Have you ever heard true voice of "Robert Johnson"?

[countryjake100]

This sounds good but the original will always sound the best. The crackling and what not is what gives it its true sound. And the slow speed is what gives it its old blues sound.

[HumanAccount]

listen to come on in my kitchen when he plays the train whistle coming...slowed down will tell you if its correct or not...i believe that its not sped up and thats just his style...not too uncommon then

[gomer1021]

Chopped n Screwed. Haha, his voice sounds good, but it just sounds too slow to me.

[2012lacruz]

Sounds like someone else is in the room with him! The evil one perhaps?

[stonerbychoice]

watched eric clapton's tribute to "Robert Johnson" and loved it, talented man..Hellhounds on my trail!!!



[MrJayredhawk]

Nice work! sounds right! 

[digitaldown]

interesting. still awesome at any speed. 

[sebz61]

Cool, man. Thanks!

[BluesFrets]

Why the capo on his guitar?

[clover2soulja]

@dm7b5 capo's on the 2nd fret

[JohnnyGrass]

That sounds right. I always thought it was sped up, some people deny it, but after hearing this, there is no denying.

[deltabluesrookie]

all I can say is wow!  thanks

[Hughesbayou]

That does sound more natural. A few years ago, I was trying to learn some Creole music by Bois Sec Ardoin and the recording was slightly out of tune, It occurred to me that nobody has an Ab accordion so I moved it down to G and sure enough, it sounded much more natural, especially the voices. I think this is a problem on a lot of old recordings. When I was a kid, we were always having to tune to the record as few of them were spot on, frequently out by just a half a step or so.

[dm7b5]

I am a piano player, but I must say I have never met a guitar player who would play this style of slide guitar in Bb. Sounds like there are open strings going on when he lifts the slide up from the high notes. Not many open strings in a Bb chord from what I understand.

[Hughesbayou]

@dm7b5 It's of course possible to use a capo, but I doubt that was the case.

[BigAssMoe]

@dm7b5 that looks like a capo on the first fret making it A

[dm7b5]

@BigAssMoe yea- think you are right- making the tune in Bb after all.

Like I said- I'm a piano player ;>)

[julienceaser]

Thank you for doing this,

your a genius! I alway's thought that his vioce sounded a little too high piched. Some where Robert is screaming "Woo Hoo finnally they slowed it down!!!" ha ha.

[blackmaster73]

This is the coolest thing i have ever heard!!!!!!!! Sounds so right!

[schclum]

He sounds fucking scary in his original recordings, this is much better

[fukka79]

now ti sounds, simply, real...

[CADD1EBLUES]

I really don't know what to think about this, brilliant work indeed,

I would just have to say: The legend goes on.....

[rollo131]

I dare say this be what the actual performance sounded like

[audiotable]

please do more

[19Feanor91]

like this sound

thumps up

[luke2575]

hey Eric Clapton, did u know that??

[aidenandstorm]

This is the original...it is how it should be..I still like it anyhow.

It should be left alone and this is what made him

[washboardblues]

Blues historian and author Elijah Wald disputes recent claims that Johnson's recordings were "sped up" or recorded at the wrong speed. Check out elijahwald[dot]com/johnsonspee­d

[egaonigochuui]

@washboardblues Thank you for your information!

[cv5600]

When guitar players are not playing with other instruments it doesn't MATTER if they are tuned to A-440....He could ahve been tuned up or down a step or so....The vocals are dragging..it's way too slow!

[hildathenoo]

this sounds wrong to me - as a sound engineer and guitar player, there's something wrong about it, and i dont mean it's been slowed down, but that it sounds too slow, the pitch and slackness of the strings,

[boomhauer15]

@hildathenoo take an old, beat-up second hand guitar with some old, worn-out strings that you hardly change cuz you can't afford to do it near as much as you should (besides, it doesn't make a difference how often you change them as long as they make noise), an aspirin bottle slide, carry it all around on the road for years, and see how the pitch and slackness of the strings are affected.

[yidakipaul]

I've been trying to learn some of Johsons style (crossroads in particular) - I'm really blown away by this (I'd love to have the johnson recordings this clean let alone anything else)

I have issues myself with Johson having routinely played a Gibson L1. The other Johnson photo shows him playing a 14 fret guitar (Surely Johson would have naturally gravitated to a 14 fret - *both photos show capo on 2nd fret) - Adittionally the L1 photo looks very staged - Expensive suit / Gibson (Props?)

