DEEP WATERS Over the course of the last few columns, we’ve been exploring different ways to improvise around the main themes and melodies played by Muddy Waters on his classic track, “Rollin’ Stone.” Jimi Hendrix recorded a few incredible versions of this song, under the title “Catfish Blues.” Three great versions can be heard on The BBC Sessions, Blues and the Jimi Hendrix Experience box set. Andy Aledort looks at some ways to add Jimi-like ideas to interpreting and improvising on this song.
00:00Hey, I'm Andy Aledort. In this edition of Indieb, we're going to continue looking at ways to
00:19improvise on the Muddy Waters Blues Classic Rolling Stone. Last time, we were looking at
00:24different ways to use thirds, combinations of two notes. This time, we're going to expand that
00:29to the use of sixths. Another thing you'd do on that, I'd have all you pretty young women,
00:35so let's say we're going to play the melody.
00:38That's nice. But then instead of this, you could go.
00:59It's kind of like Voodoo Child, I'd have all you pretty young women.
01:10So that's nice, too. I'd have all you pretty young women.
01:27So these double stops, very useful. Hendrix did that stuff all the time. If you wanted
01:39to play that whole sequence, it's all in the A and the G string. 2nd fret 1st, 4th 2nd, 5th 4th, 7th 6th, 9th 7th, 11 9, 12 11, 14 13, 16 14, 17 16, 19 18, 21 19.
02:06And I like doing those where you go like. So what I did there was if I play this one, I'll do a hammer pull on the G string.
02:25And when I get to that one, it's fun to make it minor. It's like A minor.
02:32And when I get to that one, it's fun to make it minor. It's like A minor.
02:47And when I get to that one, it's fun to make it minor.
02:59And when I get to that one, it's fun to make it minor.
