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Author Topic: Miller's Breakdown  (Read 244464 times)

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Offline Prof Scratchy

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Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1935 on: October 04, 2018, 09:41:18 AM »
I make it C too, tuned very low. I think he?s bending the third fret if the second string, and then an abbreviated G chord at 1.02.


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« Last Edit: October 04, 2018, 09:42:23 AM by Prof Scratchy »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1936 on: October 07, 2018, 10:03:23 AM »
Hi all,
Any other takers for the Mott Willis puzzler?  Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1937 on: October 08, 2018, 10:37:09 AM »
Hi all,
The Mott Willis puzzler has been up for a while and not generated many responses, so I think I will post the answers.

For "Bad Night Blues":
   * Mott Willis' playing position was C position in standard tuning, as banjochris and Prof Scratchy had it, tuned quite low (and thus making extreme bends possible);
   * At :06 and :07, he bends the third fret of the second string up practically a whole step, as Prof Scratchy had it, while fretting the third fret of the first string at the same time.  I don't care how low you're tuned, that takes some real left hand strength, especially that close to the nut, where the strings are tighter.
   * At 1:02--1:03, he hits his turn-around chord, which is a very pretty G7, fretted at 3-0-0-3, from the fourth string to the first string and voiced bVII-R-3-R.

Based on the small sampling of his tunes available on youtube, Mott Willis was a really sophisticated guitar player--don't let his slow tempos fool you--who operated in harmonic territory inhabited by Hacksaw Harney, Eugene Powell, Bo Carter, and very few other Mississippi guitarists of his era who were recorded.  Every one of his pieces that I've heard would be worth figuring out, and he also comes across as a really funny man, with a delivery akin to Pink Anderson's.

Thanks to blueshome, banjochris and Prof Scratchy for participating, and I hope people enjoyed the cut.

All best,
Johnm

 

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1938 on: October 10, 2018, 06:57:07 AM »
Hi all,
I just realized, in the course of entering Mott Willis' "Bad Night Blues" in the index for this thread, that it is the three hundredth song we've taken a look at in this thread.  As Mel Allen used to say, how about that! 
All best,
Johnm

Offline banjochris

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1939 on: October 10, 2018, 10:02:07 AM »
WOW!

Offline Rivers

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1940 on: October 10, 2018, 10:41:15 AM »
Fantastic resource, thanks to all contributors and in particular to Johnm

Offline Slack

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1941 on: October 10, 2018, 11:09:26 AM »
Amazing work Johnm!

Offline Old Man Ned

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1942 on: October 10, 2018, 01:57:47 PM »
That's incredible. Amazing it's hit 300. Thanks so much for this thread John, it's been a huge help to me.

Offline Prof Scratchy

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1943 on: October 10, 2018, 03:14:38 PM »
Congratulations and thanks for all your hard work in putting this thread together! Now, roll on no.301!


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Offline Stuart

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1944 on: October 11, 2018, 10:14:39 AM »
Congratulations and thank you, John. As the Prof said, it is the result of a lot of hard work and is a very significant contribution.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1945 on: October 11, 2018, 04:20:35 PM »
Hi all,
Thanks for the good words, and thanks in particular to Old Man Ned and Prof Scratchy, who have been such regular participants in the puzzlers.  I'm convinced participation in the puzzlers is a skill-building exercise in developing the ability to identify playing position/tuning, especially if engaged in over a period of time.

Before I get back into posting more puzzlers, I'm curious:  I wonder how many folks have figured out one or more of the songs that have been discussed in this thread.  There are indexes to every song on this thread in the very first post to this thread.  I went back and took a look, and found that I had figured out/transcribed the following songs that have been discussed in this thread:
   * Up and Down Building The KC Line--Little Brother
   * Alabama Prison Blues--Jesse Wadley
   * Trouble--Reese Crenshaw
   * Sun Don't Shine--Teddy Williams
   * French Blues--Frank Evans
   * Baton Rouge Rag--Joe Harris
   * Guitar Blues--Johnny St. Cyr
   * Too Many Women Blues--Willie Lane
   * Going Where the Monon Crosses the Yellow Dog--Scrapper Blackwell
   * Hollandale Blues--Sam Chatmon
   * I'm a Crawling' Black Snake--Lightnin' Hopkins
   * Run Here, Faro--Myrt Holmes
   * Faro--Rosa Lee Hill
   * Pretty Polly--E. C. Ball
   * War Blues--Pernell Charity
   * See What You Done Done--Baby Tate
   * Rosalee--Luther Huff
   * Just A Note--Ralph Willis

I know that Gordon figured out Boy Green's "A & B Blues" and posted it on site.  Has anybody else figured out songs from this thread?  In a way, that's what developing the ability to identify playing position/tuning is all about. 
all best,
Johnm

   
     

Offline Old Man Ned

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1946 on: October 12, 2018, 01:17:46 PM »
I had a go at Baby Tate's See What You Done Done, but mostly it's inspired me to try transcribing other tunes by some of my favourites, such as Charlie Jordan's Two Street Blues and Raidin' Squad Blues  and Hacksaw Harney's Ragtime Blues with varying degrees of success.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1947 on: October 12, 2018, 01:22:50 PM »
Thanks for the report, Old Man Ned.  Applying the skills to the material that most appeals to you is a great way to go--keep up the good work!
All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: October 12, 2018, 01:59:53 PM by Johnm »

Offline Prof Scratchy

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1948 on: October 12, 2018, 03:01:25 PM »
The only one I had a serious attempt at was French Blues, but then I did have some additional help from a certain Johnm ;)


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Offline harriet

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1949 on: October 12, 2018, 03:32:49 PM »
No, I think its more that I like alot of the musical selections of lesser known artists presented in the puzzlers and occasionally I will go online and buy more of that artist's work. The thread has definitely led to a broader horizon and I thank you for it.

 


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