[caesarcerf]

to be honest - part of the 'spook,' quality of his voice was in the unnaturally fast recordings! frankly, this makes him sound considerably more mundane.

thus do our idols crumble. he's still great but in my view, not AS GREAT as stated.

[KurtRileyOfficial]

This is wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing!

[RoShamBohhh]

Outstanding!

[oneswtwld]

the trill in his voice sounds SO MUCH MORE NATURAL

[oneswtwld]

wow. just. wow.

[deathfalk]

If you do all his songs like this, I'll subscribe and tell all my friends. Fuck you. Do it.

[BuIletForMyVaIentine]

Wow! this actually sounds decent.

[SuPPaSkoT]

Perfect. NOW it sounds like it should. You MUST do all of his songs. Please!!

[JoeyJoelBand]

@SuPPaSkoT Listen carefully, it is not correct. See my comment to LukeSniper

[OldMrJ]

@SuPPaSkoT Agreed !!! This is awesome

[MrSoulman26]

Johnny Shines a friend and traveling partner has said "Robert sang pretty loud, and most of the time he sang in a high-pitched voice, and, naturally, his voice was carrying." When Shines listened to an RJ record he has said RJ sounded the same as if he were in the same room as him. I think RJ deserves more credit for the hard work and determination he put into his playing and singing, stop listening to these slow fake versions and spend more time listening to the real thing

[MrSoulman26]

This is too slow, RJ did two takes of Crossroads, the first one being faster than his second take, people only slow down his up tempo songs being that if you slowed down one of his slower pieces it would sound unnatural, between his slower takes and faster ones his voice always sounds the same

[KidSillyFresh]

Now this sounds like a southern black man singin' some blues. It feels right.

[HumeroCentral]

To me it sounds more natural, both guitar and voice, at half a step, that means Bb, but for sure we could be discussing that for ages :D...either way, through several spots of the tune, remarkably between 1:55 - 1:58, I found something really astounding and chilling in a way, both phrasing and incredibly the tone of the voice seem to me as if Jimi Hendrix were the singer.

[ThePedal1981994]

the song name?please;)

[kosmicwizard]

@ThePedal1981994 Crossroads

[FierySkillz]

Still too slow I think. I think the version on King of the Delta Blues is the correct speed.

[DivideBuyZer0]

other people slow it down way too far, i.m.h.o. you nailed it

[DivideBuyZer0]

you nailed it, do 'em all

[bkahrar]

Holy COW! I always had this feeling in the back of my mind that Robert Johnson's voice sounded slightly off. This pitch has a much more natural feel to his voice. He sounds more human and real although less "haunting". And by the way, its still brilliant.

[antoniost2]

Your edit sounds fantastic! I'm trying to edit my copy of The Complete Recordings in Soundbooth, but I don't know what program or settings you used. It seems I have to play with both Time Stretch and Pitch in SB to get similar results, but it doesn't quite sound the same as you have here. Could you tell us exactly how you slowed down the playback, and what source you used? Thanks.

[egaonigochuui]

@antoniost2 Thank you for your comment. I didn't use "The Complete Recordings ~". "KING OF THE DELTA BLUES SINGERS" is better. "The Complete Recordings ~" is too much edited.

[m16nut1]

listen to there red hot and wait he uses his real voice

[desmay]

Unlike another version that was slowed down far too much to my ear, this one sounds right to me. Some guitarists are arguing that it wound have been harder to play it this way, and I can't speak to that, but I can say, this really sounds a lot clearer and much more like traditional blues as I've always heard it. That may be just me imposing my own judgment, but this really sounds more authentic to me.

[desmay]

Unlike another version that was slowed down far too much to my ear, this one sounds right to me. Some guitarists are arguing that it wound have been harder to play it this way, and I can't speak to that, but I can say, this really sounds a lot clearer and much more like traditional blues as I've always heard it. That may be just me imposing my own judgment, but this really sounds more authentic to me.

[deltabluesdavidraye]

This is starting to irritate me , come on people comments about it being played on a res are ya deaf? maybe a few percent difference but thats it . and son house played in open g not up to a , of course the tuning wasnt pitch corr.rect what would ya tune to , the only thing redily available would be harmonica and all you could easily get were marine bands which are notoriously out o tune . and yes he was young and tended to rush his material thats where ya get the feeling of something wrong.

