Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[Slack]

I'll second Chris!

[Old Man Ned]

That sounds good to me John. Really appreciate the time that you've put into the puzzlers over the years. Trying to figure them out has certainly helped me in figuring out what's going on regards the recordings/players I'm listening to.
All the Best,
Ned

[Johnm]

Thanks, banjochris, Slack and Old Man Ned for the feedback. Let's make the change. If there is a song you're figuring out or just listening to, and you're wondering what playing position/tuning was used to play it, or where its solo or instrumental fill was played on the guitar, post a video of the song and your questions in this thread and your fellow weenies can respond, answering your questions.

Thanks to the folks who have responded to the puzzlers since 2014 and who have kept the thread alive. Let's keep it going, but with me no longer operating as the puzzle wrangler.

All best,
Johnm 

[blueshome]

Nice move

[Blues Vintage]

I just read the first post about this and I really like the idea.

[MarkC]

Sounds like a good idea.

[MarkC]

Hustler’s Blues - Leroy Carr and Josh White



What key and tuning is White playing in?

2nd verse, bars 9 and 10 (starts around 0:44)
- what is he playing here?
- Extra credit - what is the piano doing in bar 10? (I’m not really sure myself, looking to see what anyone else thinks.)

Beginning of 3rd verse
- where is he playing?

This moves at a pretty fast clip, so I’d say it’s OK to use ASD or whatever to slow it down. I did.

I hope I didn’t jump ahead of the line, I realize I’m a relative newbie here.

[joe paul]

Great idea John ! All your work keeping this going has been a real pleasure to follow and participate in.

Thanks MarkC for your suggestion, Hustler's Blues. That link doesn't work for me in Europe, I hope this is the same recording :

[MarkC]

Joe Paul - that’s the one.

[David Kaatz]

As best I can suss out:
Key of C, standard tuning.

2nd verse, bars 9 and 10, I believe he is playing at the sixth fret and fourth fret, 2n and 3rd strings respectively, then moves that up a half step, back down a half step and then, 2 and 3rd strings both at fourth fret, sliding up to the fifth fret to resolve to the C chord.

Beginning of third verse, White is playing up at the twelfth fret on the 1st string, eleventh fret 2nd string.

[blueshome]

Need to spend more time but sounds like Josh is, as usual, is playing out of Vasterpol tuned down.

[CJB]

Need to spend more time but sounds like Josh is, as usual, is playing out of Vasterpol tuned down.

I think Josh White is playing in A position, capo in third fret.

[MarkC]

I’ll post what I think on Thursday, as I’ll be traveling for several days after that.

[David Kaatz]

CJB is probably right. That would be easier to play some of those runs in C that I heard.

[MarkC]

Hustler’s Blues

Here’s what I think:

Key of C, standard tuning as David K said

A/long A position, capoed at 3rd fret as CJB said.

2nd verse, bars 9 & 10 (around 0:44):

Bar 9 he’s playing 1st and 2nd and strings (possibly 3rd and 4th too): (I corrected this*)

xx(5)463 - G7 (R, 3, b7, R)

Bar 10:

xxx68x - A7 (3/b7) VI7 chord
xxx57x - D7 (b7/3) II7 chord
xxx46x - G7 (3/b7)  V7 chord

Then slides up to C chord to resolve.

So what’s happening is he’s replacing the IV chord in that bar with a 6-2-5-1. I found that interesting.

It was a bit more obvious to me if you drop the capo and play the top two strings:

xxxx23 (A7)
xxxx12 (D7)
xxxx01 (G7)

(I asked the question about the piano because I tried playing an F behind that bar, and it does not sound good, and I can’t tell if Carr is playing the 6-2-5-1, but I don’t think he is.)

Beginning of 3rd verse:

He’s playing in C an octave up, frets 15-18.

G on 1st string 15th fret
Eb on 2nd string 16th fret, bending up towards the major 3rd. He goes up to the 6th and flat 7 on 1st string on frets 17 and 18.

I hope this is legible. Any feedback/other opinions appreciated.

I was also surprised that no one questioned that it’s Josh White, not Scrapper Blackwell.

*I screwed up the G7, hopefully fixed now.