The object of this lesson is to introduce you to the Drop D version of Little Red Rooster. If you are still feeling shaky with the standard tuning version, stick with it a bit longer to make your fingering and chord work steady. While you're still in standard, take a listen to this brief solo passage on the D 9 chord. It's a small pentatonic run that takes advantage of the position your fingers are already in.
Alright. It's time to tune your sixth string down a whole step to D. Look how the left index finger and pinky are used on the 2nd and 5th frets to create the same main riff as before, including the B minor chord. This time, the D9 chord is different in fingering and timing. Anchor your left index finger on the D string, 2nd fret, as you walk your fingers up sequentially, to land your pinky on the 5th fret, 2nd & 3rd strings. When it lands, that is the downbeat of the D9 chord. Use 2 fingers to follow the chord sequence down. You come out of it by doing the Muddy Waters sequence. Notice that the turnaround E7 chord, is anticipated by a D chord. Remember to keep your thumb on the 2nd fret bass string when making the E7.
Guy Davis
Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
Chicago Blues
Howlin' Wolf
Guy Davis
Little Red Rooster
Print Chords & Tab
Loop 0:15 Run-Through of Standard Tuning Solo
Loop 1:38 Am Pentatonic Riff over D7
Loop 2:28 Church Ladies Riff on A7
Loop 2:41 Breakdown of Drop D Rhythm
Loop 4:21 D7 Riff and Muddy Waters Riff
Loop 7:04 Practice Loop of Drop D Rhythm
Comments
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You are welcome
Thanks a lot Corey & Guy!!! not only for the songs, also for tell us what it' s all about
This is really a lot of fun to work on! By any chance are you going to teach the harmonica part? I have a harp holder that my wife gave me and I've never taken it out of the plastic, so I'd love the motivation. If you are...are you playing cross harp? So that would be a harp in concert D, I think? Thanks, Guy!
Kip -- believe it or not, after being frustrated at breaking a nail (I can't get used to fingerpicks) I went down to the nail shop and got fake nails put on my thumb and three fingers. It has CHANGED MY LIFE fingerpicking wise. It's made it a little harder for me to play piano (my principle instrument!) but I'm getting used to it, except for the clicking noise. ;-) The ladies always giggle a little when I come in the shop, but I don't care.
I was surprised when I met Happy Traum and found he also gets the mysterious (and probably toxic) nail stuff done. Probably a lot more pickers too.
Bruce - dude - when you say it CHANGED YOUR LIFE I have to believe you. I confess for a half second I was thinking snipe hunt but then I thought about it and figured it makes perfecrt sense. I don't know if I have it in me to do that but it's a definite thought. Maybe if my wife accompanied me. I have tried several times to use finger picks and have struggled ... its just not the same for me. Thanks for the tip.
Yes thiis song is loads of fun to work on and the reason I signed up to give the site a test drive. I've always loved this song dating back to an early Stones album ... yep I'm pretty old. I'm not having any problems with the thumb walk up .. the little improvised solo or anything else except the most important part - the riff - I can sort of do it a different way like the advice given to an earlier post but I want to play it like the video ... that "Cat" can pick (name escapes me) and I love his performance. I'll probably be working on it for a long time.
Fake nails ... never thought of it. Thank you man.
My pleasure, Kip. They can do it so that you can't really tell it's not real. And if you go back every 2 or 3 weeks, they "fill" it where the nail has grown, so that it still looks pretty much like a natural nail. Good luck to you! Hope you decide to stick around Sonic Junction. I really love it. I came initially because Duke Robillard has been one of my guitar heroes since the early 70s, and I stumbled across this site shortly after the guitar bug bit me. I've been here for about a year now, and it just gets better and better. And no, they don't pay me for saying that. ;-) I'm just a fan. Take care.
Oh man ... that rocks. It's gonna take me awhile to get the riff as my hands can't stretch quite that far and I broke a thumb nail dang it .. ha ha I don't use finger picks ...anyway ... that is so friggin' cool.