Topic: Dave Van Ronk Tunings

[glasalle]

I believe the arrangements are similar.  Yes, taking lessons with Dave was "an experience".  i went into greenwhich village for about a year to take lessons with Dave. Although, I think there were some breaks  here and there.

Glenn

[EricFlatpick]

Thanks for the tunings, Simplelines.  There I was feeling smug, having worked "Keep it clean" in open C, with a way to keep that bass line rolling like on the recording ...  I'll give it a try in the dropped C you've identifed, but may I ask what it was that clued you that it was that tuning?  Are there parts that it makes it easier to play--or anything else you'd care to comment on?  Thanks.

[yogi]

I tried to pick out Another Tme and Place last night but my ears aren't great... According to the list it's played in standard tuning but to me the F# base for the D chord doesn't sound right. I decided it sounds better with a double D base and drop D tuning. Capo at the second fret.
Do any of you wizards know which base he played on the D chord?

Thanks in advance
 Yogi

[Laura]

Hi Yogi.  Johnm kindly tabbed "Another Time and Place" for me some time ago.  He has it in standard in E and I'm pretty certain that's how Dave would have played it, too.  Though I'm sure it could sound good in drop D.  I think I might record this song this weekend it's so lovely

[yogi]

E! That's a surprise, I could have sworn it was in the key of D.
Looking forward to hearing your version should you decide to post it for us.
 /Yogi

[Laura]

Well there's a challenge then!

[Laura]

Here ya go, Yogi.  Sorry about all the mistakes I haven't played this for a long time and had no time to practice.  I totally cheat on the B chord because it's quite a complicated little pull-off thing he does but this sort of works! Oh and to completely confuse things I'm tuned down a whole step and capo'd up to the first fret   

[yogi]

Cheers for that Laura, I really appreciate it! Practice or no practice, it still sounds nice, I think you should be proud. And you have a lovely voice as well! When I try to sing it it sounds like sh*t.
I'm still playing it in D, it sits so well there and one can play it almost efforlessly though I probably miss out on some of the sounds and I do have to battle the "drone" from the base.
Thanks again for posting this and accepting the challange :-)

Yogi

[michael]

Hey ,

I know I'm a bit late but is "Another Time and Place" featured in any of the music-books?

[Slagathor]

it's awesome you took lessons from Dave Van Ronk. I've been trying to learn Jivin Man Blues for a couple of days now. Do you think you might have the tabs for that song?

Thanks for the compilation.  One thing to note, Dave changed capo positions frequently.  When i took lessons from Dave in the early 80's, he always taught the tunes without a capo.  He also pretty much settled in on Standard and dropped D (or as he liked to call it, English D).  He didn't teach me any songs other than those 2 tunings. 

Some additions:
 - Dave taught me Jivin' Man Blues, which is Dropped D
 - Death Letter Blues is in G in standard

Glenn

? edited by Rivers to fix the quote formatting of a previous post ?

[Aaron]

Hi everyone. I'm a few years late, but here's my contribution. One correction to the original list is that "Jesus Met the Woman" is in Drop D.

Standard

• Baby Let Me Lay It On You
• Boll Weevil Song
• Chicken is Nice
• Michigan Water Blues
• The Old Man
• The Pearls
• Urge for Going
• Winin' Boy

Drop D

• In Conditional Support of Beauty
• Jesus Met the Woman at the Well
• Jivin' Man Blues
• The Katoomba Rumba
• Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning

[davidbeinct]

I know this is a bit of a zombie thread, but does anyone know where a recorded version of Dave Van Ronk playing The Katoomba Rumba might be found? My teacher took some lessons from him and has taught it to me but I would love to hear Dave's original.

[Stuart]

Hi David: If all else fails, ask Elijah Wald.

[Johnm]

According to the Dave Van Ronk discography at the Stefan Wirz site, Dave never recorded the piece on a commercially available disc or LP.

[davidbeinct]

Hi David: If all else fails, ask Elijah Wald.

Thanks Stuart. I had already done that, he didn't know of one so I thought I would crowd source here. Looks like John Miller gave me my answer.