[djoutrage18]

has anyone here heard the original johnson 78s? if so, how do they sound?

[charmedmanu]

That´s really robert or not ?

[LukeSniper]

Lots of videos on here where people slow his stuff down, but most make too drastic a change... seems you got it right.

A lot of people point at Johnson's vocals as evidence that the tracks were sped up slightly, but I don't see why he couldn't have just had a higher pitched voice. The thing that always sounded awkward to me was the guitar, and slowing it down 4-5% really makes a different in the sound of the instrument.

[JoeyJoelBand]

@LukeSniper@LukeSniper I agree. I'v worked changing pitch and playback speed on many a professional project. This recording is not correct as is. If U know what you are listening to, you'll hear what I mean. It SHOULD be slower, but to a lesser degree. Experiment with Ur own voice, & you may get it. LISTEN 2 THE PRONUNCIATION OF SYLLABLES. There is an unnatural lag, or drag in the vocal going to chest tones. Slow it, but NOT hear that lag, you are close. Still does not mean ur right.

[deltabluesdavidraye]

On the subject of the true recorded speed ,if johnny shines were alive he could answer this as a long time playin buddy , but David Honeyboy edwards is alive and i dont think he would not have noticed the difference. Also Johnny made many comments (listen to the wind howl) about roberts high pitched haunting vocal and he traveled with robert. Is it possible to play that fast yes i do it all the time, and a faster tempo lets you make a acceptable dance(jukejoint) song out of a more solemn lyric.

[deltabluesdavidraye]

If you cannot hear that tis song was recorded with a wooden body guitar then your ear needs some work yes you can boost the treble a couple times to make a wooden sound kinda like a steel res. but the over tones are different and the wooden has a spacious sound compared to the over full sound of a res, you cannot not imatate this with the tech they had at the time and why would you? this song was not recorded with a national.

[Isaac2c]

@deltabluesdavidraye Does this mean you do not think the recordings we are all used to were sped up?

[93corvettebaby]

It sounds great to me!Thanks..

[ToastmachineIdiot]

What somewhat annoys me about the Robert Johnson Complete Recordings CD set is that most of the tracks were definitely sped up by about a half-step compared to other sources. In fact, Crossroad Blues on that CD is all the way up to B and the King of the Delta Blues Singers LP has it in Bb (the video has it slowed down to A).

[scarecrow312]

this is it! ive heard a couple of different slowed down versions of this and they all sound too slow, but this sounds much better and much more like it would have been

[AngryOBrien]

Can you slow down some more of his songs like this? Or do you know where I can find them if someone already has?

[egaonigochuui]

@AngryOBrien Hi OBrien! Son house plays by Open A tuning. Robert Jr. Rockwood plays at Key of A (kind hearted woman, etc.).

[Bdizzle420666]

@AngryOBrien Wow I just found this Robert Johnson video. I managed to figure out the ratio and the program to make them sound original speed. Download Wave Pad sound editor for free. Load up an Mp3 of Robert Johnson's and go to "Change Speed and Pitch". Then make the percentage 94%. (The ratio of 78rpm to 74) It's like a whole new artist. Way less comical and odd. Awesome thanks to ega for posting this. Unbelievable.

[AngryOBrien]

Shit, the rest of his songs just don't sound quite right after hearing this. I believe this to be the closest to his true voice I've ever heard.. which makes it a damn shame if true, that so much of his work was modified..

[danielworks]

yeah , very nice pitch correcting !!

[multisonus]

Thank you for posting this.

[nuffstuff9]

when you tune down 1/2 step then to a {aflat} open then you capo to 2nd you are back to bflat this also makes the reach to the oct and beyond eaier. Where as open g capoed to the 3rd gives you the same results tone wise but makes the reach harder. All said one major way of telling is go to onesong, there is a point in which he makes a 3rd string first fret w/a 1st string fifth fret diode chord on a national this would have taken enourmous hands. then again he had spider hands lol

[egaonigochuui]

@nuffstuff9 Important thing is that we can watch friends of Robert johnson, Son House, Jonny Shines and Robert Jr. Rockwood at video. We can watch that how did they play guitar. Why did only Robert Johnson play guitar at difficult way?

