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Julius Lester came in with a music caravan. Bob Dylan was there, Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel. But what they forgot about was that for about 100 miles around, [they] had some of the best traditional music ever. And we didn't have the consciousness then to pull that together, you know, to pull in those living legends of blues men and women who were right there - Worth Long, organizer for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, talking about a movement festival in Greenwood, Mississippi in 1960s

Author Topic: Miller's Breakdown  (Read 244449 times)

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Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1980 on: December 15, 2018, 08:57:02 AM »
Hi all,
It appears that everyone who intended to respond to the puzzler on Carolina Slim's "I'll Get By Somehow" has done so by now, so I will post the answers.

For Carolina Slim's "I'll Get By Somehow":
   * His playing position was G position in standard tuning, as all who responded had it--well done!
   * The descending treble run that Carolina Slim played from :53--:55 is just as Prof Scratchy had it--third fret of the first string to first fret of the first string, to third fret of the second string to first fret of the second string, to third fret of the third string.  The run is a descending "blues scale", I-bVII-V-IV-bIII, and it sits so naturally for the left hand in G in standard tuning that it became a staple of so many players there.  All who responded had this spot on.
   * The movement in the bass from 1:27--1:30 involved droning on the open fourth string while first sliding into a unison at the fifth fret of the fifth string and then walking down the fifth string chromatically, from fifth to fourth to third to second fret, at which point the bass moves to the third fret of the sixth string.  It is a turn-around that Blind Boy Fuller utilized, as blueshome noted.

For anyone who is interested, this song strikes me as one that could be figured out by ear relatively easily.  I guess the only question is whether it appeals to you.  Thanks to Prof Scratchy, Old Man Ned and blueshome for their responses to the puzzler and I hope folks enjoyed the song.
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1981 on: January 03, 2019, 09:28:01 AM »
Hi all,
We haven't had a new puzzler for a little while, so I have picked one out for those of you who are interested.  It is J. T. Smith's song "Corn Whiskey Blues":  Here it is:



The questions on J. T. Smith's "Corn Whiskey Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did he use to play the song?
   * Where did J. T. Smith fret what he played in his intro, from :00--:05?
   * What chords does J. T. Smith play in the last two bars of his verses, naming the chords with Roman numerals?
   * Where did J. T. Smith fret the ascending/descending fill he played from 1:03--1:05?

Please use only your ears and your guitars to arrive at your answers.  Please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Sunday, January 6.  Thanks for participating, and I hope you enjoy the song.
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1982 on: January 08, 2019, 08:46:32 AM »
Hi all,
Any takers for the puzzler on J. T. Smith's "Corn Whiskey Blues"?  Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm

Offline eric

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1983 on: January 08, 2019, 10:18:01 AM »
So far I'm batting about .125 on these, but here I think he's in E position standard tuning and the intro run starts at 12th fret first string down to the 7th fret.  Still working on the rest.  I don't play in E much. Anyway, Funny Papa Smith is a great player.
--
Eric

Offline Old Man Ned

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1984 on: January 08, 2019, 12:31:42 PM »
I'm hearing  J. T. Smith's "Corn Whiskey Blues" in E standard, about a half step sharp.
His intro, from :00--:05 goes from the 12th fret 1st and 3rd strings, down to the 7th fret and then down to the 4th fret accompanied by the open e string in the bass

I'm struggling with the chords played in the last two bars of his verses, there's something a little unusual (to my ears) that's throwing me.

The ascending/descending fill he played from 1:03--1:05 is something like on the top 4 strings:
----------0-----------
------0------2--0-------
0h1----------------1h2---
--------------------------2

Need to revisit the 3rd part of the puzzler.

All the best,
Ned

Offline Prof Scratchy

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1985 on: January 10, 2019, 03:40:31 AM »
 * What playing position/tuning did he use to play the song? - E standard
   * Where did J. T. Smith fret what he played in his intro, from :00--:05? - keeps steady bass on low E string against an abbreviated E chord in the ?long A? inversion at the ninth fret (pinkie on 1str 12fr), then descending to 0xx757, then to0xx434
   * What chords does J. T. Smith play in the last two bars of his verses, naming the chords with Roman numerals? - not sure of the roman numerals, but does he just go from e to an abbreviated d7 chord with e in the bass (0xx210), then back to e? Alternatively it could be an Am or IVm he's playing here?
   * Where did J. T. Smith fret the ascending/descending fill he played from 1:03--1:05? - ???

« Last Edit: January 10, 2019, 07:40:30 AM by Prof Scratchy »

Offline Pan

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1986 on: January 10, 2019, 03:38:39 PM »
Hi all,

I'll agree with the others about E position in std tuning.

I think the intro is basically a double stop with the 3rd and the 1st strings played at the same fret, starting with the 12th fret, then at the 7th, and then at the 4th fret. Pretty much as Old Man Ned described, only on the 12th fret position I hear Smith rocking back and forth with the 3rd and 2nd string. The open 6th string is played against the 7th and 4th fret positions, if I'm not mistaken.

I'll agree with Prof. Scratchy on the IVm chord on the ending. I hear the open 5th string on the bass. 

 | I  IVm | I ||

As for the fill, I think he starts on the 1st fret of the 3rd string; followed by the open 2nd string, then 2nd string 2nd fret; then a triplet with the open 1st string, 2nd string 2nd fret, and the ope 2nd string; followed by a hammer on from the open 3rd string to the 1st fret; and the 4th string 2nd fret.

Looking forward to hear the verdict.

