Thanks for the help, Chris! There was no danger of me getting either one of those fixes, but after re-listening a couple of times, I can hear they're both spot on. Changes have been made.

Hi all,

Fingerstyle Blues in Vestapol (Open D) Tuning

This second class on open/alternate tunings used in fingerstyle blues guitar will be held this coming Saturday, April 20th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time. We’ll start the class by seeing how the blues scale sits in Vestapol tuning and how the I, IV and V7 chords have most commonly been voiced by players of the past. We’ll then look at the approach that several of the players who specialized in Vestapol tuning took to playing in it—people like Bo Carter, Furry Lewis, Josh White, and Blind Connie Williams. We’ll conclude the class by looking for possibilities that the tuning offers that were not utilized by players of the past but that nonetheless speak in the language of the blues, and will arrange a couple of well-known blues in Vestapol.

The class will be recorded and sent to all participants so you’ll be able to review the lesson content. Persons interested in the class who are unable to attend the day it is offered may still purchase it and receive the film of the class. Cost of the class is $40.00. To sign up, make a payment to my account at paypal.com as per the instructions at https://johnmillerguitar.com/teaching.html . Once I’ve been notified that payment has been made, I’ll send you an invitation. I hope to see you there!

All best,
Johnm

Best I can do,

well you keep on lovin' her sure gonna let her down

Hi all,
Hayes McMullan accompanied himself out of low-tuned Spanish tuning for "Dirt Road By Myself". The recording starts with him already mid-stream. On the one hand, I suppose you could look at the rendition as being compromised by this and other unintentional aspects, but that having been said, he sings and plays so beautifully and dynamically that I'm glad the take was not lost and that we can listen to it now. He really swallows his lyrics at a couple of points and I'd appreciate help with those places. Here is "Dirt Road By Myself":



Mm, dirt road by myself
I'm going, carry me someone else

I said, mama, what you going to do?
I said, mama, what you going to do?
I said, looky-here, baby, tryin' to make a fool of me

INTERLUDE

I said, Lord, Lord, don't, got no mama now
I said, mama, got no mama now (laughs)
I say, Lord, Lord, got no mama now (Spoken: I done forgot half I ever knowed. I ain't jokin'.)

Said, hurry, sundown, let tomorrow come
I said, hurry, sundown, let tomorrow come
I said, mama, mama, I sure (vocal inaudible)

I says, a mean blacksnake keeps on suckin' my rider's tongue
I says a mean blacksnake keeps on suckin' my rider's tongue
Well, you keep on lovin' her, sure gonna let her down

SPOKEN: Now see, I can't slide down on these strings, you know? My fingers don't stand it now, where it's s'posed to.

SOLO

SPOKEN: That's the way it's supposed to be there.

I said, hey, baby, what are you going to do?
I said, hey, hey, what are you going to do?
Baby, . . .

I said, Lord, ---

Edited 4/14 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm



 

Hi all,
Robert Curtis Smith recorded "Lonely Widower" once again accompanying himself out of E position in standard tuning. The rendition is a cover of L. C. Greeen's "The Sun Was Shining" and very faithfully captures the rhythmically complex signature lick of that song and the way the time flips coming out of the signature lick into the vocal. I don't know of another song in the entire blues genre that has timing and phrasing like this one. Both Green and Smith sing "little" rather than "lonely". Here is "Lonely Widower":



INTRO

I'm gon' tell y'all something, better take my advice
Don't go out and get drunk now, then go home and mistreat your wife, the sun is
Shining, you throwed all of your money 'way, 'cause that'll
Cause you to be, now, poor little widower today

'Cause I made a little money, when I were livin' in town
I spent all of my money, that mean she put me down, the sun is
Shining, and I throwed all of my money 'way, Yeah, that what
Caused me to be, now, poor little widower today

And I, love my baby, better than I love myself
Yes, I love that woman, she lovin' someone else, yay now
And I throwed all of money 'way, yeah, and that
Cause me to be, now, poor little widower today

I said now, bye-bye, baby, if you call that gone
Yes, I may be worried, but I -- worry long, the sun is
Shining, and I throwed all of my money 'way, yeah, and that
Caused me to be, now, poor little widower today

CODA

All best,
Johnm