Topic: Robert Pete Williams--Playing Positions and Tunings

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have long wanted to study Robert Pete Williams' music more deeply than I have in the past, and to that end, thought I would post the playing positions/tunings of the songs he recorded that are currently available on Arhoolie Records.  Many or most of these recordings were originally issued on Dr. Harry Oster's Folk Lyric Records.  I will post notes about the recordings later.  Where the keys at which renditions sound are slightly flat of pitch, a minus sign (-) will indicate that; multiple minus signs indicate intensified flatness.  Where the keys at which renditions sound are sharp of pitch, a plus sign (+) will indicate that, and multiple plus signs indicate intensified sharpness.

Angola Prisoners' Blues--Arhoolie CD 419

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Prisoner's Talking Blues	D position, standard tuning	Eb--
Some Got Six Months	D position, dropped-D tuning	D
I'm Lonesome Blues	A position, standard tuning	A-

These three songs were probably many people's first exposure to Robert Pete Williams' music.  What was different or distinctive about his music?  In conversation with Frank Basile about Robert Pete, Frank pointed out that Robert Pete was unusual among blues players in the number of minor blues he played, and as soon as Frank said it, I realized it was so.  It is a commonplace among blues players to accompany a sung minor third with the major third played in the accompanying chord.  Robert Pete most often did not do that; if he was singing minor thirds, he accompanied them with minor thirds in the guitar accompaniment.  Taken in combination with the fact that Robert Pete most often did not work out of chordal positions in his guitar accompaniments, you arrive at the very dark sound that characterized much of his material.  For the three songs from "Angola Prisoners' Blues", Robert Pete plays no major thirds in his I chords.  For the two songs played out of D position, (one in standard tuning and one in dropped-D) he plays a dominant seventh chord for his IV chord, which suggests the Dorian Mode.  "I'm Lonesome Blues" is the earliest version recorded of Robert Pete's funky sound.  When playing with that rhythmic feel, whether working out of A or D positions in standard tuning, he would alternate his bass between the I note and minor III note, both played on the same string in the bass.

Angola Prison Spirituals--Arhoolie CD 9036

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
I'm On My Way (Andy Mosely, vocal)	G position, standard tuning	Eb
Church On Fire With the Word of God	D position, DGDGBE tuning	C-
Dyin' Soul	Spanish tuning	F
So Much Is Happenin' In the News	E position, standard tuning	Eb-
I'm Goin' Back With Him When He Comes	E position, standard tuning	F
When I Lay My Burden Down	Spanish tuning	F#-
Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade (Tom Dotson, vocal)	Spanish tuning	F#
Little School Song (Tom Dotson vocal)	Spanish tuning	F+

   * In many ways, Robert Pete Williams' playing on "Angola Prison Spirituals" is farther from the mainstream than his playing on "Angola Prisoners' Blues".  His accompaniment on "I'm On My Way" is unique.  The song has a perfectly clear major melody.  Robert Pete accompanies the song out of G position in standard tuning (though tuned quite low), and alternates his bass from the open sixth string, suggesting the relative minor, and intermittently hits the third fret of the sixth string (the key center of the song) in the bass.  The effect is pretty disorienting for the listener. 
   * "Church On Fire With The Word Of God" has Robert Pete accompanying himself out of DGDGBE tuning (in terms of the relative intervals--he's actually tuned considerably lower), and playing in the key center of his open sixth string.  In this respect his approach to the tuning is more like that of Lonnie Johnson, who characteristically used the open sixth string as his key center when playing that tuning, than it is like Bo Carter's or Lil' Son Jackson's playing in the tuning, for both of them used the open fifth string as their key center.  He free-hands the entire piece in his left hand (no chordal positions), and the piece has a unique, floating sort of sound that seems to be a hallmark of Robert Pete's sound and approach.
   * Robert Pete utilized Spanish tuning for his accompaniment to the two songs sung by the wonderful bass singer, Tom Dotson.  For "Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade", Robert Pete adopts an approach much like that utilized by Lonnie Johnson to accompany Texas Alexander on "Levee Camp Moan", choosing to treat the guitar as a wordless voice answering Tom Dotson's singing of the melody with responding melodic phrases.
   * For "Dyin' Soul", Robert Pete switches back and forth from a thumb lead to frailed melodic phrases in the treble, played in Spanish tuning.  "So Much Is Happenin' In The News" utilizes a similar right hand approach as "Dyin' Soul", though played out of E position in standard tuning.  The song sounds especially improvisatory, and is really wild.  Robert Pete similarly backs "I'm Goin' Back With Him When He Comes" out of E position in standard tuning, but utilizes a more conventional treatment of time, and an accompaniment that closely tracks his singing of the song's melody.  "When I Lay My Burden Down", accompanied in Spanish tuning makes a beautiful use of bends in its phrasing of the melody.   