Cheers,

Pan
« Last Edit: January 11, 2019, 05:39:07 AM by Pan »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1987 on: January 12, 2019, 09:04:47 AM »
Hi all,
Any other takers for the puzzler on J. T. Smith's "Corn Whiskey Blues"?
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1988 on: January 14, 2019, 09:45:53 AM »
Hi all,
It appears that everyone who intended to respond to the J. T. Smith puzzler on "Corn Whiskey Blues" has done so, so I'll post the answers.  Here goes:

For J. T. Smith's "Corn Whiskey Blues":
   * his playing position was E position in standard tuning as every one who responded had it--well done!
   * from :00--:05, he was fretting the first and third strings first sliding into the twelfth fret on those two strings, then the seventh fret, then the fourth fret.  He articulated little slides on the third string into these target frets.  This is sort of a simplified version of a move that Charlie Patton and Frank Stokes utilized, though in their version they went to the ninth fret on the first and third strings in between the twelfth fret and the seventh fret.  Pan had J. T. Smith's move spot on--well done!
   * In the last two bars of his verses J. T. Smith rocked from a I chord to a IV minor chord in the eleventh bar, returning to the I chord for the twelfth bar.  Prof Scratchy and Pan both had this move figured right on.
   * J. T. Smith played the ascending/descending fill from 1:03--1:05 as follows: the fill starts on the + of beat one in the seventh bar of the form, with a grace note hammer to the first fret of the third string.  On beat 2 +, he went from the open second string to the second fret of the second string, on beat three, he played a triplet moving from the open first string to the second fret of the third string, and from there to the open second string.  On beat four, he played another grace note hammer to the first fret of the third string, and he resolved the run to the second fret of the fourth string on the + of beat four.  Pan had this run perfectly described, as well--excellent!

J. T. Smith seems such a thorough-going pro, a great guitarist, beautiful deep voice and original lyrics.  I hope folks enjoyed the song, and thanks to all who participated.  I'll look for another puzzler soon.
All best,
Johnm

 

Offline rickerw

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1989 on: January 25, 2019, 08:03:52 PM »
How to get closer to that music, that tune being a good example. Just let it out, liberated, I guess..... Ricker

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1990 on: January 26, 2019, 10:17:20 AM »
Hi all,
I have a new puzzler for those of you who are interested.  It is from Josh White and it is his rendition of "Silicosis Is Killing Me", from 1936.  Here it is:



INTRO

I said, silicosis made a mighty bad break of me
Ow, silicosis made a mighty bad break of me
You robbed me of my youth and health, all you brought poor me was blues

Now, silicosis, you a dirty robber and a thief
Ow, silicosis, dirty robber and a thief
Robbed me of my right to live, and all you brought poor me was grief

I was there, diggin' that tunnel, for six bits a day
I was there, diggin' that tunnel, for six bits a day
Didn't know I was diggin' my own grave, silicosis eat my lungs away

I says, "Mama, mama, mama, cool my fevered head."
I says, "Mama, mama, come and cool my fevered head.
I'm gonna meet my Jesus, God knows I'll soon be dead."

Six bits I got from diggin', diggin' that tunnel hole
Six bits I got from diggin', diggin' that tunnel hole
Take me away from my baby, it sure done wrecked my soul

Now, tell all my buddies, tell all my friends you see
Now, tell all my buddies, tell all my friends you see
I'm goin' 'way up yonder, please don't weep for me
 
The questions on "Silicosis Is Killing Me" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Josh White use to play the song?
   * Describe Josh White's left hand positions in the first two bars of each verse and name the chords he plays there.
   * Where did Josh White fret the run he plays from 1:59--2:01?

Please use only your ears and your guitars to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any responses until 8:00 AM your time on Tuesday morning, January 29.  Thanks for your participation and I hope you enjoy the song.
All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: February 04, 2019, 11:17:01 AM by Johnm »

Offline blueshome

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1991 on: January 27, 2019, 10:29:57 AM »
I?m hearing Vasterpol  in E.
The first two chords are E and A at the start of the verse.
Not sure of the E fingering but I?ll guess at 000330 and A x20103
The run down is from the 3rd fret 1st string down to the 3rd fret 4th string.
Very like the run down in a Tampa Kid?s Keep on Trying iirc.

Offline Old Man Ned

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1992 on: January 29, 2019, 12:35:14 PM »
I'm hearing this in Open E too.  I'm struggling with the chords of the first 2 bars. Fact is I struggle to hear chords behind any vocals. Any help/advice/tips in this regard would be greatly appreciated.

For the run, I'm getting something along these lines:
3w-0------------------------------
------3w-0------------------------
-------------0--1--0---------------
----------------------0--3w-3w--0
------------------------------------
------------------------------------

I've got to say. I really like Josh White's playing. For me, he's beyond Blind Boy Fuller and up there with Buddy Moss. Is that a fair assessment or am I bias?

All the best,
Ned

Offline Prof Scratchy

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1993 on: January 30, 2019, 08:27:30 AM »
  * What playing position/tuning did Josh White use to play the song? - Vestapol
   * Describe Josh White's left hand positions in the first two bars of each verse and name the chords he plays there. - Open chord E walking up via first fret of 5th string to A chord x20100 then Am (?) chord  x102xx
   * Where did Josh White fret the run he plays from 1:59--2:01? - 1str 3b>0; 2str 0; 3str 1; 4str 3b >0; 5str 2; 4str 3b x2 >0

Offline Johnm

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Re: Miller's Breakdown
« Reply #1994 on: February 02, 2019, 11:56:06 AM »
Hi all,
Any other takers for the puzzler on Josh White's "Silicosis Is Killin' Me"?  Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm

 


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