If you like raw country blues recorded on an old 78" or 33", you'll dig it, if not, go back to your CDs and listen to B.B. King or something, lol. I can dig Robert though.

Timmy84 said:

I was young when I first head him and listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn & Robert Cray. I embarrassingly admit I wasn't too thrilled at first listen to Robert Johnson

But his songs, his voice, and his guitar are all about as good as it gets. His guitar playing is like a piano player or something. He's not playing crazy solos, he's just providing amazingly complete accompaniment to his voice.

NDRU said:

And that's why I dug him. He ain't too fancy, he just keeps it simple. I like that. When he plays his guitar and sings, he takes you somewhere. A lot of the Southern blues singers had that feeling to just tell it like it is anyway.

Timmy84 said:

yeah there's a magic to it. The distance that those recordings give the music just adds to it. Some of the songs are downright spooky, even though I don't subscribe to that selling of the soul business.

But my listening had to become more sophisticated for me to appreciate his simplicity, and to recognize his complexity.

I know he is a legendary blues musician, but and since I am relatively new to listening to the blues, does Robert Johnson's music deserve the accolades?

Timmy84 said:

yeah there's a magic to it. The distance that those recordings give the music just adds to it. Some of the songs are downright spooky, even though I don't subscribe to that selling of the soul business.

But my listening had to become more sophisticated for me to appreciate his simplicity, and to recognize his complexity.

1) The Myth

His initial lack of ability was supposedly noted by Blues legend Son House, "Such another racket you never heard! It'd make people mad, you know. They'd come out and say, "Why don't y'all go in there and get that guitar from that boy!". When Son House heard him about a year later he was amazed at the skill he'd developed in this relatively short time. Hence, the HE Sold His Sold To The Devil at The Crossroads legend was born.

Robert Johnson's music is somethin like drinkin Jim Beam,Johnny Walker, Ole Grandad mixed with Moonshine in a shot glass with no chaser.....

theAudience said:

So many little things played into that myth that gave it legitimacy He also left town not able to play, came back and was . Claims that he was ashamed of his "deal with the devil" were also given more credence, because he played facing into a corner as if he were ashamed of his "sudden talent."

What are chordal movements, alternate tunings and turnarounds?

scriptgirl said:

technical bells and whistles that when used right can bring u 2 tears, close your eyes in thought, shake a tail feather or two....

Thanks! I still don't get it, but I love to talk about the technical aspects of music.

scriptgirl said:

I think so.

1) The Myth

His initial lack of ability was supposedly noted by Blues legend Son House, "Such another racket you never heard! It'd make people mad, you know. They'd come out and say, "Why don't y'all go in there and get that guitar from that boy!". When Son House heard him about a year later he was amazed at the skill he'd developed in this relatively short time. Hence, the HE Sold His Sold To The Devil at The Crossroads legend was born.


2) Unique guitar/vocal style

This has been attributed to the fact that he was adept at playing/singing most styles of the day (Blues, Pop & Country).


3) Great songs

Just do some research on how many times his songs have been covered (along with the different artists).


4) Short life/Small catalog

If only to add to The Myth
He was only 27 years old when he died which gave him a recording/performing life of approximately 6 or 7 years.


The 2 original albums...



...King Of The Delta Blues (Vols. 1&2)


All 29 songs he ever recorded (along w/alternate takes), which were done in just 2 recording sessions, are included on this 2 CD release...



...Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings




...Son House on Robert Johnson




...Cross Roads Blues




...Love In Vain




...Terraplane Blues




...Hellhound on My Trail



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

diamondpearl1 said:

That's a concise spot on explanation dp11

Without getting too deep in music theory....

For singer/guitar players standard tuning E-A-d-g-b-e'. sometime certain chords lack that full sound you'd like to hear. Alternate tunings allows you to use open strings to your full advantage. In the case of Johnson (old time blues players) he retune three strings, the two E strings drop to a D and the A string drops down to a G.... D G D G B D, this tuning allowed him to play all straight barre chords across the fretboard, so he could play with a slide, for example. Johnson used other tunings open A & E... In terms of his chord movements it was his choice of "unconventional" chords in a 12 bar blues chord progression that gave him is own unique sound.

For a classic Robert Johnson example, take Sweet Home Chicago. Think of the the quick sequence of fingerpicked chords after the end of the 3rd vocal line: he sings, "Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago..." and then the guitar goes dee-dee-dee dee-dee-dee dee dah dah etc., leading back into the next verse. This quick sequence of fingerpicked chords is the turnaround, leading back to the beginning of the musical form and the start of the next verse ("Oh, baby don't you want to go....")







_____
[Edited 7/12/09 1:32am]

yeah a friend recently tuned my acoustic guitar to open G (in 20 years of playing I'd never tried it) and was amazed at how it immediately gives you that "authentic blues" sound, as well as how it opens up new possibilities just to not be knowing exactly what you're doing