Country Negro Jam Session--Arhoolie CD 372

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Mississippi Heavy Water Blues (Guitar Welch, guitar)	Spanish tuning	F#-

Robert Pete Williams, Vol. 1-I'm As Blue as a Man Can Be--Arhoolie CD394

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Pardon Denied Again	E position, standard tuning	D+
This Wild Old Life (12-string guitar)	D position, standard tuning	C#-
Just Tippin' In	D position, standard tuning	C#
Louise	B position, standard tuning	G
Church On Fire (Take 2)	D position, DGDGBE tuning	D+
Texas Blues	A position, standard tuning	G+
I'm Blue As A Man Can Be (12-string guitar)	E position, standard tuning	D
Up and Down Blues	E position, standard tuning	D+
So Much Is Happenin' In This Wicked World	E position, standard tuning	D+
Come Here Baby	A position, standard tuning	G
Levee Camp Blues	E position, standard tuning	C#
Two Wings	C position, Spanish tuning	B-
Angola Special (12-string guitar)	E position, standard tuning	D+
Motherless Children Have A Hard Time	E position, standard tuning	Eb-
Please Lord, Help Me On My Way	Spanish tuning	F#-

   * For "Pardon Denied Again", Robert Pete, rather than working from some common blues form or lyric archetype, chooses instead to do a sort of stream-of-consciousness narration with musical pitch and a freely improvised guitar part. At one point he makes a sort of refrain of "Lord, have mercy on poor me".
   * The two songs played in D position, "This Wild Old Life" and "Just Tippin' In" share a strong rhythmic drive and more conventional phrasing than "Pardon Denied Again". "This Wild Old Life" starts out with a vocal phrasing of AA, in which the verses have no tagline, though the last four bars go to the V chord that would normally accompany the start of the tagline. Later verses use the more commonly encountered AAB phrasing.
   * "Louise" is an altogether remarkable track, played out of the seldom-used B position in standard tuning, though tuned quite low. Robert Pete most often acknowledges the I chord and resolves to it by simply fretting the second fret of the fifth string, and then strumming the top four strings of the guitar open. The fretting hand works free-hand, rather than playing chords. Robert Pete's sound here is about as close to being without precedent as it is possible to be, playing in a vernacular style.
   * "Church On Fire" likewise has a completely distinctive sound. Played out of the DGDGBE tuning used by Lonnie Johnson and Bo Carter, it sounds nothing like either of their playing. It does play in the key of the open sixth string as Lonnie does, but has a very wild sound, free-handing melody notes in the treble  and middle strings in the fifth through ninth fret region, where the strings are slack enough to allow for big bends.
   * "Texas Blues" features Robert Pete's funky sound. I don't recall hearing any other player in the style use this rhythmic feel prior to Robert Pete, and what he was doing in the picking hand here is utterly original and close to being imponderable.
   * Up And Down Blues" employs a complicated signature lick which he takes from the I chord to the IV chord. Robert Pete keeps the lick evolving over the course of the rendition. The song includes this memorable verse:
   "Sometime now I set down, I have to write to my own self sometime
   Sometime that I set down, baby, hey, I have to write to my own self sometime
   I have to fool these other inmates, like I'm receiving mail from home"
   * "Two Wings" is yet another song in the program with a unique sound. Robert Pete played it in Spanish tuning but in the key of the IV chord of the tuning. I've not heard this technique used by other players in the style prior to Robert Pete (except when playing slide).
   * "Angola Special" has another memorable line: "Come here, baby, tell poor Bob your downfall"
   * "Please Lord, Help Me On My Way" employs a sort of frailing in the picking hand, as does "So Much Is Happenin' In This Wicked World".

