Skip James "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" on Guitar | Reverb Learn to Play

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  • čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
  • This Skip James tune is on the 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' soundtrack, but James's "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" was originally recorded in 1931, lost, and rediscovered during the folk revival before eventually making its way into the Coen Brothers film (via Chris Thomas King's noteworthy cover.) Here, we break it down so you can revive it again in your own setlist.
    Read more on Reverb: goo.gl/FjGb9s
    Browse Skip James albums on Reverb LP: goo.gl/FXKHon

Komentáře • 91

  • @fornoreason8822
    @fornoreason8822 Před 3 lety +15

    This tone is beyond hypnotic. It takes you to some heartfelt-melodic autumn sunset among a grove of trees in an isolated field.

  • @davidtower3093
    @davidtower3093 Před 2 měsíci +2

    Thanks to Joe at reverb! Great dialogue and effective fingerstyles playing of one of the unsung greats, skip James! Best Regards to you and I look forward to more of Skip James songs from you!

  • @SlimSco
    @SlimSco Před 3 lety +10

    Thank you so much. This is a pinnacle of blues songs. How blue can you get, really...

  • @johnw614
    @johnw614 Před 3 lety +4

    Thank you Joe. This is one of my favorite artists and you have done him proud with your instruction.

  • @mountain_girl
    @mountain_girl Před 4 lety +6

    Big Thanks, huge thanks, ginormous thanks (now the word thanks looks wrong as I type it, that ever happen to anyone else?). Skip James body of work is the root of everything in music that makes my body electrified, music that really haunts you and keeps you up at night wanting more. It took a pandemic to get me seriously playing again, whatever, I'll take it...the point is, songs like this is the food that feeds the hunger. I've tried to get this sound right in every tuning but d minor, trying to emulate this tone for a long while, must of asked a bajillion musician friends, all say "oh, no, I know what you're talking about, great stuff, don't know it tho", and no, never looked it up on the internet. So this is a huge gift in a lot of ways. Did I say thank you?

  • @jeremyfox7599
    @jeremyfox7599 Před 5 lety +15

    This is by far the best guitar tutorial that I have ever watched.
    Added to which, I have been wanting to find a good tutorial for this song for some over 10 years.
    I couldn't be more happy.

  • @rustyshacklfort9508
    @rustyshacklfort9508 Před 5 lety +28

    Thanks and this song is harder that you think

  • @v5q211
    @v5q211 Před 5 lety +11

    This is one hell of a tune thanks a lot brother.. love from India!

  • @manuelponce9838
    @manuelponce9838 Před 5 lety +5

    really enjoyed this - thanks for showing me the mysterious melodic quality of skip s music

  • @sfan3725
    @sfan3725 Před 11 měsíci +1

    I've loved this song since I first heard it 40 years ago, covered by Stefan Grossman with Jo Ann Kelly on one of Stefan's 'How to Play Blues Guitar' albums. Thanks for the tutorial, fantastic stuff.

  • @SeeMick1
    @SeeMick1 Před 6 lety +7

    This is great. I’ve wanted to learn this song for years

  • @patrickgoebel3301
    @patrickgoebel3301 Před 3 lety +1

    Bro I’ve looked through a few instructionals on this song and yours is the best by a mile. Thanks

  • @josephbrown9699
    @josephbrown9699 Před 6 lety +5

    Love Skip James! Thank you for this video. I've been playing his music for years and it's nice to see someone teaching his music. There isn't alot of info out regarding open Dminor tuning, or tablature. Hope to see more videos teaching Mr James.

  • @garrettbaker2320
    @garrettbaker2320 Před 3 lety +2

    This is an awesome lesson! I just picked up one of those Fender parlor guitars and the campfire scene in O Brother is one of my faves. Ive played for 50 years, but this is an easy song to walk away from. Tricky.You got er!

  • @CorbCorbin
    @CorbCorbin Před 6 lety +5

    Nice Joe! This is one of my favorite songs. It's a good song, for those wanting to practice fingerpicking and alt. tuning blues playing.

  • @tfigmoney520
    @tfigmoney520 Před 6 lety +2

    Phenomenal. Been listening to this song for years and now just only ready to play it and you post this 2 months ago. Talk about timing

  • @JohnLawrieTWS
    @JohnLawrieTWS Před 6 lety +7

    I was literally trying to figure this one out by ear earlier in the week! This sure makes my life easier

    • @joegeorge1002
      @joegeorge1002 Před 6 lety +2

      Great! I'm glad we showed up on time with this one for ya!

  • @OneDrunkWizard
    @OneDrunkWizard Před 3 měsíci

    Fantastic lesson thank you for this. Crazy what a couple open strings thrown in the mix can do.

  • @mysticfakir2029
    @mysticfakir2029 Před rokem +4

    Lets change camera angles all the time. That will make for a better tutorial.....

