Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[Prof Scratchy]

The questions on "Western Rider Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did "Soldier Boy" Houston use to play the song? - I'm going to say half spanish for this
   * Where did he fret and play his signature lick from :59--1:01? (guessing!) 5/0 1/6b>3 2/6>3 3/5>3b 4/5
   * Where did he fret the variation on his signature lick he played from the end of 1:41--1:44? ??






The questions on "Lost Woman Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Rattlesnake Cooper use to play the song? A tuned low
   * Where did Rattlesnake Cooper fret the fill he plays from :52--:54?  3/2 2/2>3>4 1/0>0 2/4p3p2 3/2
   * Where and how did Rattlesnake Cooper play his IV chord phrase in his solo, from 1:15--1:19? 6/0>5/0 2/6sl7 1/5 2/7 1/8b>5

[Old Man Ned]

Western Rider Blues I'm hearing in Dropped G tuning.  It brings to mind Little Son Jackson's playing in this tuning.  Lost Woman Blues I'm hearing in A standard.  Unfortunately not had chance to delve into the details so this is all I've got.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I'm going to let these puzzlers go a little while longer, but for those who have responded thus far, did you listen all the way to the end of "Western Rider Blues"?  Listen from 2:46 to the end of the track and see if you want to stick with your playing position/tuning identifications.
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

Hmmm....too hard. If not half Spanish I'll guess A!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blueshome]

A out of Drop D?

[Old Man Ned]

So if Dropped G is missing the mark for 'Western Rider Blues' and listening from 2:46 onwards and the signature lick again.......is this in E standard?  For the signature lick from :59--1:01 I'm getting something like;

3--0----0----------------
------3-------0----------
-----------3------2p1----
-------------------------2
on the first 4 strings, accompanied by the (dampened?) low E in the bass?

[Johnm]

Hi all,
We don't appear to be getting any new responders to the "Western Rider Blues" and "Lost Woman Blues" puzzlers, so I'll post the answers.

For "Western Rider Blues":
   * Lawyer "Soldier Boy" Houston's playing position was E position in standard tuning.  Old Man Ned gets the cigar!  This ended up proving to be tougher than I thought it would be.  Here are some factors that help identify the playing position as E position:
     1) Lawyer Houston never hits a note lower in pitch than a low I note in his bass.  It's possible to play in Spanish, DGDGBE or A position, with or without a dropped D, and never hit a pitch lower than the open fifth string where the I note lives in those positions/ tunings, but it's pretty doggone rare, and I can't think of a song where such a thing happens, right off the bat.  Having a I note on the open sixth string suggests E position in standard tuning, EAEGBE, Dropped-D in D, Vestapol or cross-note tuning.  Old Man Ned's comparison in his first post of the sound to Lil' Son Jackson's sound is apt, but it's important to remember that Lil' Son had a bunch of tracks in E position, standard tuning, like his version of "Groundhog Blues".
     2) Lawyer Houston starts out hitting a IV note in the bass and doesn't really resolve to that low I note in the bass until the :13 mark.  In Spanish and DGDGBE, to get that IV note above the I, he'd have to be fretting the fifth fret of the fifth string, which is extremely unlikely.  A position in standard tuning is a possibility, but would probably be eliminated for the reasons cited above.
     3)  Lawyer Houston starts his outro at 2:46 by going from a low I note to IV-#IV-V on the next higher string, than a hammer from bVII to VII, resolving to I, an octave above the low I.  These notes sit open on the sixth string, open, first fret and second fret on the second string, and open, first and second fret on the fourth string.  The run clinches E position in standard tuning right there.
   * The run Lawyer Houston played from :59--1:01 is much as Old Man Ned had it. While hitting the open fifth string in the bass, he starts the run on the + of beat 1, at the third fret of the first string.  On beat two, he plays a triplet, pulling off from the fifth to the third fret on the second string and resolving to the fourth fret of the third string.  On 3 +, he goes from the third fret of the third string to the open second string, and on 4 +, he moves from the second fret of the third string to the second fret of the fourth string, finally resolving to the low I note in the bass on the downbeat of the next measure, concluding the run.
   * Lawyer Houston played the run from 1:44--1:44 as follows:  on the + of beat 1, he plays the third fret of the first string.  On 2 +, he goes from the open first string to the open second string.  On 3 +, he goes from the third fret of the first string to the open first string.  On 4 +, he goes from the third fret of the second string to the open second string.  On 5 +, he goes from the third fret of the third string to the open second string.  On 6 +, he plays a triplet in which each note is articulated separately by the right hand, going from the second fret of the third string to the first fret of the third string, resolving to the fourth fret of the fourth string, and once again resolving to the I note in the bass on the downbeat of the next measure.  That''s a cool sound, extending the run by two beats!

Lawyer "Soldier Boy" Houston was a new name to me, but I sure like his playing and singing.  He does have a lot of Lil' Son Jackson's rhythmic feel, though his vocals aren't as swampy as Lil' Son's.  "Soldier Boy" is a little smoother sounding, but he sure sounds good.