Robert Pete Williams, Vol. 2-When A Man Takes The Blues--Arhoolie CD 395

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
When A Man Takes The Blues	A minor position, standard tuning	G#-
I Had Trouble	E position, standard tuning	Eb
All Night Long	E position, standard tuning	Eb
Dyin' Soul	Spanish tuning	G
I Got the Blues So Bad	Spanish tuning	E
Sinner Don't You Know	Spanish tuning	F-
Hot Springs Blues	D position, dropped-D tuning	C#--
This Train Is Heaven Bound	E position, standard tuning	D+
Santa Fe Blues	D position, standard tuning	D+
Blues In Me	A position, standard tuning	G++
Death Comes Creepin' In Your Room	E position, standard tuning	D+
Wife And Farm Blues	A position, dropped-D tuning	G++
I Want To Die Easy	Spanish tuning	G#

High points on Volume 2 include:
* "I Had Trouble" is a very spooky one-chord number in E in which Robert Pete is living up the neck in his fretting hand. The song tells of his being picked up by a woman, a total stranger, and being taken to her house, and fearing for his life.
* Robert Pete played "I Got The Blues So Bad" in Spanish tuning tuned quite low, so that it sounds in E, which is very disorienting.
* "Blue In Me" has a very funky sound in A in standard tuning. The lyrics seem almost an afterthought.
* "Death Comes Creepin' In Your Room" is played in E by Robert Pete and is a relative rarity in his repertoire in that he plays the sung melody. He sings the title phrase as "tippin'" rather than "creepin'".
* Robert Pete is joined by an un-named woman, possibly Sally Dotson, for "Wife And Farm Blues". Whoever she is, she badgers him from beginning to end, with comments that he appears to ignore almost completely. He plays the song in A position in dropped-D, waiting until the very last instant of the take to hit the low open sixth string that enables the identification.

Robert Pete Williams-Poor Bob's Blues--Arhoolie CD 511

Song Title

Playing position/tuning

Key

Disc A

My Mind Wandering Around	A capella
Cane Cut Man	E position, standard tuning	C#
My Daddy Was A Hoodoo Man	E position, standard tuning	Eb
No More Sweet Potatoes	Spanish, w/slide	G--
Poor Bob's Blues	A position, standard tuning	A++
Cows Love Music	D position, standard tuning	C#
Can't Yo-Yo No More	E position, standard tuning	C#-
Shake, Shake Baby	E position, standard tuning	E+
Lord, I Done You Wrong	Spanish tuning	Bb-
Been Mistreated So Long	A position, standard tuning	F#

Disc B

Things All Wrong With Me	Spanish tuning, w/slide	G-
Matchbox Blues	D position, dropped-D tuning	D+
Sad News From Korea	E position, standard tuning	Eb
What A Shape I'm In	E position, standard tuning	E+
Poor Boy, Long Way From Home	Spanish tuning, w/slide	F
Out All Night Long	E position, standard tuning	C#+
Crying Won't Make Me Stay	D position, standard tuning	D-
All Out And Down	Spanish tuning	F
Tom and Old Master	A position, standard tuning	G#

All Best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Fortunately for those of us who are fans of Robert Pete Williams, he was recorded quite a lot in the years he was before the public.  Here we'll look at the playing positions and tunings he used for songs that he recorded for several labels other than Arhoolie.  One again, the key column shows the pitch at which the renditions sound, with a plus sign (+) indicating sharpness of pitch and a minus sign (-) indicating flatness of pitch, and more than one of either such signs indicating intensified sharpness or flatness.  The post will be edited later to add music notes.

