Does anyone know where any one-chord blues backing tracks are? Can't find any on youtube or downloads to buy. Even some of the Hill Country style that goes to the IV chord for a bit would be cool.
Thanks sorin! something in E...John Lee Hooker style or Muddy Waters Catfish Blues...I like all styles blues, but just not much backing out there for one chord stuff. Do what you feel!
You da man sorin! Can't download here at work, but looking forward to it when I get home.
I love one chord stuff.... great for beginners to learn licks and notes that work without worrying about changes...also a good way to practice various positions.
I'll see what I can do with it too--sounds like a lot of fun, but, when I initially started working with it, it sounded really cool for about the first 2 minutes--then got boring (my playing, not Sorin's). So it gives me something to work on. . . ---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
That can happen wailer, but this style and the feel of this song also works well in 3rd position with a D harp and 5th position with a C harp using the blues scale. If you overblow its killer in first using an E harp.
Wow--there's a FIFTH position?? I knew I shoulda bought better harps! Mine only go up to 3! ;) ---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
This may be a stupid question, but never mind I'm going to ask anyway!
When you play 12, 8, 16 or whatever bar blues, you have a rough guide of what constitutes a verse, a chorus; when to build tension, when to resolve it etc. Which all helps you to build phrases and ideas over the song.
Does anyone have suggestions for doing all this against a one chord backing track?
(edit: this strikes me as something that may have been discussed before, but a search revealed a couple of thread on one chord songs, but they didn't discuss this)
Last Edited by on Jan 14, 2011 6:31 AM
Great question. I've only had time to jam to this track a couple of times, but it sounds like sorin is giving us changes by varying what the backing instruments do. I guess this is where counting and learning the feel for these grooves come in.
Here is a sample of some of the best one chord stuff.
I'm gonna try it later. Will post if listenable. Probably will shorten to two minutes or so. Come on and let's get some of you big boys in. Have some fun ! ---------- My YouTube Channel
Last Edited by on Jan 14, 2011 9:51 AM
ncpacemaker...Do it! I'm at my work desk and can't record. It will be Monday before I'll be home to record something, but I will.
I too would love to hear what some of the big names on here come up with for this. The more the merrier. Lets post and have some fun!...and YES...1/2 the song or even one minute would be cool.
Last Edited by on Jan 14, 2011 11:29 AM
I did some work on it last night--great fun! I still don't have a harp thing I really like, but I'll try your tips on 5th position today, Harpdude--it'll be a first for me--I've always stayed pretty much in the first 3 positions--I really suck at OB, so there is a lot of stuff I can't pull off yet.
I should be able to get something up within a day or two--this little jam is a lot of fun--reminds me of the olden days on the forum! ---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
Well, this is as much as I'm going to do with it for now--I totally pussed out on using the fifth position--but I will be practicing. It'll be fun to see what everybody else comes up with on the same theme. . .
---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
I'm just bumping this back up to see if anybody else wants to do a one-chord jam--I was hoping to see other ideas on what to do with Sorin's excellent backing track. . . ---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
@harpdude to me the toughest bar is the IV chord the chords and root notes are all blow notes and it is harder to sustain the 4 beats-the reason cross harp was invented was to emphasize the draw notes to make it more bluesy
I'm not sure what you mean Groyster....the whole song stays in the I chord which is an A harp in 2nd position. I want to post as well, but my cam is acting up...says it is in use elsewhere and I need to shut that down...I have not a clue?
you started the thread by saying the hill country style that goes to the IV chord-dont know if you ever used jon gindicks book but he referred to the IV chord as "stepping stone notes" where you use it as a bridge to go from I to V and vice versa-the 4 chord is blow notes which to me makes it harder to sustain for 4 or 8 beats
Groyster....I said I would take either as a backing track. He sent the standard one-chord blues, which is really what I was looking for....not the Hill Country style that goes to the IV. Sorry for the confusion, but it stays in the I.
BTW how was Wallace Coleman in Knoxville?..I could not get away.
The first video is one chord blues. If you do not know the story of why Blind Owls photo is on the wall, research Canned Heat. One of my favorites and this guy posted the whole Hooker n Heat album on his youtube.
The second video is Terry Bean and he plays the Hill Country style which goes to the IV at 1:25
wallace coleman will be in ktown this friday jan 21 @6pm he is promoting a new cd he has released-he puts on a good show and I have talked with him when he played at oak ridge-if you can catch when the band takes a break he is very approachable and will field any questions you have for him
I had the wonderful opportunity to study delta guitar with Terry Bean last summer at a blues camp. He can jam more really great grooves out of an E chord than is legal. He goes to the IV whenever he damn well pleases--and he always sounds right.
I don't know if he really knows a song--he just kind of starts out on some theme and boogies and sings whatever comes into his mind--something like Walter Tore but a different rhythmic feel to it.
He does also front a band--where he plays fairly straight blues--so, he does know the rules--he just chooses to do what he does--and it's great. . . ---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
Come on guys! How hard can it be--it's just one fu**in chord! ;D ---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
I'm quite pleased with it myself. Haven't jammed any tracks for a while. Been too busy learning numbers for my band. I'll need to start improvising more instead of set pieces.
Tech details are 19limit just tuned Marine Bands in "A" in 2nd position, and "D" in 3rd. With a wee tweet in the middle from a Low "E" Special 20 in 1st.
Recorded on a Edirol R-09HR with a Sony stereo condenser mic. To prevent the interference I got recording the other demo on my PC. ---------- The Pentatonics Myspace Youtube
Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out.
