Topic: Son House's Guitar Playing-Queries and Tips

[uncle bud]

Trying something new here. Miller was asking about Depot Blues. I can now sit in front of my computer and just record then convert to mp3 so did a little illustrative sound file (not calling it a lesson since I'm no guitar teacher, that's for sure!).

Miller, Depot Blues is in E, and as mentioned fits into that family of tunes centered around Pony Blues, e.g., Tommy Johnson's Bye Bye Blues, Willie Brown's M&O Blues etc.

The first part is made up of E riffs at the seventh fret position. You slide up the A string to the seventh fret then hit the low E. Then the main string snapping riff starts at the 7th fret of the high E, 8th fret of the B string, and the open E. That 8th fret on the B is a bend. He does 2 phrases with those notes, then goes to 2 bits with some higher notes - 10th, 9th, 7th, 8th fret bend on Bstring, 7th on E string, 8th fret bend on Bstring, 7th on E string, low E,?8th fret bend on Bstring, 7th on E string, 9th, 10th, 9th, 7th, 8th bend on B string.

Then goes to the A chord. Hits an A bass, hammers on the 2nd fret of the B string, hits open high E, hits the 3rd fret (i.e. A7) on high E with a bit of a bend, then open E again. Repeats the phrase slightly varied.

Then goes to an E chord. Hammers on the 1st fret, G string. Does those little partials in a walk down which are just the G string at the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 0 frets -- and in some verses and on the end tag, the E string as well at the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 0 frets -- and hammer back to an E chord.

Then hits a B (5th string, 2nd fret) slides up to 4th fret to a C#, fretting the 4th fret on A, G, and high E strings all in a line, and rolls back and forth in these positions. Then goes back to the E chord and those partials again.

That's the basic framework anyway. There are variations and subtleties.

Mp3 played slow to illustrate is attached. Excuse the flubs, I couldn't be bothered to rerecord until all was perfect!

Paul Rishell did this in some class one year, not sure when. I think this was the tune he said he practised deliberately badly in front of Son House until Son got so frustrated he showed him how to play it.?

[frankie]

Nice job, UB!  Very cool...

[uncle bud]

Thanks Frank. I figure I owe Miller for cooking and doctorly advice at PT , and it was buried in my brain there somewhere, just had to listen to the CD to get it back.  Singing over that melodic line is another story, not something I've worked on. Singing like Son House a whole nuther story!

[frankie]

I'd love to hear you sing this one.  If you do Depot Blues, I'll dust off Pony Blues - we'll have a festival of blues in E.

[waxwing]

I'll do M & O Blues, an' then we better duck fast!
All for now.
John C.

[Blues4u2go]

Greetings,  I posted this over at the IGS forum as well.  Curious as to which board will provide an answer first:

Can anyone point me towards tab for Depot Blues? I have a good handle on Bye Bye Blues, and a fairly good grip on M&O Blues. I can hear that Depot Blues is in the same family, but I have not made the jump yet. Can anyone assist in pointing me to the lazy man's bridge?
Thanks,
Mike

[uncle bud]

Hi Blues4u2go,

Check this thread: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?Itemid=47&?topic=366.0

No tab but it may help.

Welcome to WeenieCampbell!

[Rivers]

Grossman included it in one of his early tab books w/the acetate square record, Country Blues Guitar I think it was.

[Blues4u2go]

Thank you both for the link and the Grossman tip.  The link instructions look like it is enough to get me there.  Can't wait to try it. 

I did not even realize that that was my first post here.  I have lurked in the shadows for quite some time . . .  This is a great forum, and the Weenie Juke Box is a great idea.

Thanks,
Mike

[Blues4u2go]

Another note regarding the link.? You mention Paul Rishell's version, which is great.? I am lucky enough to take lessons from Paul.? I go up to Boston about once every 6-8 weeks for a two hour lesson.? He's a wonderful teacher, and I could ask him about Depot Blues, but the list of things that I want him to show me is very long.? I thought I would try to get a jump start on it on my own (with help though! Ha)
 
Mike

[uncle bud]

Paul is a wonderful player and singer and a really great teacher. You are lucky! I think Paul and John Miller have taught me more about this music than anyone else. Ask him to do Depot Blues and you'll probably get the fun story of Paul learning to play it from Son. When Paul showed a small group of us Depot at Port Townsend, he said something like, "here it is, straight from the man himself." What I outline in the thread referenced above is pretty much straight from Paul (though I listened to the Son House recording and may have tweaked it a bit).

[Slack]

Welcome to the forum Blues4u2go!

Paul Rishell is another favorite of ours - you are really lucky to be close enough to take lessons from him.  At Port Townsend, Paul often showed us the 'keys' to about 15 songs in an hour (tape recorder is a must to get the most out of thisl).   He does a great a Depot Blues and a great Bye Bye blues as well (not sure where you learned your bye Bye Blues - but have Paul play it for you if you have not heard him do it).

Cheers,
slack

[Blues4u2go]

Yes slack, Paul did teach me Bye Bye Blues.  I can play it well, but I can't sing over it yet.  Singing is even more of a challenge than playing for me.

Paul teaches using tape only.  It actually works very well.  We've covered a pretty good list of songs at this point, Michigan Water Blues, One Dime Blues, Canned Heat Blues, M&O Blues, Some These Days, It'll Be Me, Untrue Blues, Trouble Blues, Boogie Woogie Dance, Illinois Blues, Devil Got My Woman, Big Road Blues, Fare Thee Well, etc etc.  The list goes on quite a ways.   I'll go up once every two months for a two hour lesson.  Two hours is a long time to stay focused.  By the end of two hours my brain typically shuts down from overload.  But, nothing is written down.  The whole lesson is taped, as Paul VERY patiently talks through each song segment.   Besides a total lack of ego, Paul is amazingly patient.   

Paul & Annie played with their band a few weeks back in the next town over, Fall River, MA.   I took my 11 & 9 year old to the show (too late for my 5 year old.)  It was a great show.  Paul played 'Drinkin Water From a Hollow Log' solo, and I thought that was the standout song from a solid show.  Intense and stark. 

One last note, Paul and Annie released a new album called 'Goin' Home' after the Charlie Patton song.   Wonderful album.  Enough rambling I suppose.  I bought a 2002 Style 1 about six weeks ago.  It's the most marvelous guitar I have ever played, and I better get to playing it!

Enjoy,
Mike

[Buzz]

Say, Mike, I will chime in here too! Welcome to Weenieville.

I agree that Paul is a gem. You list a number of the tunes he turned us on to at Port Townsend. I love his version of It'll Be ME, and wish I could learn that from him. I play Annie and Paul's cd's all the time. Leave Movin' to The Country in the CD player in the car for days at a time: listening to the first 3 or 4 tunes gives me energy!
Miller

[lebordo]

Grossman included it in one of his early tab books w/the acetate square record, Country Blues Guitar I think it was.

Good thought, but it was actually Grossman's Delta Blues Guitar (the initial editions of Grossman's books didn't have the acetate records -- only the circa 1980s printings had the records).? Delta Blues Guitar has a number of E blues, including Patton's Green River Blues and Stoney Pony Blues, Willie Brown's M&O Blues, Ishman Bracey's Saturday Blues, Johnson's Bye Bye Blues and Elvie Thomas' Motherless Chile Blues.