Product Description

Learn to play the guitar style of the most influential Delta blues artist of all time! Robert Johnson’s unearthly singing and intricate Mississippi Delta style slide guitar have inspired innumerable players in the decades since his untimely death in 1938. On this exciting, jam-packed DVD lesson, the award-winning contemporary blues singer and guitarist Rory Block completely demystifies the licks, runs, strums, bass lines, turnarounds and other important guitar elements that combine to make up the unique Robert Johnson sound.

Working in open G and D tunings, Rory provides a series of informational keys – specific guitar techniques that "open doors and unlock information" to allow you to play any song in Robert Johnson’s repertoire. She works with you on getting a good slide sound, and details the percussive picking and strumming skills you’ll need to achieve that special Robert Johnson feel. Rory discusses blues singing style, provides fascinating insights into the Mississippi blues, and shows how to establish the energy, drive and motivation that will make you a funkier, more interesting player.

Although these skills pertain to any Robert Johnson song, you’ll learn detailed renditions of If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day, Terraplane Blues and Preaching Blues.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64070 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-03-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 120 minutes

Customer Reviews

Essential Robert Johnson Techniques.
As always, Rory Block's teaching is clear and easy to follow. This Level 3 lesson is concerned with teaching riffs and slide techniques (in open G and open D tunings) that are used in the music of Robert Johnson. Of the three songs taught, only "If I Had Possession Over
Judgement Day" is taught at great length. The idea isn't so much to learn several songs by Robert Johnson, as it is to learn how Robert Johnson went about playing the guitar. The other two songs taught and performed are "Terraplane Blues" and "Preaching Blues". Rory also delves into how to approach the songs vocally. Well worth the money.

Rory Block Teaches the Guitar of Robert Johnson
After playing acoustic and electric guitar for nearly 40 years and deciding to study and learn Mississippi Delta acoustic slide blues, I began searching for instructional videos. Rory Block knows her stuff and in my opinion, is able to effectively present many of the elements any student of this guitar style will need to achieve success. With that said, I find Ms. Block's style a bit more aggresive in certain respects and use the DVD as one piece of the learning process rather than the central part of it. I recommend the DVD highly as part of the process of learning slide guitar.

A good tool for learning Johnson
I am in agreement with the other reviewer who finds this DVD to be an excellent tool for learning the style of Robert Johson. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in front of the TV, pausing often, as it is complicated. It is during these many hours that you either become enamored with an instructor's personality, or you don't. On a highly instructional DVD, this issue becomes more important than perhaps on a DVD that you might use to learn songs and move on. This DVD is the type that you will use, put away, take out repeatedly, and judiciously use the PAUSE button, so the personality effect will be of importance. "Channeling Robert Johnson through your body..." and other such things are not for everyone. Personality may seem a bit flaky for most, but the instruction is well worth it. I recommend Clapton's recordings of Johnson as a compliment to learning.