Delta Blues Guitar Lesson "Black Mattie" RL Burnside MDBG Masters of Delta Blues Guitar

[abramrk1]

Its thumb , index , thumb , ex thumb 5th string down (snap sound) , index the melody note upward (snap sound ), then thumb down from the 3rd string downward(racked sound ) do this to a train beat . The thumb is peddling the octave but on the higher one rakes to the first .

Good luck

[MuskieMcKay]

The cover by Robert Belfour is great too. I've seen them both play it live I think. Robert Belfour opened for R.L. Burnside at Richard's on Richard's at his second and final post Fat Possum Vancouver appearance.

[kelvis97]

From what I can see its just a thumb hitting the bass, then a upsweep w/ one or two fingers, my version is sloppy as far as I am concerned, I watched other videos on YouTube and also RL Burnsides, never seems right. All the snapping noises he gets were killing me, at times it seemed the snap came with the bass note

[ptrwllms]

Yes, it seems too simple to work; I'll try your suggestions; I'm probably going too fast now anyway. It is an amazing technique. Hard to believe something so simple can sound so complex.

I may as well ask: how much palm muting is going on there?

Thanks so much for the help :-)

[ptrwllms]

Thanks for the great video - you've gotten closest to explaining the original Burnside technique on this one! One request - can you tell us how the index finger plays into it. I can't figure out what strings you're hitting and when?

[kelvis97]

@ptrwllms He is just using a upsweep index and a thumb that does the bass, his right hand is positioned to have a good amount of power , I was like a dog chasing his tail trying to figure out this song, first it seemed to simple to be right, then after a while I went kind of back to the beginning. A big help is just getting the bass, which is a thumping bass, not alternating, right. Once you get the bass try to get the upsweeeps in w/ index. All technique, he has some great snappy noises

[kelvis97]

@ptrwllms Start off slow

[Sharkey33]

I also have been trying to figure out this song for a long time. I've come close but that R.L. sound is hard to duplicate, so simple it's hard sounds like a silly thing to say until you try to do it. Then you understand. This video has helped me get one step closer. Thanks, your insight into the delta sound has really improved my playing. Your breakdowns are perfect for someone like me. Keep up the good work.

[Bjarke06]

Hi Kevin. Thanks for a great tutorial. I wonder if you have any suggestions on how to play "Jumper on the Line"? Another great RL Burnside song. So simple it seems.. yet very complex.That is the true genius of RLB.

[kelvis97]

@Bjarke06 I think thats just a standard tuning using a Eminor chord, have not tried it yet, a great song too

[neluc]

@kelvis97 Could be a great tutorial too, indeed!

[basmuda]

Thanks! Great video, great song of Robert Lee Burnside. Quite a hard rhythm to learn so thanks helping me out.