singing and playing blues

nickp

right - I can't sing.  I have known this for 49 years.  I am always out of tune and hunting for the right note.

I had a singing lesson - because of the IGF residential week I thought I'd give it just one go as I'd like to be able to play some blues and sing along - and nothing ventured nothing gained.. 

I was wrong.  So were other people. I can sing scales and stuff.  In tune.  And not sound like a foghorn.

this is a revelation.

Would you mind suggesting a song to learn with my new singing coach - easy guitar and vocal - acoustic blues - slide or fingerpicked is fine (haven't played slide before but it can't be that hard can it!!).  In the absence of a better idea I was thinking of Mary had a Little Lamb - I know it is electric (SRV version) but the vocal is short, sweet and understated.

suggestions please! 

ta  Nick

Bidley

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak is a good one. Not too challenging for either guitar or vocal, and plenty of scope for bluesy improv.

VimFuego

Stack o lee is a good, old blues ballad. (sometimes called stag o lee).

downbytheriver

Key to the Highway - Big Bill Broonzy, Help Me - Sonny Boy Williamson, Can't be Satisfied - Muddy Waters (really needs slide).

stimpsonslostson

When My Angel Gets the Blues- Matt Andersen

It's not too tricky on the guitar playing front- a fairly standard blues in G, but has plenty of space for embellishment if you want to spice it up a bit.

I tend to start gently on the vocals for the first verse & give it more as the song goes along- I'm also coming to terms with my voice. 

As it's not well known, it's possible to put your own stamp on it without listeners comparing you to the "real" version.

(Non blues, but Chuck Ragan- Do You Pray was the song that finally convinced me that I CAN do the whole singing and playing thing).

Whatever song you go for- Keep it up! I'm finding that confidence is coming with more practice (it may just be desensitization to my singing tone!) but my friends say its nice to hear me play "complete" songs rather than just "messing about on the guitar".

richardhomer

There are a few candidates on Eric Clapton's Unplugged - in particular, 'Hey Hey' and 'Walking Blues'.

Iamnobody

VimFuego;339061" said:

Stack o lee is a good, old blues ballad. (sometimes called stag o lee).

Or Stagger Lee...

The video below is not safe for work or children! But is an 'interesting' take on the song.



The Black Keys version is fun to play and sing too...

jpfamps

 In the absence of a better idea I was thinking of Mary had a Little Lamb - I know it is electric (SRV version) but the vocal is short, sweet and understated.

suggestions please! 

ta  Nick

So not the Buddy Guy version?

jpfamps

I would try to chose songs that are more melodic. "Key To The Highway" is a good tune as is "Sitting on top of the World".

Lazy Lester's version of the country standard "Blues Eyes Crying in Rain" is great too.

knuckleberryfinn

jpfamps said:

I would try to chose songs that are more melodic. "Key To The Highway" is a good tune as is "Sitting on top of the World".

I agree with this 100%.  The melodic blues stuff is much clearer as to what notes you are supposed to be singing, and when - and so a lot more rewarding to tackle with a teacher.  Try Chilly Jordan by Heritage Blues Orchestra - it's my favourite song to play and sing at the moment.  The studio version isn't on youtube unfortunately, but here's a live version...

hugbot

The easiest way to learnt to sing and play is to just go extremely slow. Like comically slow. Set a metronome so slow you're practically getting bored between every note.

nickp

thanks everyone:

first lesson is wednesday next week

we are going to look at mary had a little lamb and I want jesus to walk with me (listen to Eric Bibb) initially - the Eric Bibb version was picked after taking the advice above - so no blues mumbling but a fairly straightforward gospel delivery.  Singing first to get some confidence then i'll pick up the acoustic and see how I get on - comically slow with a metronome @hugbot !!

nickp

and i like the nick cave version of staggerlee !!!!!!!

IanSavage

I'm toying with the idea of going out solo with an acoustic, a resonator and a slide - some good suggestions here! Stagger Lee on slide without the bassline might be interesting, going to try that one...

 

Something that's been bugging me (and I haven't got my own laptop with me so no iTunes, and Youtube's blocked) - is Muddy's 'Can't Be Satisfied' broadly the same song as 'I Be's Troubled'? I'm pretty sure I worked one or the other of them out yesterday, but I can't remember which one...:/

 

Oh, and also - a lot of Tom Waits' bluesier stuff has great melodies and can be sung with a site less gravel than he does (think 'Downtown Train', 'Come On Up To The House', 'Hold On'...)

nickp

@iansavage - the two muddy waters songs are not dissimilar - particularly in the opening stages - don't know if both are in E - and no guitar to hand.

Lewy

IanSavage;341971" said:

is Muddy's 'Can't Be Satisfied' broadly the same song as 'I Be's Troubled'? I'm pretty sure I worked one or the other of them out yesterday, but I can't remember which one..

Essentially yes, the same tune. I Be's Troubled is the acoustic version field-recorded in (I think) 1947 at Stovalls Plantation.

It became Can't Be Satisfied when he went to Chicago and recorded it on electric with Big Crawford on bass.

IanSavage

Lewy said:

IanSavage;341971" said:

is Muddy's 'Can't Be Satisfied' broadly the same song as 'I Be's Troubled'? I'm pretty sure I worked one or the other of them out yesterday, but I can't remember which one..

Essentially yes, the same tune. I Be's Troubled is the acoustic version field-recorded in (I think) 1947 at Stovalls Plantation.

It became Can't Be Satisfied when he went to Chicago and recorded it on electric with Big Crawford on bass.

Wisdom thanks Lewy!

EricTheWeary

Have a look for Blues Boy Dan, various bits on YouTube, he gets a lot of gigs singing and playing fairly trad blues ( sometimes with backing band) so you could nick ideas off him. Slightly random memory triggered by all this - Goji ( early MR forum stalwart) used to do Tom Waits songs in his solo acoustic set so they are doable. I think with Waits it can pay dividends to listen to the cover versions as they tend to have more obvious structure than the originals. Off now to hum Chocolate Jesus... :bz