Ari Eisinger's Acoustic Blues Message Board: Re: Technical question on playing Patton's "Green River Blues"

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Re: Technical question on playing Patton's "Green River Blues"

Posted by Jon W. on November 14, 2002, 11:48 am
152.163.188.194

Hi John. From what I can gather this lick is yet another of the impenetrable mysteries of Patton's playing. A couple of months ago I was talking to a friend of mine who knew John Fahey. He told me that neither he nor Fahey could ever figure out how Patton achieved the result. My friend was playing his National at the time and he attempted to demonstrate how hard it was, indeed impossible, to bend the note all the way. As he was demonstrating, he broke the string. It was a potent moment. I've tried countless times to accomplish the riff, never with any success. I've tried bending slightly, and then sliding fairly quickly up two frets. I've tried bending and then hitting the string above. I've even tried bending slightly and tuning up simultaneously. I've never gotten it right. I've used medium, heavy, light, and custom light strings with the riff; no luck. If you come up with a viable solution, let us know. It's bothered me, but also made me appreciae Patton all the more, as though that were possible.
--Previous Message--
: I pretty much have this song down, except one
: lick that I'm having trouble playing.
: This lick occurs in the main riff (the one
: that opens the song, and fills in between
: lines).
: It is the 'wham' (bend) of the third (G)
: string, second fret. The note is bent up
: two half-steps, from A to B. (In some
: repetitions of the main riff, this lick
: occurs one octave lower, and is achieved
: by hammering on the second fret of the
: open fifth (A) string).
: My problem: I simply can't bend the note all
: the way up.
: The probable cause: I use pretty heavy
: strings (a wound .026 gauge on the G
: string), and I understand that Patton used
: fairly light strings.
: I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on playing
: this lick -- has anyone managed to play it
: with other than light gauge strings?
: Is is doable with lots of exercise?
: Are there any workarounds?
: Thanks in advance,
:
:

Responses:

Re: Technical question on playing Patton's "Green River Blues" - Yves November 14, 2002, 1:45 pm
- Re: Technical question on playing Patton's "Green River Blues" - John Miller November 14, 2002, 6:37 pm

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--Previous Message-- : Hi John. From what I can gather this lick is : yet another of the impenetrable mysteries of : Patton's playing. A couple of months ago I : was talking to a friend of mine who knew : John Fahey. He told me that neither he nor : Fahey could ever figure out how Patton : achieved the result. My friend was playing : his National at the time and he attempted to : demonstrate how hard it was, indeed : impossible, to bend the note all the way. : As he was demonstrating, he broke the : string. It was a potent moment. I've tried : countless times to accomplish the riff, : never with any success. I've tried bending : slightly, and then sliding fairly quickly up : two frets. I've tried bending and then : hitting the string above. I've even tried : bending slightly and tuning up : simultaneously. I've never gotten it right. : I've used medium, heavy, light, and custom : light strings with the riff; no luck. If : you come up with a viable solution, let us : know. It's bothered me, but also made me : appreciae Patton all the more, as though : that were possible. : : --Previous Message-- : I pretty much have this song down, except : one : lick that I'm having trouble playing. : This lick occurs in the main riff (the one : that opens the song, and fills in between : lines). : It is the 'wham' (bend) of the third (G) : string, second fret. The note is bent up : two half-steps, from A to B. (In some : repetitions of the main riff, this lick : occurs one octave lower, and is achieved : by hammering on the second fret of the : open fifth (A) string). : My problem: I simply can't bend the note all : the way up. : The probable cause: I use pretty heavy : strings (a wound .026 gauge on the G : string), and I understand that Patton used : fairly light strings. : I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on playing : this lick -- has anyone managed to play it : with other than light gauge strings? : Is is doable with lots of exercise? : Are there any workarounds? : Thanks in advance, : : : :

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