Okay, so...

I should play the C7 at the third fret at that place in the progression then. Thanx...!

I appreciate your quick response.

Let me take this opportunity to comment on the quality of your program. I like it... and I think that I will sign on for the monthly rate and learn all I can from Duke Robillard. I like this format very much.

I'm just doing the trial thing for now.

Mean Mojo

Hi Mojo,

Mike here.  I do the chords / tab for the lessons.  You're right in that there is an error.  The first F7 chord should be a C7.  Also, Duke does play these chords in different positions during the various run-throughs.  For the chords, I tried to pick what I felt was the best example ... but definitely learning the progressions and voicings in the different positions is the best way to play it.  Thanks!

Thanks for the info.  Looked them up, great stuff.  My friend did find a very rare book by a European Fiddle Player that has very good blues solos for the fiddle transcribed for a selection of songs.  Those are the only transcriptions I have ever seen.  Sims and Armstrong are great, I think Sims is more the style we are looking for.  But would be great to find some transcriptions.  I can fake it but my friend needs the sheet music.  

Hay Duke...

Please clear something up for me on the "How Long Blues" lesson at: http://sonic-junction.com/lessons/how-long-blues-lesson-1

Scrolling down to where the page shows the chord diagrams, where I see the "...set of chords for the walk down"... please look at the diagram there for the F7. Should that be played up at the eigth fret...? It indicates the third fret. I understand that chord shape to have its 5th note on the 6th string.

Much thanx...

Mean Mojo

Mississippi Sheiks 

Hi Jerry,

I've started going to some jams and am having fun.  These are higher level jams than I probably should go to, but I've gone with my friend who is hosting them.  Almost everyone is a gigging musician at these jams (although they make everyone welcome), most are serious pros.  I've done okay when I get a chance to play, particularly when the song is one I know like "Red Rooster" which we did last night.  My friend is one of the premier harp players in this area and on the way home gave me some gentle advice.  He thought I generally sounded okay - hitting my bends etc. - but felt I sounded uncertain at times, not hitting the notes with authority as he put it.  The term came to mind as we listened to you playing "Blues In A Dream." Everything you do is just right - done with "authority". He wasn't implying that I should expect to sound like you, but that I should strive to hit notes right on - not slide into bends etc. unless it's called for.  I understand what he is talking about, but my question has to do with being in that situation in a jam on a song I really don't know, especially when asked to solo.  I can kind of get by in such a situation by staying in time and rythym and sticking with 1-4-5, but that can get pretty boring in a solo.  And not knowing a song can certainly lead to not playing with "authority."  I realize that some of this problem goes away the more you play, both practicing and with others, and as you learn more riffs and songs in different styles.  However, I wondered if you have any suggestions, little tricks if you will, that I can fall back on in such situations? The other point that my friend made was that I was playing a lot of chords or partial chords, and while he agreed that in a song like "Red Rooster" that is appropriate in getting a gritty sound, that you achieve a better effect by moving between single notes and chords. Again, if I don't really know a song, how can I deternine a good rule of thumb for doing this?  Thanks.

Corey:  I am new here to Sonic Junction, and actually stumbled across it be accident.  I'm getting ready for a show in a week and don't have much time to really stay up all night on all these great lessons as I'd like to, but I found it such a great resource and sense of community.  I have been living in Blue Grass heaven for a while, and it gets a bit lonesome if you love the blues.

But specifically I have a buddy here who is a fiddle player and also has a love of the blues.  Before the advent of mass produced guitars, everybody played on fiddles, mandolins and banjos, and there was a great deal of blues played with those instruments; not too many recordings though. And then guitars added to string bands. 

I am always looking for music to play with my friend, but he is locked into sheet music.  So I was wondering if you could recommend first, some recordings of guitar and fiddle ensembles, and then possibly some sheet music collections.  A lot of this older blues is old form 8 and 16 bar blues and transciptions of fiddle blues tunes are scarce.

Thank you all, guys!!....Se you at next open mic session!!!

Alex from Italy

Wow, all the videos were very impressive.

Mike - you've really captured the feel of guitar rag. Congratulations - you've obviously worked very hard and have caught the small nuances very nicely.

Allan - I love that thumpin Mississippi delta sound you have - great job !

@Peter...I'm playin Feelin Bad Blues...It's an instrumental tune become famous with the movie CrossRoads (Mississippi Adventure)...I love it. :)

@Vinny...nice!!! I love also Eric Bibb's version of Goin Down Slow....and beautiful guitar...Kalamazoo where favs guitar of Robert Johnson :))

Okay, better late than never.  I don't have a webcam, and the device I have been trying to use was not cooperative today but I got a little video of a work-in-progress: "Goin Down Slow" by Lightnin' Hopkins, I'm playing on a 1938 Kalamazoo - also a work in progress as the action is still a bit high but I love it anyway.  Have a ways to go with this song, just working on keeping the flow.

Thanks Mike!  Yeah, not mine but it has to be a Super Reverb, belongs to the host of that now defunct jam.  

@ Stevieboy ... that's some tasty blues twanging on the Tele!  Love that tone.  Is that a Super Reverb back there you were plugged into?

Well put Bruno.  Everyone did so well.  

Great job everyone! Really fun to see the passion and talent shining through.

The only video I have now is the only known video of me on youtube, shot at a local blues jam night.  I hope this is within the idea of the open mic night here.  Great idea and I wanted to get in and support it.

Mike,

Thanks for the kind words.  Any suggestions on getting a better video.  I used my Lenovo laptop's camera.  I do have a Logitech webcam but don't really like to use it. Rich

@ Jack ... beautiful song and harmonies!  It has been in my head since seeing it this AM.  Looking forward to seeing you guys live sometime!

@ Ben ... love that slide up at the beginning of the solo.

@ Rich ... love the bends around 1:30! 

@ Alex and Peter ... agree that Peter's video catches that old Pink Floyd vibe.  It's very cool!

OK .. here's mine ... Guitar Rag in the Park

@Mike and Roger....thanks!!! I've got to work more on the intro...it's repetitive but it's a kind of start!!! 

@Peter....your video is so beautifull....your music reminds me the old pink floyd....it's excellent!!!!I like it a lot!!!:)))

@ Alex ... beauty, pure beauty!!  I'm goint to have to learn that someday.

@ Peter ... love the mixing of the sounds ... and the bass + slide w/ the pictures give it this cool free floating feel.  Awesome.

@ Allan ... got the groove!  Great singing too!  You're right hand has a very free flowing feel ... like the music is moving through you.  Wow.

I won't be around tonight (I'll be at a jam) so here is my attempt at "Red Rooster" playing along with Howlin' Wolf off "His Best" album.  I am playing a D harp (2nd position) through an Astatic 200 mic and my Brugera V5 amp.

Here's a version of Jimmy Reed's Big Boss Man.  The guitar player is my new friend and music partner Mel Capps who I met recently.  We're trying to put together some songs and play some local open mics.  Cheers, -- Ben.

Hi Everyone, My son Jesse and I have a few CD's out under the name Jesse Liam ..this is an acoustic version of a song on our 1st CD "Father from a Man" it was written by the gifted song writer Todd Thibaud. Duke Robillard has played guitar on both CD's..BTW, the 2nd CD is called "One Step Closer"both available on CD Baby..

"Lots of towns, lots of songs, lots of women, good times, bad times..........."

Alex that sounds great ! Gave me chills. Thanks for posting.

Hy all......her's one of my fav tunes to play...still workin on it!!!

Roger you sound very clean!!!! :)))