# How does Robert Johnson do it? (Guitar playing technique.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694 "2014-03-02T20:13:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/1 "2014-03-02T20:13:47Z")
I’ve been listening to [this](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Recordings-Centennial-Collection/dp/B004OFWLO0/) Robert Johnson CD lately, and it sounds like he’s playing two guitars simultaneously. What’s this technique called? More importantly, how is it done? Am I correct in assuming this is very difficult to do? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/2 "2014-03-02T20:21:01Z")
You’re linking to an Amazon listing for the Complete Recordings. Which track are you specifically thinking about? He played fingerstyle - no flatpick and setting up an alternating bass line with his thumb while doing melody on single notes or partial chords. Yes, it is hard, but once you find the groove it is really fun. I can do it a bit, but am no expert… ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/3 "2014-03-02T22:00:29Z")
This what you are looking for? 😉 _Robert Johnson was a Mississippi blues singer and songwriter, who according to legend, sold his soul to Satan “at the crossroads” in exchange for his remarkable talent on the guitar._ [http://st-james.hubpages.com/hub/Robert-Johnson-the-Legend--the-Devil--the-Crossroads--and-27](http://st-james.hubpages.com/hub/Robert-Johnson-the-Legend--the-Devil--the-Crossroads--and-27) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/4 "2014-03-02T22:00:36Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Am I correct in assuming this is very difficult to do? Not if you’re a good negotiator, in the right time and place… ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/5 "2014-03-02T22:04:04Z")
[Demonstration](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzFDdsQ9Qg). ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/6 "2014-03-02T22:14:55Z")
I’ve wondered, if you’re not going to be actually using your soul for a while, could you just lease it to the devil for, say, a couple of months? ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/7 "2014-03-02T23:14:25Z")
And to further illustrate the technique: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cfLPN3Pv3hY/hqdefault.jpg "Chet Atkins "Stars and Stripes Forever" version 2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfLPN3Pv3hY) (Listen for the high piccolo part at about 1:50 into it) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/8 "2014-03-03T04:51:34Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEVB-t04OU) I’m sure there are better videos but Hubert Dublin, who played guitar for the howling’ wolf for decades, it think played in a similar style. The above link has Hubert tearing it up with Clapton, jimmy Vaughn, and Robert Cray. Real guitarist feel free to correct me on Hubert’s style. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/9 "2014-03-03T06:15:17Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEVB-t04OU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEVB-t04OU) > > I’m sure there are better videos but Hubert Dublin, who played guitar for the howling’ wolf for decades, it think played in a similar style. The above link has Hubert tearing it up with Clapton, jimmy Vaughn, and Robert Cray. Real guitarist feel free to correct me on Hubert’s style. I won’t correct you on his style, but I will correct you on his name: it’s Hubert Sumlin! (Auto-correct, maybe?) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/10 "2014-03-03T06:34:21Z")
General consensus is that Robert Johnson went down to the Crossroads and sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play guitar with such virtuosity. That doesn’t make it true, but it is the story. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/11 "2014-03-03T08:08:00Z")
The story about selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads was originally told about [Tommy Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Johnson_%28musician%29). The legend somehow was transferred to Robert Johnson, possibly because he’s better-known to the general public. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/12 "2014-03-03T17:38:51Z")
Six fingers on the left hand, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/13 "2014-03-03T17:42:50Z")
A two-part video I shot of a fingerstyle player. [Part 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7dTh7aQr1I) [Part 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jwrQPzSRe8) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/14 "2014-03-03T17:43:38Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > The story about selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads was originally told about [Tommy Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Johnson_%28musician%29). The legend somehow was transferred to Robert Johnson, possibly because he’s better-known to the general public. Per Elijah Wald, _Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues_, the Faustian motif was a common one among Johnson’s contemporaries, but it was more prevalent for dice players than guitarists. It’s just one of those things that got attached to Johnson more firmly because he didn’t live to get much mainstream media exposure - he’s more a creature of mystery than someone like Son House or Muddy Waters who did several interviews explaining their technique. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/15 "2014-03-03T17:44:45Z")
Here’s a video of Stefan Grossman playing Mississippi Blues - give you a sense of the technique: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/91u_0PccY4c/hqdefault.jpg "Stefan Grossman plays "Mississippi Blues" 1981") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91u_0PccY4c) Different players had very different styles, approaches to melody and rhythm, etc. And yeah, This American Life has a great piece on uncovering the whole Crossroads mythology and how it migrated to Robert Johnson… ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/16 "2014-03-03T17:57:14Z")
Keith Richards’ recent autobiography talks a good deal about difficult licks and techniques (including some he says he was never able to figure out or master - _boggle_) and I think he talks about the difficulty of emulating Robert Johnson. Then again, since KR has clearly sold his soul as well, he may not be the best authority. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/17 "2014-03-03T18:17:32Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > The story about selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads was originally told about [Tommy Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Johnson_%28musician%29). The legend somehow was transferred to Robert Johnson, possibly because he’s better-known to the general public. Tommy Johnson was older and more famous at the time. I think Robert sometimes claimed he was Tommy’s brother, and that may have helped “transfer” the legend. > [@StusBlues](#): > > Per Elijah Wald, _Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues_, the Faustian motif was a common one among Johnson’s contemporaries, but it was more prevalent for dice players than guitarists. It’s just one of those things that got attached to Johnson more firmly because he didn’t live to get much mainstream media exposure - he’s more a creature of mystery than someone like Son House or Muddy Waters who did several interviews explaining their technique. [I had heard that the story came from this guy.](http://www.tdblues.com/2009/05/ike-zinnerman-and-his-graveyard/) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/18 "2014-03-03T18:23:38Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > The story about selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads was originally told about [Tommy Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Johnson_%28musician%29). The legend somehow was transferred to Robert Johnson, possibly because he’s better-known to the general public. My guess is that Robert having a song called _ **Crossroad Blues** _ may have had something to do with it, too. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/19 "2014-03-03T18:29:19Z")
> [@bup](#): > > My guess is that Robert having a song called _ **Crossroad Blues** _ may have had something to do with it, too. Yes… except there’s nothing in that song about selling his soul to the devil. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694/20 "2014-03-03T18:35:45Z")
Doesn’t matter. The legend is specifically that he sold his soul at the crossroads. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-robert-johnson-do-it-guitar-playing-technique/682694.md?page=2)