Free Again-Robert Pete Williams, Original Blues Classics Bluesville OBCCD-553-2

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Free Again	D position, standard tuning	B
Almost Dead Blues	A position, standard tuning	Ab-
Rolling Stone	Spanish, with a slide	E
Two Wings	DGDGBE	Bb+
A Thousand Miles From Nowhere	E position, standard tuning	D
Thumbing A Ride	A minor, A position, standard tuning	G++
I've Grown So Ugly	D position, standard tuning	Eb+
Death Blues	D position, standard tuning	Eb-
Hobo Worried Blues	E position, standard tuning	Eb-
Hay Cutting Song	E position, standard tuning	F-

Robert Pete Williams-Louisiana Blues, Takoma CDTAK1011 Song Title Playing position/tuning Key Somebody Help Poor Me E position, standard tuning F+ Freight Train Blues E position, standard tuning Eb+ It's Hard To Tell A position, standard tuning A I'm Going Down Slow E position, standard tuning F+ Motherless Children Have A Hard Time E position, standard tuning Eb+ Ugly D position, standard tuning Db+ So Long Boogie A position, standard tuning Bb This Is A Mean Old World To Me B position, standard tuning B++ High As I Want To Be D position, Dropped-D tuning C++ It's A Long Old Road E position, standard tuning Eb-- The Sonet Blues Story-Robert Pete Williams, Sonet 0602498692554 Song Title Playing position/tuning Key Woman You Ain't No Good A minor, A position, standard tuning A Come Here, Sit Down On My Knee Vestapol, with a slide Eb Angola Penitentiary Blues Vestapol, with a slide Rb Late Night Boogie E position, standard tuning E Goin' Out Have Myself A Ball A position, standard tuning A Poor Girl On The Mountain D position, standard tuning D Graveyard Blues Vestapol, with a slide Eb+ You're My All Day Steady And My Midnight Dream A position, standard tuning A Keep Your Bad Dog Off Me A position, standard tuning A Robert Pete Williams-Long Ol' Way From Home, The Chicago Sessions, Fuel 2000 Records 302 061 391 2 Song Title Playing position/tuning Key It's So Cold In Chicago A position, standard tuning Bb Bye, Bye Baby E minor, E position, standard tuning E- Greyhound Bus Blues G position, standard tuning G- Louise B minor, B position, standard tuning B-- Freight Train Blues E minor, E position, standard tuning E- Lord, I'm Going Back Home Soon A minor, A position, standard tuning Bb Kazoo Blues D position, Dropped-D tuning D-- Jesse James A minor, A position, standard tuning A Feel Like Blowing My Horn G position, standard tuning G Motherless Child E position, standard tuning E Ugly Man Blues D position, standard tuning D Lonesome Blues A position, standard tuning A I Just Can't Stand It No More A position, standard tuning A My Mother Prayed In The World One Day C position, standard tuning C Poor Boy Long Ol' Way From Home Spanish, with a slide G#- Robert Pete Williams, Fat Possum 80349-2 (originally on Ahura Mazda) Song Title Playing position/tuning Key Farm Blues A minor, A position, standard tuning A- Goodbye Slim Harpo Spanish, with a slide G+ Rub Me Until My Love Comes Down E position, standard tuning E Freight Train Blues E position, standard tuning E Got Me Way Down Here Spanish, with a slide G Matchbox Blues D position, standard tuning D- Railroad Blues E minor, E position, standard tuning E Tombstone Blues A minor, A position, standard tuning A- Sweep My Floor E minor, E position, standard tuning E You Used To Be A Sweet Cover Shaker, But You Ain't No More Spanish, with a slide G+ Vietnam Blues A minor, A position, standard tuning A- All best, Johnm

[Boybooe]

Awesome. I haven't worked my way around to RPW yet, but he's got one of the most idiosyncratic guitar styles of anybody. A lot to explore. Thanks for your efforts.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the good words, Boybooe.  I appreciate it.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Goin' Out Have Myself A Ball

S poaision, standard tuning

A

Probably A position?

