Fingerpicking Blues Lesson - Lonnie Johnson's signature licks

[horbergus]

you're good, but you made it way to much mississippi

[DoaneofTheDead]

Hey, love this lesson, great playing, think ill pick up my guitar!

[arleycowboy]

Hi daddy , You play great and I really enjoy your lessons , I am having trouble with Lonnies Signature lick the tab seems to be different from what you play on the video on the tab the second bar is 3rd string 2nd fret then 3rd string 4th fret on the video the second bar starts on 5th fret second string then second string 3rd fret . i hope you can help with this problem David .

[daddystovepipe]

@arleycowboy

yep You're right. I forgot to show the first beat which is a triplet : third string second fret to third string fourth fret and followed by the second string third fret.

[Czantorjev]

you own!

[daddystovepipe]

@bbdzmsn

Youtube changed it so click on the double arrowish sign under the number of views and you'll see the complete videodescription.

[rigidarm1]

Thank you so much for the lesson. Very clear and easy to see. I will reslly work to get your sound. Again, Thank You

[stonemojo]

I really like that guitar I finally found a 000 by Breedlove it has a little more piano timbre. But the customer service people at Breedlove said it will mellow with playing and time, they designed & built it to approximate the sound and feel of guitars built at the first part of the last century. I am basic finger-picking ans venture over to this style occasionally I will eventually stay here for lessons after a while

[BTBpneumaticcustoms]

I like your Dutch accent.

Het klinkt goed in ieder geval

[xistenceq]

Wonderful playing You have got inside the skin of this type of blues and explain it well. I play something like this style. See my version on Utube (with Simon Prager) of Blue Room Blues. Doc Stenson

[fodera6]

Thanks for the vid and the TABs. What's this guitar you're using? Very nice, daddy-o.

[daddystovepipe]

@fodera6

thanks for the kind words and support

I'm playing a copy, made by John Gréven, of a 1930ies Gibson L00 (aka the working man's guitar - cheap and fast made to keep the price down during the depression years)

[fodera6]

@daddystovepipe You're quite welcome. Thanks for the reply. I thought it was a L-00 copy but definitely wouldn't have guessed the luthier. It's a beaut. Looking for something about that size myself. Cheers!

[tehtrk]

Great lesson. Thanks, subcribed!

[1carp]

Holy Cow, Daddy! I discovered your videos last night and may never watch another YouTube channel! Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Thanks from Canada.

[hardtimeblues]

you're awesome

[kt2big4u]

sweet lesson daddy s. thanks for these posts i'm a southern boy who likes to play acoustic blues ,good detail .... k.t

[Abz90L]

i just cant keep the bass note on time :'(, any tips on improving upon that??

really good video btw,this is what ive been looking for a long time.

Subribed.

[daddystovepipe]

@Abz90L

practise, practise, practise....;-)

[ZachNeiman]

@daddystovepipe Practice?

[daddystovepipe]

@ZachNeiman

indeed : practiCe

[robtrodes]

@ZachNeiman Practise is the English spelling for the verb. Examples: the Brits will "license" you to drive, or sell you a "driving licence". You may also go to the "off licence" to buy liquor to be consumed off premises. A doctor or lawyer will have a "practice" but will "practise" medicine or law. We Americans randomly use one or the other unless there is a difference in pronunciation: see "advise" and "advice." So daddystovepipe, don't let us ignorant Americans cramp your style. :)

[HQMatt]

@Abz90L Start very slowly, and gradually up the speed, you'll get there in no time. Once you can do it, it feels effortless.

[knght1216]

Man, your playing is over the ever lovin top.....

[BLacKCatB0ne]

Lonnie is so often overlooked when the lists of "greatest guitar players" comes up. The guy was super innovative at such an early period of American music. Thank you for this lesson, very helpful!

[crwpwns]

the rhythm with the thumb is my main problem, timings alot harder than it seems

[Tbonetardis]

Nice lesson and great style! You have the coolest name on YT too!

[maxzaxe217]

I reallt enjoyed the lesson picked it up quite easily with the tab, the dropped D pulloffs really make it interesting,Great job keep up the good work and Thanks Alot

[maxzaxe217]

What kind of strings are you using on this lesson/ guitar?

[daddystovepipe]

@maxzaxe217

D'Addario phosforbronze lights

[elbratzo]

sweet.

[JohnnyHorton]

What a great lesson. Thank you for sharing. :-)

[thebluesrockers]

I sure love to hear you play. makes me thank God for you tube. you sure know how to capture the original feeling from the GREATS!!! thanks for the lesson.