[forbes923]

@egaonigochuui Blues is a land of mysteries, and I think RJ created his own. If you play very good it's fun to know that other people try to find out how you did it - and boy, we got 2011 and still people try to find the right key to his music. He made a good job, didn't he? ;-)

[nuffstuff9]

ok sorry i am late getting back. I am friends with the man who is im charge of the johnson estate and as such have had the privilage of seeing and listening to the original 78's. And as for the 1/2 step down, yes it is complicated to a degree. You see the short scale neck and the joining to the body where it did, I am sticking to th egibson not national for this matter, it makes sense to tune this way.. open g capoed 3rd threat is bflat, now the octave has t be reached over the body not so w/

[egaonigochuui]

@nuffstuff9 Hi nuffstff9! Thank you for your study. Son house was played by Open A. So I think that better than Open G.

[kathyuk28]

@nuffstuff9 I am friend with Robert Johnson"s nephew. You tell your "Friend" that. Thank you.

[Ackkie]

Thank you for your post. I agree that LPs' and CDs' sound of most pre-war blues have been distorted by wrongly too fast playing of the original SP discs .

Well, I have two questions :

1) Is it your instinct that gave you an idea to slow down the conventional versions or did you read any article on this issue or something?

2) How did you conclude the genuine playing speed and key? Do you have any concrete basis for proof?

Regards from Japan,

[wonderbrando]

I'm almost positive his recordings were sped up after the recordings were made...the people he recorded for were notorious for doing that to make their tracks sound more "interesting" or "upbeat" for public audiences. Now whether this specific version is at the original speed or not obviously we don't know, but I have almost no doubt the versions we are accustomed to listening to are wrong. I however don't agree that he was playing it on something other than his Gibson...

[nuffstuff9]

I would have to disagree, i am just know getting into playing slide, but on the complete recordings they are taken from the original master 78's and then so the music transribed as follows. "Crossroad Blues" the guitar is at first tunned down a 1/2 step, then open tuning of A, then capoed2. This gives you the recorded sound that you hear. And being an avid blues fan and from the area where most where born I would not fudge on this.

[egaonigochuui]

@nuffstuff9 Thank you for your comment. Why is the guitar first tunned down a 1/2 step? It's so complicated. And Robert's guitar tuning was incorrect, bettween Bb and B... 

[swisstony182]

I reckon this is pretty close to how it originally sounded (it's maybe a little to slow). The thing to remember is that when playing live 99% of musicians play faster than their original recordings, so maybe the "sped up" versions we've all been listening to are nearer to how RJ would have performed them live (though obviously in a different key). I still think it sounds great sped up!

[OfficialArmonist]

This is a wonderful song..especially at the correct speed. Great post.

[lkschlosser]

yall are trippin. this guys good. stoopid rumors. and no lady gaga does not have a penis. she got rid of that thing.

[RATM44]

It's a realistic voice, but I think Robert Johnson used to sing with a higher voice.

[Meinbier1234]

I don't know why some people making such a big deal out of this speed thing at johnsons recordings.

If the songs really have been recorded slower, then some people who played with him, like Son House, would have mentioned it in interviews i think.

[egaonigochuui]

@Meinbier1234 Nobody asked him...

[tombow2]

@Meinbier1234

Son House or Johnny Shines did not listen Johnson's records probably.

They knew him when he played. Only mordern record collectors are puzzled and wondering how the actual Johnson's voice like. It is kind of fantasy.

T

[mcguillicutty1234]

I like it. You can get more of a sense of the despondency of having traded off one's soul for a shot at fame. You can hear it in his voice.

[billkilpatrick]

great voice - more polished than i imagined. he could teach us all a lesson in sartorial splendor, too.

[ThinkerMister11]

holy shit. amazing

[OfficialArmonist]

Awesome track man! Sounds great this way don't it?

[LTmattYT]

fucking beautiful!

[sneyka05]

I have to say this sound amazing! Much better really!!!

[mang4lewisk]

damn thats hot imagine if he realy sung like that :O

[pietrobembo]

@mang4lewisk He did sing like that; that's the point.

[mang4lewisk]

@pietrobembo but the guitar sounds likeits being playd too slow for it to be real, i dont believe it :L if it was just him singin i would but the guitar is played slow listen to the slides up the frett board itts impossible to creat that sound playing in real time