Country Blues > Country Blues Licks and Lessons
Miller's Breakdown
Johnm:
Miller's Breakdown
What Is this Musician Doing? -An Ongoing Quiz.
PERUSE the indexes: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=10188.msg90978#msg90978
and: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=10188.msg98102#msg98102
and: https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=10188.msg111234#msg111234
Hi all,
I have a sort of different idea for a new thread here. I'm in the practice of pretty much always saying what tuning or position a musician played a tune out of, and while that information can be really helpful in figuring out how to play a piece on a recording, my always supplying it doesn't exactly help those of you who would like to build your own skills in doing that. So, I thought it might be interesting to have a thread in which a performance is posted and then specific questions are asked to the Weenie community at large about how the song is being played. I would have two requests for how to make participation in the process work better for everybody:
* Please don't use transcription software of any type in figuring out what is being done. Try to do it just using your own ears and listening. If you'd like to do it with an instrument in your hands or handy nearby where you can try out things on it, by all means, use your instrument to help you figure things out.
* Please don't post any responses or suggested answers to the questions about how the song is being played before Monday, May 19th. This will allow more folks to work on the song and see if they can figure out the answers to the questions before any responses to the questions are posted.
The song I'd like you all to listen to if you care to is one recorded by a musician named Andrew Dunham, from Detroit, in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Professor Scratchy first posted this song on the "Country Blues-Related Tunes on YouTube" thread a couple of years ago. Since first hearing it, the sound of "Sweet Lucy Woman" has really stuck with me. I think it is an amazing sound and Andrew Dunham really had a Country sound, despite recording in an urban environment. The two questions I have about the tune are:
* What tuning and playing position did Andrew Dunham play "Sweet Lucy Woman" out of?, and
* Where on the neck is the lick fingered in the intro from :05 to :06 to :07, that moves up from :05 to :06 and back down from :06 to :07?
That's it. I hope you enjoy this and think it is a worthwhile endeavor, and please remember not to post any responses to the questions until Monday, so that a lot of folks can try to work out the answers. Thanks!
All best,
Johnm
Gumbo:
Excellent idea, John. One of the most frustrating things about trying to figure out playing positions is not knowing how to spot different tunings, so even though I play mostly in standard I look forward to following the discussions here, and it'll be worth trying to work out positions knowing there will be discussion after a few days of bent-mind syndrome.
Prof Scratchy:
Great idea for a thread!
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Prof Scratchy:
Right - it's Monday afternoon, so I'll venture a guess: DADGBE tuning a half step up. The second question is harder, but I'll say second string 9th fret and third string 10th fret. Am I close?
Pan:
A great thread! I certainly hope to improve my poor skills with open tunings with this.
Here's my theory: I suggest that the tuning is Spanish in A flat, and that the triplet chords are fingered something like X-X-X-0-2-5, and X-X-X-0-0-3. The flat 5th note on the 2nd string of the 1st chord is striking to my ear.
I seem to hear the E flat (the 5th) being the lowest note on the bass lick that follows, which makes me think of Spanish.
Of course, I could be completely wrong! ;D
Looking forward to hear the verdict! :)
Cheers
Pan
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