a minute, John, what do think of that V chord move Harris makes? I know there are tunes in E and Spanish and even A where you take the V chord for a two-fret ride occasionally, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone do it quite like that with a G chord.
Chris

[Johnm]

I agree with you, Chris, it is an odd move, and not one that I can recall hearing anyone else do that way on a C blues.  William Harris obviously liked the sound of the move, too, since he made it a recurring part of his accompaniment--he didn't just play it once and never return to it.  He didn't have all that many titles, but there is really a lot of variety in what he did.  He seems very under-recorded to me.  He was certainly no one-trick pony.
All best,
Johnm