  • @markroylance1584
    @markroylance1584 Před 3 lety

    Hear I am in the wild woods of the Surrey delta.... Couple of years after this lesson and I'm grooving to Larkin Poe's wonderful take on this probably 90 year old tune... Gosh I love guitar!!! Surrey delta? Well not far from where Clapton, Page and Beck were born.....

  • @dommccaffry3802
    @dommccaffry3802 Před 4 lety +3

    Nice guild !

  • @jordanwolfcastle7387
    @jordanwolfcastle7387 Před 5 lety +1

    Such a soulful song

  • @ratherbwalkn
    @ratherbwalkn Před 5 lety +2

    Thanks, I finally got it going a favorite song that you have broke down has taken some time but Im getting there, thanks again man!

  • @callummccomiskie9171
    @callummccomiskie9171 Před 4 lety +3

    Heard this through o’ brother where art thou.... such a tune🔥

  • @emmettedwards9782
    @emmettedwards9782 Před 3 lety

    Been looking for a video on this song for ages!! More skip James plz

  • @darkopage
    @darkopage Před 6 lety +29

    Please, please, PLEASE!!! Do “Devil Got My Woman”.

  • @My52fender
    @My52fender Před 6 lety +4

    Great to hear some Skip James done so well. Can you do I’m so glad?

  • @tpedroso
    @tpedroso Před 6 lety +2

    Perfect lesson, many thanks

  • @OIP_1
    @OIP_1 Před 4 lety +1

    thanks so much for this joe, perfect lesson and now i can play it!

  • @eyefry
    @eyefry Před 5 lety +1

    Thanks for this lesson! This was great!

  • @robertozorzi7499
    @robertozorzi7499 Před 2 lety

    Skip's masterpiece.

  • @MastanehNazarian
    @MastanehNazarian Před 5 lety +2

    Joe! You're very talented handsome person! Cheers,

  • @allangow4746
    @allangow4746 Před 5 lety

    Thanks Joe, excellent lesson, I'm getting there.

  • @alessiograziani6355
    @alessiograziani6355 Před 2 lety

    I suggest listening to the 2003 Buddy Guy record called Blues Singer, this is the opening song...

  • @QuinnJACKSON-zx1dx
    @QuinnJACKSON-zx1dx Před 5 měsíci +2

    You have my respect because you have respect for the sound. You didn't call Skip James' style 'weird' or that disgusting word 'spooky'. I hate that crap. Those are modern terms from people who lack his talent or yours. It's the blues man.

  • @9087125498172345
    @9087125498172345 Před 3 lety

    Fantastic lesson!

  • @shawnprescott3646
    @shawnprescott3646 Před 4 lety

    Thanks, love it! Been wanting to do this song for a long time!

  • @SingleCoilVoodoo
    @SingleCoilVoodoo Před 4 lety

    Huge thanks for this 🙏🏼

  • @shawni321
    @shawni321 Před rokem

    Nice!

  • @MrRexmoser
    @MrRexmoser Před 3 lety

    great lesson thanks

  • @etiennevanonselen7949

    Respect

  • @kylejolin6033
    @kylejolin6033 Před 6 lety +1

    Thanks Joe! One of my favorites. Great lesson

  • @palodine1
    @palodine1 Před 6 lety

    awesome, thanks Joe!

  • @PeterKeaneMusic
    @PeterKeaneMusic Před 6 lety

    terrific lesson

  • @craigbrown9987
    @craigbrown9987 Před 3 lety +1

    I thought Skip played this using a Dm tuning?

  • @dantahoua
    @dantahoua Před 6 lety +3

    Waou! Thanks a lot!

  • @CptQwerty28
    @CptQwerty28 Před 6 lety +3

    Would love more blues content! Keep it up!

  • @TredenWagoner
    @TredenWagoner Před 6 lety +1

    I would like to see a lesson on Mississippi John Hurt's Candyman. Thank you.

  • @thegamblefish
    @thegamblefish Před 3 lety

    Thank you

  • @nomadicschoolofthesenses2157

    Joe, so many guitarist getting into this, but it your version and tutorial that really captures the sound!! I have a question. Often people play the thumb lines with a finger pick. You don't use anything and it sounds better. I was trying to capture whether Skip James had actually a long nail (flamenco-classical style) for his thumbing. Seeing you it looks that this would not be necessary. But I guess that has a lot to do with the kind of guitar, strings, and the actual mic. Any leads there? I am asking because I often play on nylon strings.

    • @chronic888
      @chronic888 Před 5 lety

      There are lots of videos of him playing... a little hard to see but it looks like he's got a nail on here: czcams.com/video/mYALBzfY5QY/video.html

  • @Andy97906
    @Andy97906 Před 3 lety

    Good good good stuff. Great teaching I’ve always wanted to learn this ever since I wash oh brother where art thou. What key is this song in?

