Lonnie Johnson's Dropped-D Style Part 1
Free download
Traditional acoustic guitar styles
I'm trying to use audio in conjunction with tabs I've done to better explain playing traditional fingerstyle guitar.
Song Info
Genre
Charts
Peak #280
Peak in subgenre #75
Author
Traditional
Uploaded
September 08, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 6.2 MB • 128 kbps • 6:49
Story behind the song
I was asked to help with playing Lonnie-style.
Lyrics
(Copy to Notepad using Courier New 10 Font)[code]
Broken Levee Blues (Lonnie Johnson)
I wants to go back to Helena, the high waters got me barred.
I wants to go back to Helena, the high waters got me barred.
I woke up early this mornin’, a water hole in my back yard.
They want me to work on the levee, I have to leave my home.
They want to work on the levee, an' I have to leave my home.
I was so scared the levee might break out and I may drown.
The water was round my windows and backin’ all up in my door.
The water was all up ‘round my windows and backin’ all up in my door.
I’d rather to leave my home ‘cause I can’t live there no more.
The police run me all from Cairo, all through Arkansas.
The police run me all from Cairo, all through Arkansas.
And put me in jail, behind those cold iron bars.
The police say work, fight, or go to jail, I say I ain’t totin’ no sack.
Police say work, fight, or go to jail, I say I ain’t totin’ no sack.
I ain’t buildin’ no levee, the plank's on the ground 'n I ain’t drivin’ no nails
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There are some basic chord-shapes that are common to most of
Lonnie Johnson's Dropped-D (and capoed Dropped-D) tunes. The
D-chord 000235, the G-chords 550235 (actually an add9) and a
550035 (a sus2) which can be used almost interchangeably, and
then a V-pos A X02225 and A7 X02223. The D-chord should be held
OOOIMP. Keeping the pinky anchored on the 1-string/5th-fret,
the index and middle can be lifted up and put back down alter-
nately, playing...
E)----------5------------------5------- ...more or less repeating
B}--0---3------3--------0--3------3---- this figure during the I-pos.
G)--0---2------2--------0--2------2---- The bass notes can be reversed
D)-------------0------------------0---- and often are in different tunes,
A)--0-------------------0-------------- sometimes even using the 6-string
D)------0------------------0----------- only for the bass note.
A very similar rhythm can be gotten by holding that 000235 in the same way,
but instead of alternately lifting the index and middle fingers, you can put
the ring finger down on the 3rd-string/4th-fret (while still keeping all
other fingers in place) and alternately pick up that ring finger as you keep
the others in place...
E)---------5----------------5-------- (Notice I also reversed the alternating
B}------2-----3----------2-----3----- sequence of the 6 and 5 bass-strings. It
G)--4---3-----2------4---3-----2----- makes little difference in the "feel" of
D)--0---------0------0---------0-----the tune, whichever sounds best to you at
A)------0----------------0-----------the moment is fine.)
D)--0----------------0---------------
The G-chord(s) are held in one of a couple of ways. I like to use my thumb on
the 6th-string/5th-fret. It's easy to get used to with very little practice
and to me it makes a lot of G-things easier, especially as you start to get
into more improvisational things, in this tune as well as others that are in
dropped-D tuning. Whatever. Anyway, hold this G 55043 TTOMIP (or if you prefer
you can use RXOMIP 5X043) (notice that the pinky is on that same note on your
1st-string/5th-fret as it was during the D chording part). And play this...
E)----------5----------------5-----------
B}--0---3------3---------3-------3-------
G)--4---4------4-----4---4-------4-------
D)-------------0-----------------0-------
A)------5----------------5---------------<(notice this note is the same as the
D)--5----------------5------------------- open 4-string note which can be used)
E)----------5----------------5-----------
B}------3------3---------3-------3-------
G)--4---0------4-----4---0-------4-------
D)-------------0-----------------0-------
A)------5----------------5---------------
D)--5----------------5-------------------
E)----------5----------------5-
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