Chords for Lesson Lonnie Johnson in the key of E

[Em] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [F#m] _
_ _ [Em] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C#m] _ _ [G] _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [B] _ [Am] _ [E] _
_ _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [F#m] _
[Em] _ _ [B] _ _ [E] _ [G] _ _ _
_ [F#] _ _ [E] _ _ _ _ [Em] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ _ _ [A] _ _ _ [Em] _
_ [F#m] _ _ _ [Em] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [E] _ [C#] _ _ [E] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Fm] _ [E] _
[D#] _ [E] _ [F#m] _ [E] _ [F] _ _ [Am] _ [A] _
[E] _ _ [A] _ _ [E] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [N] So, that was a little bit of Lonnie Johnson but in the key of E instead of his [F#] usual key
of D.
I got a question of someone, can you do some licks of Lonnie Johnson in the key
of E so he could incorporate that in _ one of my songs in the key of E.
_ And well, it's kind
of simple.
Everything which you play in the [D] key of D [N] you can play in the key of E as well
but you'll have to raise two frets.
For example, the signature lick of Lonnie Johnson in D
[A] sounds like [G] this and [A] _ [C] _ [D] _ _ in E, well, two [Em] frets higher.
_ _ _ [F#] _ [Am] _ [Em] _
_ _ So, you can use everything which you
learned [D] in the key of D in the key of E as well.
You [N] just have to be careful because
in the key of D you [D] have that D string and then in drop D then and also in [E] Lonnie Johnson's
tuning which is drop G tuning.
G, the fifth and the sixth string are tuned a full tone
[A] lower so this _ becomes a [E] G and a D. _
_ And _ those strings, well, you can play like that double
basing and you can't do that in E because you have an E and a D.
So, you have to take
care of that [N] a bit _ when playing those licks in the key of E.
Now, I often use licks by
Lonnie Johnson.
He's one of my favorite guitar players and especially his recordings between
1926 and 1932.
That's when he played in the key of D mostly.
Take _ 99%.
And I used, for
example, in the things I recorded by Joseph Spence.
He's also in drop D [D#] tuning and I added
some Lonnie Johnson licks there.
And more recently, in the key of E then, I recorded
a version of _ the classic Key to the Highway and I did a solo.
One of the solos [E] is really
based on a lot of Lonnie Johnson's licks and I'll demonstrate that one time now.
I got a key _ [B] to the highway.
_ _ _ [A] _ I'm built out, bound to go.
_ [E] I'm gonna [F#m]
[Gm] leave here [E] running.
[B] My log in is low.
[Em] It is low.
_ _ [Am] _ [E] And [B] it's so warm.
_ [Em] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _
_ [Em] _ _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ [C#] _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ [B] _
_ [F#m] _ _ _ [B] _ [Am] _ [E] _ _
_ _ _ [A] _ [E] _ [B] _ _ [Em] _
[A#] So, that was [Em] really Lonnie _ _ _ Johnson and it's [G] _
also very typical of Lonnie Johnson.
_ So, [E] I put some links in the video description if you're interested in Lonnie Johnson's playing
and [N] eventually tablature.
Plus, there are several books published by _ Stephan Grossman
_ amongst others on Lonnie Johnson's playing and there's even a DVD by Ari Isinger on his playing.
_ _ So, there's plenty of material to learn from and which you can transpose to other keys.
And that's what the old blues guys did.
They simply learned from each other and did things
in one key the same in another key.
For example, Beau Carter is very known for that, of using
tricks in certain keys and then using the same in other keys.
For example, [C] I learned this [A] chord,
the A chord, which you use in Robert Johnson's Kindhearted Woman [E] Blues and so _ [A] _ _ [C] [A] on.
_ [C#] _
_ [Cm] _ [Am] _ _ [Em] _ [F#] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ [A] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Em] _ _ [E] _ [Em] _ _
[A] So, this chord, an A in the key of A, [F#] you can use that as your IV chord in the key [E] of E. _ _ _
[Em] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _ _
_ _ [Em] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Em] _ _ _
_ [A] _ [E] _ _ _ _ _ [B] _
_ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
_ [E] _ See, just taking one thing from one song [A] and put it in another.
[E] So, _ that's something you should do.
_ _ And [N] _ _
that's about it, I guess.
Somebody asked me also about improvising.
_ And I never had any musical education.
I learned everything from the Stephan Grossman books
and then DVDs and so on and very much listening also.
_ Listening is half the battle, they say.
_ _ _ _ _ And improvising is, well, _ play what you know and mixing it.
So, I learned many songs and _
you get a bag of tricks and you can [G] use those [E] things.
Like, for example, _ [A] _ _ when you're playing A chords,
you can do like this. _
[C#m] That's a typical blind boy filler or Reverend Gary Davis lick.
[A] And you [E] can use that in your [A] A chord when you're playing the key of E.
And they use it when they're playing the key of A.
So, [G#m] that's a good example of it.
Okay, I