Topic: Robert Johnsons's Guitar Style--Queries and Tips

[uncle bud]

99.9 % sure that Phonograph Blues is in standard tuning out of an A position. It's essentially Kindhearted Woman with better vocals. Just so there's no confusion from the Spanish and Vestapol discussion.

[waxwing]

Yeah, I meant to add that, UB, but it was getting late and I have a big day of packing followed by a night of driving today! BTW, I've been working on Kindhearted Women lately and have worked out the extra verse from the alternate take. Don't know if he used that little 3 over 2 lick in Phonograph, but I'll show it to folks at PT if anyone's interested.
All for now.
John C.

[dave stott]

hey... thanks everyone for the great tips and added information

After listening to Weenie radio for a while, it will be back to the woodshed for me to practice some more..

you know you are hooked on old blues, when you get caught singing to a Big Bill Broonzy song, while stopped at a traffic light....

[dabluz]

thanks for the info guys.

[si]

Have decided to learn Phonograph Blues by Robert Johnson. Have read discussions at other websites and found no conclusive agreement on what tuning RJ used for this song. The two main contenders seem to be standard tuning and open G tuning. Also saw mention of double-drop-D and other tunings. Has anyone analysed this song to determine which tuning he actually used? Also is there free tab available anywhere in an open non-commercial format? (I tried seaching Google etc and could only find tab in commercial format). Thanks. Si

[waxwing]

I don't think there's really that much controversy. There are two takes and the issued take is clearly in RJ's Kindhearted Woman family (Key of A, Standard tuning) The alternate take is generally thought to be in Drop D altho' the Hal Leonard folks feel that this is one of the tunes in their contender for the "secret RJ tuning", which they call Aadd9, but most refer to as Double Drop D, and it can certainly be played in either.

You'll always find some diehard slider who will claim that everything "can" be played in Spanish (I presume that's the open G you mean?) and, of course, they're right, you can arrange any song in any key or tuning, if you want. I assume you are speaking of the arrangements as played by Robert Johnson, tho'?

All for now.
John C.

[Pan]

Hi Si (and Waxwing)

FWIW, I just listened to the "King of Delta blues singers vol.2" take. I totally agree with Waxwing; standard tuning, "A" -shape, capoed up to II (making the actual key B major), although I'm not familiar with the alternate take.

Pan

[Great Bear]

There are several tuning mistakes in The New Transcriptions and Aadd9 for Phonograph Blues take 2 is one of them. The New Transcriptions is the only book I?m aware of that tabs out PB2, however it?s basically the same accompaniment as I Believe I?ll Dust My Broom (also transcribed in Aadd9 in TNT). Scott Ainslie has IBIDMB in Vestapol, whilst Woody Mann has it transcribed in Drop-D. IMO Woody has all the tunings correct, although some of the transcriptions could be improved.

[si]

Thanks Waxwing, Pan and Great Bear. I am going to try it in standard tuning A-shape capo2. Just found some tab for both takes at http://blueslyrics.tripod.com/artistswithsongs/robert_johnson_1.htm haven't tried it yet. Si

[waxwing]

Scott has admitted that the publishers forced him to do the transcription of I Believe I'll Dust My Broom in Vastapol because that was how Elmore James played it, much to his chagrin. He would have transcribed it in drop D, I believe.

The case made by the Hal Leonard folks is that they analyzed certain notes which they felt were either open strings or fretted strings that indicated this tuning to them. As I said, the song can be played easily either way, as we're only talking about one string being differen, Unless I had at least duplicated some of the research they had done, with 78's as they used, I'm not so quick to dismiss thier work out of hand. I thinks it's interesting.

All for now.
John C.

[unezrider]

hello friend,
i get the gibson email newsletter, why i don't know, & in the most recent was an article about robert johnson's guitar tunings. here's a paragraph that caught my eye (& my nerve) -
"Two of my favorite Johnson tunings are open E minor, providing the eerie sounds accompanying his wailing vocal on ?Hellhound on My Trail,? and open A.  Open E minor and open A are both ?Spanish? forms, constructed along lines similar to open G. Open E minor is B-E-B-E-G#-D and has been called ?the Devil?s tuning? by many Johnson aficionados for its haunting tone and easy access to menacing sounding tri-tones. Open A is a tad closer to open G and is as beautiful as open E minor is spooky. Tune your guitar to its E-A-E-A-C#-E line-up and try finger-picking a pattern on the high strings. The chiming tones are lovely, as they were when Johnson used the tuning for ?Come On in My Kitchen,? ?Crossroads Blues? and ?Terraplane Blues.?
first, when did johnson record anything in E minor tuning? i thought that song was in open D. (or open E) & secondly, who the hell refers to cross note tuning as "the devil's tuning"? & lastly, "Open A is a tad closer to open G?" why yes, yes it is.
who writes this stuff?

[frankie]

who writes this stuff?

the tooth fairy.

[Parlor Picker]

It wouldn't be unreasonable to point out to Gibson the error of their ways.

[blueshome]

"Cast not thy pearls before swine"

[Slack]

Yuck.    I'm glad I don't get their newsletter.