[JSLLH]

very nice daddystovepipe ! you are a good player and teacher ! i named my six year old daughter lonnie after lonnie johnson ! honeyboy edwards is her godfather ! i could not name her honeyboy ! honeygirl ? hmmm.... anyhow , beautiful demonstration of a beautiful artist ! thanks for the great video ! january 8 2010 les copeland

[daddystovepipe]

thanks les, wonderful story - I named my son, after lightin' struck : "Sam"...

[vegita112]

could you go into more detail at 3:40

[daddystovepipe]

form a partial G chord (x00435) and slide it to the 3rd fret to get to the position in brackets; the bend is on the second string 5th fret

[vegita112]

thanks

[djmoore20041]

Great job! I've got to start using the thumpick with this stuff.

[Tezman82]

Lonnie is one of my favorite guitarist. (Thanx for the lesson)

[havokbaphomet666]

Do you have a tab of this?

[daddystovepipe]

No, but there's plenty of tab to study (see description)

[macio756]

thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

omg wery nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice

[BobDBlues]

This is marvellous stuff, and the dropped G is a revelation. Any chance of some more hints and tips on Lonnie Johnson's playing. You teach this so well.

[daddystovepipe]

Thanks bob, a follow-up lesson is on my loooong "things to do list"......

In the meantime check out Stefan Grossman's Guitarworkshop : there are Lonnie Johnson lessons by Woody Mann and a Tabbook with cd available. The tabbook contains a bonanza of licks that would spice up your playing for sure.

[funkstuf]

This is so fun I just keep trying to play it better.

Thanks for turning me onto this music.

[bloozeman1969]

BLOODY GOOD PLAYIN OLD CHAP.......

[2009framat]

I thought Lonnie Johnson was exclusively a flat pick playing guitarist. Am I right and it is only your style combined with the style of Johnson you are playing on this video?

[daddystovepipe]

Till 1932 LJ fingerpicked his arrangements (99% were in his favorite tuning DGDGBE). He didn't record for 5 years and changed to standard tuning and playing with a pick to meet up with the 'market' of those days (some say because of pressure of his recording company). When he was rediscoverd in the 60ies noone asked about his old style as hardly anyone knew about it....

I'm playing strictly his old pre 1932 style.

[2009framat]

Thank you. I did not know. On his old recordings I guessed he did finger picking but on photos and on film he always used the pick. Always thought he used standard tuning. Thank for that info. Do you know if Scrapper Blackwell was finger picker or flat pick user. I thought he was flat picking.

Have a nice weekend

[daddystovepipe]

Scrapper was a fingerpicker as well - he made quite a few solo recordings on which you can clearly hear this - the snapping of the strings is one of his trademarks.

[2009framat]

Thank you, was not sure about that because in his late 50's recordings he played sométimes fast single notes relatively hard and fast. Because of that I was not sure.

[JohnnyHorton]

yup!  excellent!

[miguelmusicman]

Great!5********!!!!!

[LpBattousai]

Live long chap, live reaal long.

[bolson542]

Thanks, cat. I wish many blessings upon you.  You inspire me. Keep playing and I'll keep listening.

[Em1nenceFr0nt]

hey Daddy...Wanted to say thanks for the video. You've got a little bit of Robert, Lonnie, Muddy, Albert and Eric all wrapped in those fingers. Very soulful, and chicken pickin' to boot.

Thanks !

[BRooo28]

once again i love it and you are the man

[jasperhappy]

i've been trying to play along to this but your guitar seems to be tuned below concert and i cant find what key you are in...can you help ...thanks...jasper

[daddystovepipe]

Jasper, always check the description of the video before asking questions....;-)

[jasperhappy]

this is the only description i can find ...Fingerpicking Blues Lesson - Lonnie Johnson's signature licks.....

i'm not brilliant on the computer and aplogise if you think i'm stupid ....if you dont want to share the info then that's cool....cheers...jasper

[daddystovepipe]

if you're watching this on Youtube you'll see "more info" in the right hand top corner just under "daddystovepipe"

If you click on that you'll see that the tuning is DGDGBE from low to high

Keep on pickin' :-)

[jasperhappy]

hooray. and whoopeeeeee.......got it ....many thanks ....jasper

[mythopoedia]

You're a natural, and the best teacher I've seen. Thank you for spreading the music!

[swaviator]

Hi...I think that is a Gibson L-00 in this video. Interestingly it sounds much like Lonnie Johnson's guitar. What kind of strings are you using?

[daddystovepipe]

It's a copy of a 1934 Gibson L-00 made by John Gréven. Strings are lights, phosfor bronze d'Addario.

[irishchck92]

People make it look so easy...