[Johnm]

Yes, that is right.  Thanks for the catch, Harry.
All best,
Johnm

[jaskah]

hi

i'm new here to the forum (first post here, actually)  but a huge robert pete williams admirer. i'm also a beginner level guitar player.

i've been reading these notes about williams' tunings, but i'm confused about the designations.

for example, for "free again" a tuning of:
d position, standard tuning, key of b
is given.

what does "d position" refer to? does this mean the lowest string is tuned to d instead of standard e?

and i guess the given "key" is referring more or less to his tonal center on any particular song?

and in regards to vestapol tuning (which is what i usually play in) a song like
"graveyard blues" is given the following tuning:
vestapol, key of Eb+ (does this mean the lowest string is tuned to Eb+ instead of D? and what does the "+" here refer to?).

sorry for all the newbie questions and thanks for your help!

jason

[Johnm]

Hi Jason,
Playing position refers to the position that he plays out of in standard tuning, regardless of the pitch of where it sounds, capo placement, etc.  So, D position means his I chord is fingered 0-2-3-2, ascending from the fourth string to the first string.  Key is the pitch at which the rendition sounds.  So, if he is playing in D position, but sounding in B, as in "Free Again", it means he is in standard tuning, but tuned a minor third low, C#-F#-B-E-G#-C#.  You can see by doing that, you ended up with a B note on the open fourth string, and since he's playing out of D position he sounds in B.
For "Graveyard Blues", Vestapol at Eb means his sixth string is tuned to Eb, which in Vestapol would make his tuning Eb-Bb-Eb-G-Bb-Eb.  The + following the key means that he is actually tuned slightly sharp of Eb.  Two plus signs would mean he was tuned markedly sharp of the key pitch.  A minus sign following the key would mean he was tuned slightly flat of the key pitch, and two minus signs would mean he was markedly flat of the key pitch.

In terms of figuring out how to play what Robert Pete Williams played, playing position and tuning are the most important factors.  I think of those factors as how he played and fingered the song.  I think of key as where he sang the song.  So it is that he is matching up the position or tuning in which he wishes to play a song with his vocal range.  Depending on how the song's melody sits, this may require him to tune quite low, as in "Free Again" or "Louise", and sometimes it may require him to tune higher than normal.  Because the best singing key for a singer often ends up being awkward to play in, like Eb, Ab, Bb, or various other "closed-position" keys, is the reason you so often find players in this style tuning high or low or using a capo.  I hope this helps.  And welcome to Weenie Campbell!

All best,
Johnm

[delta57]

Hi all,
I have long wanted to study Robert Pete Williams' music more deeply than I have in the past, and to that end, thought I would post the playing positions/tunings of the songs he recorded that are currently available on Arhoolie Records.  Many or most of these recordings were originally issued on Dr. Harry Oster's Folk Lyric Records.  I will post notes about the recordings later.  Where the keys at which renditions sound are slightly flat of pitch, a minus sign (-) will indicate that; multiple minus signs indicate intensified flatness.  Where the keys at which renditions sound are sharp of pitch, a plus sign (+) will indicate that, and multiple plus signs indicate intensified sharpness.

Angola Prisoners' Blues--Arhoolie CD 419

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Prisoner's Talking Blues	D position, standard tuning	Eb--
Some Got Six Months	D position, dropped-D tuning	D
I'm Lonesome Blues	A position, standard tuning	A-

These three songs were probably many people's first exposure to Robert Pete Williams' music.  What was different or distinctive about his music?  In conversation with Frank Basile about Robert Pete, Frank pointed out that Robert Pete was unusual among blues players in the number of minor blues he played, and as soon as Frank said it, I realized it was so.  It is a commonplace among blues players to accompany a sung minor third with the major third played in the accompanying chord.  Robert Pete most often did not do that; if he was singing minor thirds, he accompanied them with minor thirds in the guitar accompaniment.  Taken in combination with the fact that Robert Pete most often did not work out of chordal positions in his guitar accompaniments, you arrive at the very dark sound that characterized much of his material.  For the three songs from "Angola Prisoners' Blues", Robert Pete plays no major thirds in his I chords.  For the two songs played out of D position, (one in standard tuning and one in dropped-D) he plays a dominant seventh chord for his IV chord, which suggests the Dorian Mode.  "I'm Lonesome Blues" is the earliest version recorded of Robert Pete's funky sound.  When playing with that rhythmic feel, whether working out of A or D positions in standard tuning, he would alternate his bass between the I note and minor III note, both played on the same string in the bass.