  • @I.Forgotti
    @I.Forgotti Před 3 lety

    Good shit!

  • @strato6049
    @strato6049 Před rokem

    I can't say you're the best teacher but thank you for trying, appreciated nonetheless.

  • @annnonymous952
    @annnonymous952 Před 5 lety

    Check out Chrs Robinson and Marc Ford's version from the Malibu Inn after the original. It's here on CZcams.

  • @r.l.six-musicandrecords552

    Protip: if you guys think he is going too fast at all, go to the COG on the video and click PLAYBACK SPEED and click .75 SPEED. Perfect. Thank you!

  • @revotrupin7477
    @revotrupin7477 Před 5 lety

    Great teacher and player. Thanks a lot.

  • @adamsalman6327
    @adamsalman6327 Před 3 lety +1

    could anyone provide the tab? Even slowed down, I can only get the intro

  • @markgiles8527
    @markgiles8527 Před 3 lety +1

    Did you post any instructions for this song? I'm having a hard time following along.

  • @robject
    @robject Před 3 lety

    Thx, man. In Memphis with five guitars in five different tunings. That was helpful. Maybe check out the maze of Albert Youngblood Hart's "Alberta?"

    • @robject
      @robject Před 3 lety +1

      it's in John Hurt's C tuning I think

  • @traor.e8110
    @traor.e8110 Před 4 lety

    thank you jon snow

  • @kevinmalone8903
    @kevinmalone8903 Před 6 lety +1

    Which model Guild is that ? Sweet

    • @Regulateur
      @Regulateur Před 6 lety

      Probably M20/vintage sunburst

  • @AndrewSnowden007
    @AndrewSnowden007 Před 5 lety +1

    Anyone got tab?

  • @herotheplottmix6690
    @herotheplottmix6690 Před 6 lety

    CTK version is much harder! The way CTK "runs" is hard as fuck to do! I like u taking time at this song. I learned to play guitar because CTK. FYI your extremely close to his version

  • @randytrashcan
    @randytrashcan Před 3 lety +1

    Everything sounds better on a Guild, too!

    • @naciremasti
      @naciremasti Před 2 měsíci

      I'll take a vintage Martin over any Guild.

  • @cbryandad
    @cbryandad Před 4 lety

    What model is that Guild guitar?

  • @MKfan888
    @MKfan888 Před 5 lety +7

    Maybe I'm just shit, but you're going way too fast for me lol

    • @josephhowell8158
      @josephhowell8158 Před 5 lety

      Lol

    • @jerbear938
      @jerbear938 Před 4 lety +3

      no, nearly no one can get down the licks as fast as he explains one after the other, just put that ish on half or quarter speed and repeat repeat peice by piece, until you get each part down, and slowly work at playing them together smoothly, thats the way amigo

    • @jamesfinney8841
      @jamesfinney8841 Před 4 lety

      Way too fast for me too. Slowed him down in settings.

  • @alabastardmasterson
    @alabastardmasterson Před 3 lety +2

    Why even discuss a cover?

  • @jaronhansen8476
    @jaronhansen8476 Před 3 lety

    Dude you’re going way to fast slow down. You go over the walk ups for like 2 seconds and you say “do this” wtf is that supposed to mean?

  • @Char4948
    @Char4948 Před 5 lety +2

    Please please slow the hell down next time lol

    • @bubbamcgee5706
      @bubbamcgee5706 Před 4 lety +1

      Charlie Livens I had to put the video at .5 speed because I couldn’t keep up

  • @mopardogdish7983
    @mopardogdish7983 Před 6 lety

    Watch skip in 67 in Cologne doing Hard Time killing floor blues ,
    then you should realize it’s never been done better.
    Modernize it,what are you talking about

    • @michaellorah9051
      @michaellorah9051 Před 5 lety +2

      I'm using this to understand the basic rhythm patterns and strumming, but I'm using that live version as well as other live performances of his from that period to get a handle on the flourishes he does. I'm type who learns best by watching theae tutorials to get the basics, and then I study live video of the original artist to learn the rest.

  • @jplorist6483
    @jplorist6483 Před rokem

    Super beautiful song, but hard to follow along with the way you were teaching it, you would randomly call out notes but not all the notes you were playing, and then id have to go see which one u actually played. Kind of poor and confusing way to teach a song.

  • @SinSeared
    @SinSeared Před 4 lety

    I recently picked up playing the guitar and its infuriating to find out that certain songs require you to detune your guitar. Everytime I hear that that's the case I'm like fuck off with the song. I love this song so much too so I am entirely disappointed. Why is that even a thing? Nothing against you @reverb but it's just, sigh. If I wanted to play different songs I would have to fuck around with the tuning over and over. I'm surprised this was a hidden fact to me prior to playing the guitar.