For "Lost Woman Blues":
   * His playing position was A position in standard tuning, as everyone who responded had it--well done!
   * Rattlesnake Cooper played the fill from :52--:54 as follows:  On the + of beat one, he plays the second fret of the second string.  On beat two, he plays a triplet, going from the third fret of the second string to the second fret of the second string, resolving to the second fret of the third string.  On beat three, he plays another triplet, sliding into the fifth fret of the second string, playing the third fret of the first string and returning to the fifth fret of the second string.  On beat four, he plays one more triplet, sliding from the third to second fret on the second string and resolving to the second fret of the third string.
   * Rattlesnake Cooper played his IV chord phrase from 1:15--1:19 as follows:  on beat one +, he goes from the open fourth string to a slide into the seventh fret of the second string.  On beat two, he plays a triplet, going from the fifth fret of the second string to the seventh fret of the second string and returning to the fifth fret of the first string.  On beat three, he hits a bent eighth fret of the first string.  On beat four +, he goes from the open fourth string to a slide into the fourth fret of the fifth string.  On beat one + of the next bar, he once again goes from the open fourth string in the bass to a slide into the seventh fret of the second string.  On beat two, he plays the triplet starting and ending on the fifth fret of the first string and hitting the seventh fret of the second string in between those to notes.  On beat three, he hits the bent eighth fret of the first string.  On beat four +, he goes from the fifth fret of the first string to the second fret of the third string.  This is substantially how Prof Scratchy identified the run. 

"Lost Woman Blues" seems like another in a long string of great Texas "A" blues.  The piano does not seem to add a lot to this cut.

Thanks to all who participated, and I hope you enjoyed the songs.  I'll look for some more puzzlers to post soon.
All best,
John     

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I've got three new puzzlers for those of you who are interested, and in every instance the only question is what playing position/tuning is being used to play the song.  The first is "Mama Blues" from Ralph Willis (recorded as Sleepy Joe).  Here is the song:



INTRO SOLO

Well, I'm gonna catch that old Greyhound, yes, that Greyhound
You know, I'm gonna ride from town to town
Yes, I'm gonna ride from town to town
Yes, I'm gonna ride from town to town
Find my little woman, don't think she can be found

Well, just had've listened, yes, had listened
Just beside, like mama said
Just beside, like mama said
I could been home right now, layin' 'cross mama's bed

Well, I want my mam', yes, I want my mama
Yes, I want mama
Yes, I want her, yes, I want mama
Well, there's something nice, then we can go long for'

SOLO (Spoken during solo: Play it light now.  Yeah!

You know, it's one Christmas, yeah, this was one Christmas
I ain't asked you now, to take me for Santy Claus
Yes, just take me for your Santa Claus
Even if my whiskers is not white and long

Well, well, well, well, well, well, well
Lordy, Lord, Lord, Lord
Well, well, Lord, Lord, Lord
Well, I used to be that woman's regular, now I have to be her dog

SOLO (Spoken during solo: Let's play it again!  Yeah!

Well, I'm gon' leave you, mama, yes, gonna leave you now
You know, the time ain't gon' be so long
Well, the mark in the family must be carried on

Edited 9/29 to pick up corrections from Old Man Ned, banjochris and Stuart

The second song is from Roosevelt Antrim, his "Complaint To Make".  Here it is:



Said, look-a-here, mama, I've got a complaint to make
Said, look-a-here, mama, I've got a complaint to make
If things don't get no better, I'm gonna jump into the main

Said, long, long time, mama, baby, since I've been your slave
Said, long, long time, mama, baby, since I've been your slave
Says, I ain't gon' be your dog, mama, be your dog no more

SOLO

Come home last night, mama, throwed my dinner down to me
Come home last night, throwed my dinner down to me
Said, then you go, stay out all night from me

SOLO

I work hard all night, tryin' to be your slave
I work hard all night, mama, tryin' to be your slave
Said, I tried to get in, mama, but your other man, he had me barred

I got a gal 'crosstown, 'fraid to call her name
I've got a gal 'crosstown, 'fraid to call her name
When I leave this town, mama, I ain't comin' back no more

SOLO
 
The third song is from Levester "Big Lucky" Carter, his version of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".  Here it is:



SOLOS

Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing, swing low, sweet chariot
Coming to carry me home

I looked over Jordan
What did I, what did I see?
Saw a big band of angels
Coming, coming after me

Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
--
Coming for to carry me home

SOLO

Please use only your ears and guitars to arrive at your determination of playing position/tuning of the three songs, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Wednesday, September 21.  Thanks for your participation and I hope you enjoy the songs.

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any takers for the Ralph Willis, Roosevelt Antrim and Levester "Big Lucky" Carter puzzlers?  Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

Sadly I'll have to pass on this one. I'm up a mountain in Spain with rudimentary internet!

[Johnm]

That's a pretty good trade, Prof!  If I had a choice between doing puzzlers and being in Spain, I'd take Spain every time, too.  I hope you have a great time!
All best,
John

[banjochris]

Somehow I missed you posting this last one, John.

Mama Mama -
A standard (the IV chord especially is a giveaway)

Complaint to Make -
G standard

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Vestapol (I'm the least sure of this one; no guitar at hand)


Thanks for posting these, John ? that "Swing Low" is particularly beautiful.
Chris

[Old Man Ned]

Agree with A standard for Mama Mama and G standard for Complaint to Make.  I was thinking E standard for Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Levester "Big Lucky" Carter is new to me but I love his playing on this tune. Thanks for introducing me :-)

[blueshome]

I'm with A and G but the Big Lucky has got me beat. I can't wait to find how he gets that sound.

[frankie]

The third song is from Levester "Big Lucky" Carter, his version of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".  Here it is:

That's some very interesting playing by Levester Carter.... nice to hear that first string ringing out underneath licks that are pitched higher than it, but played on lower strings. Seems like the index finger drones almost constantly on the open first string and the phrases that consist of the main part of the melody are all played with the thumb.

Vestapol is nice for this, but I think cross-note is better. Depending on how hard you wanted to work at it, I suppose you could play the whole thing in std tuning, E position...  cross note preserves the simplicity of those treble fingerings while freeing up the bass notes to "friendlier" pitches.