Guitar Tricks Insider February/March Digital Edition | Page 65
ANOTHER TAKE - WHY A CATFISH?
__ =
E
3
Fig. 4
3
1/2
14
Fig. 5
1/2
14
14 12
14
14
12
12
10
12
12
Like Clark, John Mayer is a true contemporary
bluesman even though he masquerades as a
pop/rock star and celebrity. In Fig. 4 Mayer
moves the E blues scale to the root octave
position at fret 12 for a slashing sound. In
addition, he tacks on a bass line similar to “I’m
a Man” to produce a fluid, 2-measure phrase.
Fig. 6
__ =
3
5
E
1/4
2
G7
3
5
5
3
5
3
3
0
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
2
0
2
2
A variation on the “Catfish” riff appears in
the Paul Butterfield Band version of “Two
Trains Running,” courtesy of guitar hero Mike
Bloomfield, as seen in Fig. 5. The “comped” E5
voicings on beats 3 and 4 contribute musical
stability and harmony.
Fig. 7
The legendary Nehemiah “Skip” James went
fishing his own way as seen in Fig. 6. Forgoing
his so called “patented” open Dm tuning for
standard tuning, he created an elegantly simple
riff. The octave jumps are a particular dynamic
found more often in postwar electric blues.
FEB/MAR
E
3
0
3
3
0
2
3
In Fig. 7 the J. Geils Band, featuring the undersung titular leader, is shown appropriating a
variation for a John Lee Hooker cover. As in the
Skip James example, we hear the value of wellchosen bass notes to capture the “Catfish.”
DIGITAL EDITION
65