Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[rein]

I ll post this since it is not an answer to any off the questions asked, but the lick is to me very similar to what Buddy Guy plays in Junior Wells You dont love me baby (1965) . But it is really nicely integrated in this song.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any takers for the Charles Caldwell and Herman E. Johnson puzzlers? Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm

[blueshome]

HERMAN E JOHNSON seems to be in cross note.and the runs are fretted on the 2nd string moving between the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets with the 3rd string played open in unison.

Not had time to spend on the other song yet.

[David Kaatz]

Charles Caldwell is playing out of standard tuning, key of A.
His lick is fretted fourth string, hammering to the 2nd fret, then open third string, 2nd fret fourth string, 2nd fret third string, open third, 2nd fret fourth string, 3rd fret fifth string, 2nd fret fourth string, 3rd fret fifth string, then open fifth string to finish.
He begins each verse on a D chord I think fretted open fourth string, 2nd fret third string, 3rd fret second string. He then changes it to a D7, changing the 3rd fret to a 1st fret second string.

I get Herman Johnson playing in G (Spanish) tuning, capoed or tuned up a whole step to A.
His opening lick starts on the open fourth string, fingers the 3rd fret, then he plays the open third string for 6 triplets, then uses the slide slide up to  the 3rd fret of the same string. From there, an open third string, then slides from the 3rd to 5th fret, then (approximately) 6th fret, 7th fret, all on the third string. Then repeat the figure described (badly) in the previous sentence. Then, open fourth string, slide to 3rd fret of fourth string, open third string, slide on third string to 7th fret, open third, slide on 3rd fret, open fourth string, 3rd fret of fourth string.
Slide work is really hard to describe!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any other responders to the Charles Caldwell and Herman E. Johnson puzzlers? Come one, come all! Answer as few or as many questions as you wish.
All best,
Johnm

[rein]

Ok. I will give it a shot. The first song sounds to me like it is in Spanish, and that  the chord is a C shape but played in spanish with the open top string, I think you can either call it a Cadd9 or aGsus.
The Herman Johnson song sounded to me like the melodie was nt played on the top string, so I would think spanish as well.

[Prof Scratchy]

Haven’t really had time to sit down with these, but they both sound to be in Spanish to me.

[Old Man Ned]

It's rare that I find myself away and without a guitar but here I am. I'll just answer the position and tuning parts of the questions.

For Charles Caldwell's "I'll Do Anything You Say" the signature sounds like it should be a good fit to standard tuning out of A.

For Herman E. Johnson's "She's A-Looking For Me" I think open G. Sounds like with the slide work from 03--:15 is around the 2nd and 3rd frets and the open 3rd string

All the Best,
Ned
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It's been a few days since the last response in the Charles Caldwell and Herman E. Johnson puzzlers, so I think I'll post the answers.

For Charles Caldwell's "I'll Do Anything You Say":
   * His playing position/tuning was A position in standard tuning as Dave Kaatz and Old Man Ned had it. His signature lick begins with a hammer from a IV to a V note in the mid-range, going up to a bVII from there. In Spanish tuning, that would require a very non-intuitive hammer from the fifth fret of the fifth string up to the seventh fret of the fifth string, moving from there to an awkwardly placed third fret of the fourth string. In A position, the same notes relative to the key can be found via a hammer from the open fourth string to the second fret of the fourth string, going from there to the open third string. So in A position, the opening of the signature lick is right under the hand and involves fretting one note only, whereas in Spanish the same lick begins with an unusual hammer followed by a leap back down the neck.
   * Charles Caldwell fretted his signature lick (which he varied somewhat over the course of the song), pretty much exactly as Dave described it in his answer, so rather than parrot his answer here, I'll just refer you back to it.
   * Charles Caldwell's verses begin on a IV chord, D, with the D note at the third fret of the second string resolving down to a C note at the first fret of the second string as the phrase moves along. He gets a slightly spooky sound by leaving his third string open in his D chord.

For Herman E. Johnson's "She Is Looking for Me":
   * His playing position/tuning was Spanish tuning
   * Except for two brief pick-up notes where he slides up to the fourth fret of the fourth string on the way to his open third string, I'm fairly certain that Herman E. Johnson played all of the melodic work with his slide in the intro from :03--:15 on the third string, finding melody notes there at the fourth, fifth and seventh frets. By playing the melody all on one string, he achieves a more voice-like quality in his statement of the melody, with a consistency of tone that he wouldn't be able to achieve if he crossed strings and stayed closer to the base of the the neck. It's more common to take this approach in Vestapol, playing melodies on just the first string with the slide, than it is in Spanish tuning.

I sure wish that Herman E. Johnson had been recorded more. He was an exceptional writer, one of my very favorite Country Blues songwriters. You can't beat his "Depression Blues", "I Am Growing Older", "She Is Looking For Me", "I Just Keep On Wanting You" or "She Had Been Drinking". Visit his lyrics thread to hear more of his songs.

Thanks to those who participated and I hope you enjoyed the songs.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I've got a couple of new puzzlers for those of you who are interested. The first features Johnie Lewis, who as far as I know only ever recorded one album for Arhoolie, "Alabama Slide Guitar". The song is "Baby, Listen To Me Howl", and here it is:



For Johnie Lewis's recording of "Baby, Listen To Me Howl":
   * What playing position/tuning did he use to play the song?
   * Where did he fret the run he plays from :18--:20?

The second puzzler is on Guitar Pete Franklin's "I Got To Find My Baby". Here it is:



For Pete Franklin's recording of "I Got To Find My Baby":
   * What playing position/tuning did he use to play the song?
   * How is Pete Franklin fretting his V7 chord throughout the song?
   * Without getting into too much detail, how would you say Pete Franklin played his descending lick from :09--:12 in his picking hand?
   * The lick he plays from 2:12--2:18 suggests what about the way he strung his guitar?

Please use only your ears and your guitars to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any responses before 8:00 AM yoour time on Monday, February 21. Thanks for your participation, and I hope that you enjoy the songs.
All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any takers for the Johnie Lewis and Pete Franklin puzzlers? Come one, come all, and answer just one question per song or as many as you wish.
All best,
Johnm

[blueshome]

Johnny Lewis sounds like E standard to me. The lick is played 3rd fret2nd string 4th 3rd string.

Pete Franklin is playing in E standard, a half-step down using an unwound 3rd string.

[Prof Scratchy]

I agree with blueshome, both in E standard. Pete Franklin sounds to me a lot like Scrapper Blackwell in E.

[MarkC]

I’ll just add that I think Franklin leaves the high E string open when he plays the V7 chord, and maybe he’s playing the 5th in the bass on 2nd fret 6th string, but I’m not sure.

Regarding the :09-:12 lick, I think he’s pulling off the high E string while doing a descending E7 lick.

Sounds like double stops in some spots on 1st and 3rd string.

For the Lewis song, it also sounds to me like he’s in E standard tuning (slightly flat I think) because it sounds like he slides up to the 12th fret and it sounds to me like it’s B and E. And the lowest note I’m hearing is standard low E. But I can’t figure out what he’s playing when he slides around the 5th to 7th fret on two strings.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any other takers for the Johnie Lewis and Guitar Pete Franklin puzzlers? Come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm