Robert Johnson's keys

BassJunkie13 · #1 05-06-2008, 10:01 PM

Im trying to figure out whats the key for a couple of robert johnsons songs. Im trying to figure out hell hound on my trail and walking blues.

MarkTAW · #2 05-06-2008, 10:08 PM

Are Robert Johnson songs even in standard pitch (A=440)? Heck is his tuning even the same between one take of the song and the next?

Weekeepeedeea says there's an open E drone under a slide guitar part on Hell Hound on my Trail... I can't be bothered to get my CD out.

JTE · #3 05-08-2008, 02:59 PM

Well, he was pretty consistent from take-to take on what tuning he used. However he wasn't using a tuning fork (or harmonica, piano, or other fixed pitch reference) so his open G could be anyhwere from a sharp of F natural to Ab area. And then he seemingly used a capo in addition to open tunings.

Get a fretless and find the tonic of the I chord, then you'll know which key it is.

jte

uber_goober · #4 05-08-2008, 03:07 PM

There's also some debate on the recording speed itself. Some feel that the versions available today are sped up somewhat. Obviously that's going to effect the tuning. Break out the fretless.

DocBop · #5 05-08-2008, 03:39 PM

What a different world, when I was coming up we just got used to tuning to records to play along or transcribe. Same thing you have to do at gigs with an acoustic piano that is out of tune.

Old artist like Johnson didn't have a piano or tuning fork so you got what sounded right to them at the moment. Also the instruments of the day weren't the greatest with wood bridges that would slide around. Then recording gear wouldn't always be right. Even later recordings in the 50's and 60's instruments tuned to an out of tune piano. Sometimes tuned down to make bending strings easier. Then sometimes they want the beat a hair faster/slower and slow down or speed up the tape, but no ProTools for pitch correction. So lot of reasons pitch might be off and we just adjusted to it. I would suggest you do the same and tune to the recording.

FYI back in the day radio stations would speed up their turntable a little to make tunes more upbeat. Listeners didn't know what it was they just knew that listening to a song on that station was more up than another. The only ones to complain were people with perfect pitch.

dlloyd · #6 05-08-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassJunkie13

Im trying to figure out whats the key for a couple of robert johnsons songs. Im trying to figure out hell hound on my trail and walking blues.

Hellhound on my Trail is in E. Open E tuning.

Walkin' Blues is in B. Open G with a capo on the fourth fret or open A with capo on 2 (more likely).