# What chord is Robert Johnson making **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234 "2017-12-11T20:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/1 "2017-12-11T20:45:55Z")
What chord is Robert Johnson holding [in this photo](https://timscoverstory.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/robert-johnson-1.jpg)? Is it a standard blues chord? Looks like he might be using a capo. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/2 "2017-12-11T21:01:33Z")
According to this website: [Chord Namer](https://jguitar.com/chordname?string5=x&string4=6&string3=3&string2=x&string1=5&string0=4) Either a G# 6th Suspended 2nd Flat 5th, A#/G# 7th, or an F/G# Minor 6th Double Flat 5th… unless its something else ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/3 "2017-12-11T22:40:08Z")
The kind you hold for a pose? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/4 "2017-12-11T22:44:23Z")
They snapped his pic in the middle of a riff. Second verse, same as the first. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/5 "2017-12-12T00:36:53Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > According to this website: [Chord Namer](https://jguitar.com/chordname?string5=x&string4=6&string3=3&string2=x&string1=5&string0=4) > > Either a G# 6th Suspended 2nd Flat 5th, A#/G# 7th, or an F/G# Minor 6th Double Flat 5th… unless its something else _“Strings that aren’t strummed should be set to “Mute” and open strings should be set to zero.”_ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/6 "2017-12-12T01:18:10Z")
I’m guessing just a C7 with the seventh (B flat) in the bass. This is assuming standard tuning. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/7 "2017-12-12T02:25:06Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > _“Strings that aren’t strummed should be set to “Mute” and open strings should be set to zero.”_ He’s got it right, so far as I see. True, it’s not likely the D string is being muted, but the high E might not even be played. Either way with the D string set as muted or as an open string, you still get the answer of A#/G# 7th (which is a really odd way of naming this chord. That should be a Bb7/Ab). But, since we’re capoed at the second fret, we’re looking a C7/Bb. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/8 "2017-12-12T03:50:37Z")
Thanks. That’s a long way to go for a C7! What key might one play in that it made sense to have to work that hard for a C7? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/9 "2017-12-12T04:33:54Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Thanks. That’s a long way to go for a C7! > > What key might one play in that it made sense to have to work that hard for a C7? I have no idea if he’s really playing a C7/Bb, but that would be the chord if you think he’s fretting 67258x and playing in standard tuning. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chord-is-robert-johnson-making/804234/10 "2017-12-12T05:10:45Z")
The other possibility I see is that he might be fretting 276582 (with the possibility of the 2s just being xs). That doesn’t really help all the much. I tried looking at four tunings: standard, open G, open D, drop D, and there’s no ah-ha, that must be the chord! that I see. Open D gets you a pretty clean chord, an E, but with an F thrown in on the second (highest) string (E E G# B F E).