Blues legend Robert Johnson, an interesting twist?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve-oh, Mar 7, 2004.

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  1. Steve-oh

    Steve-oh Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    Came across this web site via Slowhand, the Eric Clapton mailing list. Proposes an interesting theory on Robert Johnson. I'm no expert on recordings/speeds, but it is interesting to consider:

    http://www.touched.co.uk/press/rjnote.html
     
  2. Gary Mack

    Gary Mack Active Member

    Location:
    Arlington, Texas
    I thought record speed had been standardized at 78rpm by 1930? If so, then the theory is debunked. If not, then someone would have to explain exactly why someone would want to record him slow so playback would be way fast - it makes no sense.

    GM
     
  3. MrPeabody

    MrPeabody New Member

    Location:
    Mass.
    In fact, record speed was standardized in 1925 at 78.26 rpm. The theory is intriguing, but unlikely.
     
  4. Guy from Ohio

    Guy from Ohio Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio


    It makes the assumption that RJ tuned his guitar like we do today. Yes it crazy to play his stuff with a capo that high up - but it's unlikely RJ used a capo and like many of the blues players at that time he just tuned his guitar high.
     
  5. DanG

    DanG On Green Dolphin Street

    Location:
    Florida
    Play the Crossroads examples, fast and slow. Pretty amazing. The slow version sounds very authentic.
     
  6. joelbertrand

    joelbertrand Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal, Canada
    I've always had the feeling that something went wrong with the pitch of those recordings way before I read this. Always sounded to me like Mickey Mouse was playing banjo. Listen to the timbre of both guitar and voice and the slow versions sound lot more authentic. I make the assumption that they played with the pitch to create the illusion that RJ played faster. The record speed was standardized in 1925 at 78.26 rpm but who knows if everybody followed the rules...
     
  7. Guy from Ohio

    Guy from Ohio Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    C'mon people - don't you think it's amazing that in all those interviews done in the 50's & 60's with other blues players who actually heard RJ live - not one said, "oh, and that record's spinning too fast"
     
  8. lil.fred

    lil.fred Señor Sock

    Location:
    The East Bay
    Yes. Also, Don Law, the engineer, was a well known guy who had ample opportunities to discuss his recording methods. I think if he'd been so innovative as to record Johnson slow on purpose, he'd have taken credit for it ... his sort of Les Paul-type innovation?

    The slow Crossroads doesn't sound at all natural to my ears.
     
  9. texquad

    texquad Senior Member

    Location:
    Home of The Alamo
    Where do you go to listen to the examples? I'm not finding a place on the provided link!
     
  10. MagicAlex

    MagicAlex Gort Emeritus

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    They should be visible at the bottom of the page for the link provided.
     
  11. mal content

    mal content Guest

    It says at the top he had to disable the sound clips because his bandwidth allowance was being used up too rapidly. Too bad, I wanna hear them now.
     
  12. metalbob

    metalbob Senior Member

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Not to get too far off topic, but what is the best version of this record? I have the Mastersound and always wondered if any of the several "rediscovered sources" sounded any better.

    BOB
     
  13. Guy from Ohio

    Guy from Ohio Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio

    Here's a good thread on that http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=20651&highlight=robert

    I would keep the Mastersound only because it has the best version of Terraplane blues
     
  14. Paul K

    Paul K Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    They don't work.

    Please list an alternate link. :)
     
  15. reechie

    reechie Senior Member

    Location:
    Baltimore
    See previous post:
     
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