[jkblake99]

Would you please do a video and talk about all of those wonderful guitars, who makes them, what the differces are and what creates the different sounds of each guitar?

Thanks so much for teaching me, I'm getting better and I truly appreciate your help.

Jim

[stringybarkin]

you are a beautiful player sir

[halofreeek]

Subscribed! u are going to teach me 'How to play the guitar' starting with blues since its "kinda" easy :-|

[brewereric]

bless you my good man its wonderful that your keeping this music alive....bravo

i knew i was not the only one....lol

[flamicue]

My error. Guess this isn't a 'song' but a collection or a 'feel'..

[flamicue]

DSP,thanks for your comments.When you say, "solo prewar blues" I guess "solo" is the operative word as I don't see how you can jam with other musicians if you don't know where 'one' is, reverse meter etc., etc.

Would love to hear the original of this - could you post it? Thanks again.

[flamicue]

As great and beautiful as this is - there has to be something very wrong when the meter gets reversed and the song jumps ahead - more than once- in such a short song. Start clapping on the back beat and you'll wind up on the one and three - and then back again. Mr. Stovepipe, please comment on this quirky pattern. (Coyote Slim - is this what you wondered about all those years? - Mandoplay - by "Real" do you mean 'original'?)

[daddystovepipe]

flamicue, if you listen to old bluesmasters like Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson and even to Lonnie Johnson's older work you will notice that most of their songs are 'oddmetered'

Even modern players like Ry Cooder (listen to his solo mandolin song 'Brownsville' on YT) "suffer" from this. It's just a part of solo prewar blues.

I never had a musical education : I just play it how I feel it.....

[ElGuitarristaCowboy]

jajaj que tipo mas cachondo xD

[guitarguylespaul6]

amazing lesson!!

[kalihiwai2]

Great Lesson!

Its amazing what a different sound Lonnie gets from this drop G tuning as opposed to Bo Carters work,

"My Baby" ,"Arrangement for Me" Shake em on Down"

[lenaspieltblues]

Toll! Danke!

[kslick88]

You truely are a great teacher. Thank you so much.

[Dorfstuff3]

You are so talented and thorough in your transcriptions! I'm learning "Rope Stretching Blues" from one of your videos and I hope to post it soon. Thanks so much for all your great posts!

[petraki53]

That's a great lesson. I have tried some LJ music before, but never thought of tuning the A down to G! And some very subtle riffs I only knew more roughly.Some homework waiting here! You certainly got the LJ feeling!!Thanks a lot.

PS: great guitar, too!!

[brakenbergblues]

Wunderbar! Vielen Dank für den Unterricht.

Torsten bbh

[neil2381]

excellent 5 stars thanks for sharing your talent

[Blainesenior]

Thank you!! I learn so much from you videos!!

you are a talent, wonderful teaching!!

[CoyoteSlim]

Aha! I've read some tab of Lonnie's work before and was able to figure out a few things, but since I'm terrible at learning music from reading it was quite a trial for me. Knowing what I know and having you explain it makes it all good. I'd wondered about that signature lick for years!

[freaku69]

thanx man. what key is it in a or d? first chord sounds like a partial d.and one request could you do a lesson on spoonfull by charlie patton?

[daddystovepipe]

Key of D

There's a transcription (tab) of Patton's 'Spoonful' in the book 'Bottleneck Blues Guitar' by Woody Mann (Oak Publications OK64984 ISBN082560317x)

[mand0play]

ol' dad you sure know real blues.

[j3ohnny]

loved,can't wait to jump on this one!!!

[oggendoggen2]

Great lesson, by the way. I'm making a mental note to use at least one of these in every song I play till the end of time!

[oggendoggen2]

I notice you are using a sound hole plug, which probably means you're using an amp. I'm playing a wedding in 2 weeks and I was wondering if you have any tips on getting minimal feedback out of an acoustic amp. I have a hole plug, and it works fairly well.

[daddystovepipe]

This guitar is not amplified, doesn't even have a pickup - maybe you're taking the paper label inside for a soundhole plug?

Don't worry about the sound at the wedding, nobody's listening anyway :)

[putter069]

Well performed, and very instructive indeed!

When others are pulling there lessons off of the Tube yours are very much appreciated by those of us not in a position to seek out individual help

[Antarblue]

I Love Lonnie! Now I can further my accoustic blues guitar style. Thank You Daddy!*****

[jima2985]

Great stuff, man!

[mizzissippiblues]

nice lesson daddy!

[LittleBrotherBlues]

Really awesome Carl!

[carlguage]

Nice Daddy!!!

[FreeTibet97]

Daddy, will you do some lap slide lessons?

[YTimshel]

Merci !