Angola Prison Spirituals--Arhoolie CD 9036

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
I'm On My Way (Andy Mosely, vocal)	G position, standard tuning	Eb
Church On Fire With the Word of God	D position, DGDGBE tuning	C-
Dyin' Soul	Spanish tuning	F
So Much Is Happenin' In the News	E position, standard tuning	Eb-
I'm Goin' Back With Him When He Comes	E position, standard tuning	F
When I Lay My Burden Down	Spanish tuning	F#-
Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade (Tom Dotson, vocal)	Spanish tuning	F#
Little School Song (Tom Dotson vocal)	Spanish tuning	F+

   * In many ways, Robert Pete Williams' playing on "Angola Prison Spirituals" is farther from the mainstream than his playing on "Angola Prisoners' Blues".  His accompaniment on "I'm On My Way" is unique.  The song has a perfectly clear major melody.  Robert Pete accompanies the song out of G position in standard tuning (though tuned quite low), and alternates his bass from the open sixth string, suggesting the relative minor, and intermittently hits the third fret of the sixth string (the key center of the song) in the bass.  The effect is pretty disorienting for the listener. 
   * "Church On Fire With The Word Of God" has Robert Pete accompanying himself out of DGDGBE tuning (in terms of the relative intervals--he's actually tuned considerably lower), and playing in the key center of his open sixth string.  In this respect his approach to the tuning is more like that of Lonnie Johnson, who characteristically used the open sixth string as his key center when playing that tuning, than it is like Bo Carter's or Lil' Son Jackson's playing in the tuning, for both of them used the open fifth string as their key center.  He free-hands the entire piece in his left hand (no chordal positions), and the piece has a unique, floating sort of sound that seems to be a hallmark of Robert Pete's sound and approach.
   * Robert Pete utilized Spanish tuning for his accompaniment to the two songs sung by the wonderful bass singer, Tom Dotson.  For "Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade", Robert Pete adopts an approach much like that utilized by Lonnie Johnson to accompany Texas Alexander on "Levee Camp Moan", choosing to treat the guitar as a wordless voice answering Tom Dotson's singing of the melody with responding melodic phrases.
   * For "Dyin' Soul", Robert Pete switches back and forth from a thumb lead to frailed melodic phrases in the treble, played in Spanish tuning.  "So Much Is Happenin' In The News" utilizes a similar right hand approach as "Dyin' Soul", though played out of E position in standard tuning.  The song sounds especially improvisatory, and is really wild.  Robert Pete similarly backs "I'm Goin' Back With Him When He Comes" out of E position in standard tuning, but utilizes a more conventional treatment of time, and an accompaniment that closely tracks his singing of the song's melody.  "When I Lay My Burden Down", accompanied in Spanish tuning makes a beautiful use of bends in its phrasing of the melody.   

Country Negro Jam Session--Arhoolie CD 372

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Mississippi Heavy Water Blues (Guitar Welch, guitar)	Spanish tuning	F#-

Robert Pete Williams, Vol. 1-I'm As Blue as a Man Can Be--Arhoolie CD394

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
Pardon Denied Again	E position, standard tuning	D+
This Wild Old Life (12-string guitar)	D position, standard tuning	C#-
Just Tippin' In	D position, standard tuning	C#
Louise	B position, standard tuning	G
Church On Fire (Take 2)	D position, DGDGBE tuning	D+
Texas Blues	A position, standard tuning	G+
I'm Blue As A Man Can Be (12-string guitar)	E position, standard tuning	D
Up and Down Blues	E position, standard tuning	D+
So Much Is Happenin' In This Wicked World	E position, standard tuning	D+
Come Here Baby	A position, standard tuning	G
Levee Camp Blues	E position, standard tuning	C#
Two Wings	C position, Spanish tuning	B-
Angola Special (12-string guitar)	E position, standard tuning	D+
Motherless Children Have A Hard time	E position, standard tuning	Eb-
Please Lord, Help Me On My Way	Spanish tuning	F#-

