Blues acoustic "solo" repertoire

NachoA · #1 02-22-2021, 01:32 PM

Hi all, well I'm building my first blues repertoire, just me, guitar and voice. I thought it would be easy, we all know tons of tunes, but now I don't know how.

Are there some rules, minimun of songs or any advice? These are some of the chosen ones:

Kindhearted woman E
Nobody knows you when you... C
Walkin blues open G
From 4 til late C
Me and the devil G
It hurts me too D
Im tore down C

Im worried about working in a boring repertoire, guitar and voice could be, because of the dificulty of singing and playing to get a decent interpretation of both. A borrowed list could be apreciatted. Thanks in advance

reeve21 · #2 02-22-2021, 02:12 PM

Hi NachoA, welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure if you are looking for song ideas in other keys? If so, it looks like you are missing the key of A. Coffee Blues and Monday Morning Blues by John Hurt come to mind. I think Candyman is also in that key, but I haven't played it in a while, would need my guitar at hand to be sure.

How about Deep River Blues, St. James Infirmary, Hesitation Blues?

We have a forum member named Toby Walker who makes his living playing and teaching solo acoustic blues with vocals. Look him up on the web, he has an astounding repertoire.

Good luck, and post some of your stuff in the show and tell section if you are into sharing!

NormanKliman · #3 02-22-2021, 02:53 PM

I play Davy Graham’s Blues for Gino and about the first minute of Geno’s Tune. Both are in A and the second is sort of a version of the first, recorded live in an informal setting and with many variations and original ideas. The first is on The Complete Guitarist and the second on the Lost Tapes recordings. Another is Sara, in E and also on The Complete Guitarist. They’re all instrumentals and might not be what you’re looking for.

With singing, Graham has another that I like a lot: City and Suburban Blues, in E, also on Lost Tapes and in the video seen below. I play a basic version without the solo, which he doesn’t pull off very well here, and it’s a handful. Relatively simple but wears me out quick.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NachoA

...Are there some rules, minimun of songs or any advice?...

That’s a good start with seven, better with 15 or 20. Seems to apply to a lot of things in life.

tnvolfan5 · #4 02-22-2021, 07:35 PM

Here's a few I cover......

I'd Kiss A Pitbull For Some Of Your Love (Mem Shannon)
Hoochie Coochie Man (Muddy Waters)
Hard Headed Woman (Charlie Daniels)
How Blue Can You Get (BB King)
Hurricane (Band Of Heathens)
Sweet Home Chicago (everybody)
Rainy Night In Georgia (Tony Joe White)

mtnmade · #5 02-22-2021, 07:36 PM

Also in key of A "One way Out", Allman Brothers cover

rwmct · #6 02-22-2021, 08:41 PM

Steve Earle on one his live "aviator" album does an acoustic version of Blue Yodel No. 9 that is very cool sounding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-sKgrIyF1I

Straw · #7 02-23-2021, 03:30 PM

I'd suggest as much variation as possible. Maybe consider Leadbelly, Blind Willie Johnson, John Hurt, Brownie McGhee for songs that lean toward folk, work songs, gospel, etc.

NachoA · #8 02-24-2021, 03:29 AM

Thaks all for the suggestions, I appreciate it.

My first problem is that as you are alone, just with guitar, not all tunes sounds good naked except the delta stuff,
and out of there Im a bit lost, even gettin out of RJ.
I take note of all and I'll look around and see what I can find.
If you think in anything else let me know.

Thanks a lot for your time and experience.

NormanKliman · #9 02-24-2021, 06:09 AM

Hi NachoA, another very good one is Son House’s Shetland Pony Blues. I don’t sing it (but wish I could), and I play it in standard tuning in E. It works suprisingly well that way, although there’s one part that you have to voice just right (0:33 to 0:34 in this first video; let me know if you want to see how I play that part).

If you haven’t heard it before, notice that something funny happens about halfway through. I thought it was someone sawing a plank or something, and then I read he was recording at a railway station and a train passed by, which caused a drop in voltage or something that causes the drop in pitch heard at 1:10. If someone has heard or knows otherwise, I hope they post here to say so.

Here’s Son House:

And here’s a tutorial:

NachoA · #10 02-24-2021, 06:41 AM

Interesting Mr Graham never heard of him...

NormanKliman · #11 02-24-2021, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NachoA

Interesting Mr Graham never heard of him...

He pretty much invented DADGAD tuning and is the one who made Anji so popular (along with Bert Jansch, Paul Simon, etc.)
I’ve had a look online and I think I got a couple of titles mixed up. Graham’s blues in A that I play is titled Sarah:

The other one, which I don’t play as much, is in E and is titled Blues for Gino. Both are on The Complete Guitarist. The live version of the blues in A on The Lost Tapes is titled "Geno's Tune," so I think there's some confusion as to the titles.

Mr. Jelly · #12 02-24-2021, 08:10 AM

Here is the issue with solo blues. The I - IV - V. The reason it's the issue is because it's boring after a bit. That is unless you actually learn how to play solo blues acoustic guitar. Allot of the 'blues' songs that people put forward are band blues songs not solo acoustic guitar blues songs. Good solo blues songs need tags, figures and signature licks. Not just words and a I - IV - V in different keys. So you have your work cut out for you. Look into Mississippi hill country blues, Lightnin Hopkins, Robert Johnson and Blind Blake for starters. Learn the licks and the bass lines. Good luck.

NachoA · #13 02-25-2021, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwmct

Steve Earle on one his live "aviator" album does an acoustic version of Blue Yodel No. 9 that is very cool sounding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-sKgrIyF1I

Thorogood stuff!

NachoA · #14 02-25-2021, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Here is the issue with solo blues. The I - IV - V. The reason it's the issue is because it's boring after a bit. That is unless you actually learn how to play solo blues acoustic guitar. Allot of the 'blues' songs that people put forward are band blues songs not solo acoustic guitar blues songs. Good solo blues songs need tags, figures and signature licks. Not just words and a I - IV - V in different keys. So you have your work cut out for you. Look into Mississippi hill country blues, Lightnin Hopkins, Robert Johnson and Blind Blake for starters. Learn the licks and the bass lines. Good luck.

Thats the heart of the stuff, dress with different "skins" so as not to be monotonous. Diferent keys, structures and open tuning help you but as you say you have to spice it up.
I thought it would be easier, but I am discovering that a lot of classics tunes are clones of others that annoy my list. Ill check all your references and work on them.
Thanks to all, and dont stop suggesting me ideas!

NachoA · #15 02-25-2021, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NormanKliman

Hi NachoA, another very good one is Son House’s Shetland Pony Blues. I don’t sing it (but wish I could), and I play it in standard tuning in E. It works suprisingly well that way, although there’s one part that you have to voice just right (0:33 to 0:34 in this first video; let me know if you want to see how I play that part).

If you haven’t heard it before, notice that something funny happens about halfway through. I thought it was someone sawing a plank or something, and then I read he was recording at a railway station and a train passed by, which caused a drop in voltage or something that causes the drop in pitch heard at 1:10. If someone has heard or knows otherwise, I hope they post here to say so.

Here’s Son House:

And here’s a tutorial:

I love it!, I think its open E, could be recorded by Lomax in that old car? Maybe he connected the recorder in the trunk to a light pole, amazing! I take note, dont know if I could play & sing it. Thank you!