Robert Pete Williams, Vol. 2-When A Man Takes The Blues--Arhoolie CD 395

Song Title	Playing position/tuning	Key
When A Man Takes The Blues	A minor position, standard tuning	G#-
I Had Trouble	E position, standard tuning	Eb
All Night Long	E position, standard tuning	Eb
Dyin' Soul	Spanish tuning	G
I Got the Blues So Bad	Spanish tuning	E
Sinner Don't You Know	Spanish tuning	F-
Hot Springs Blues	D position, dropped-D tuning	C#--
This Train Is Heaven Bound	E position, standard tuning	D+
Santa Fe Blues	D position, standard tuning	D+
Blues In Me	A position, standard tuning	G++
Death Comes Creepin' In Your Room	E position, standard tuning	D+
Wife And Farm Blues	A position, standard tuning	G++
I Want To Die Easy	Spanish tuning	G#

Robert Pete Williams-Poor Bob's Blues--Arhoolie CD 511

Song Title

Playing position/tuning

Key

Disc A

My Mind Wandering Around	A capella
Cane Cut Man	E position, standard tuning	C#
My Daddy Was A Hoodoo Man	E position, standard tuning	Eb
No More Sweet Potatoes	Spanish, w/slide	G--
Poor Bob's Blues	A position, standard tuning	A++
Cows Love Music	D position, standard tuning	C#
Can't Yo-Yo No More	E position, standard tuning	C#-
Shake, Shake Baby	E position, standard tuning	E+
Lord, I Done You Wrong	Spanish tuning	Bb-
Been Mistreated So Long	A position, standard tuning	F#

Disc B

Things All Wrong With Me	Spanish tuning, w/slide	G-
Matchbox Blues	D position, dropped-D tuning	D+
Sad News From Korea	E position, standard tuning	Eb
What A Shape I'm In	E position, standard tuning	E+
Poor Boy, Long Way From Home	Spanish tuning, w/slide	F
Out All Night Long	E position, standard tuning	C#+
Crying Won't Make Me Stay	D position, standard tuning	D-
All Out And Down	Spanish tuning	F
Tom and Old Master	A position, standard tuning	G#

All Best,
Johnm

the very low tunings...perhaps this is because of a guitar's warped neck-issue? i don't know what brand they played on in those days ..i guess they weren't, compared to todays standards, of them quality? or did they all play on gibsons martins fenders stellas? don't think so..do you? that's when slide guitar started..?

[Johnm]

Hi delta57,
The extreme low tuning was to put the playing position/tuning in which Robert Pete Williams wanted to play a song in the key in which he wanted to sing it. For example, if you want to play a song in E position in standard tuning, but your best singing key for the song is B, you have to either tune the guitar a fourth low, BEADF#B, or put a capo on the seventh fret. Having a capo on the seventh fret, you lose too much of the available neck of the guitar, as well as the lower range. So you tune the guitar a fourth low.

Tuning low, and sometimes extremely low, or tuning high were not practices exclusive to Robert Pete Williams--they were a commonplace in Country Blues guitar, and Old-Time guitar, too. Maybelle Carter's favorite playing position was C position in standard tuning, but the lead singer in the Carter Family, Sara, had a low alto voice, and for many songs her best singing key was Ab. In those instances, Maybelle tuned her guitar two whole steps low, CFBbEbGC.

The tuning low had nothing to do with the condition of the guitar, its neck being warped, etc. Most of Robert Pete Williams' early recordings were played on Dr. Harry Oster's Harmony 12-string guitar, a perfectly serviceable instrument that was later owned and played by Paul Geremia. I hope this answers your question.

All best,
Johnm     

[David Kaatz]

John,
I don't know if you are attempting to be a completist here with your list of RPW tunes, but I have one from a compilation, that isn't listed here.
On My Way To Texas key of B minor. I haven't done enough studying/playing along to ID the tuning/shape he is using. I'm just playing from a Bm shape at the 7th fret.

Recorded Newport 1964 according to this YT listing:

[Johnm]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the tune. I didn't have access to the recording that one was on, but I guess you don't need that now, with youtube making so many things available. Robert Pete is playing out of A position in standard tuning here, so he's either tuned a whole step high or has a capo on the second fret. I suspect the first option.
All best,
John

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I finally posted the tables of Robert Pete Williams' playing positions/tunings in Weeniepedia, a mere 9 years after posting them in this thread. I will add comments as I absorb the material better.
All best,
Johnm