James Skip - Hard Time Killing Floor Blues guitar tab

Hard Time Killing Floor -by Nehemiah "Skip" James, 1930

Tabbed by Dadfad (John M.) duolian@msn.com or Dadfad@dadfad.com August 1, 2002

Done on Microsoft Notepad using: Courier New, 10 font.

If you're looking for a note-for-note tab from the movie "O Brother Where Art

Thou", this isn't it. This is in the style it was played originally by Skip

James. Very similar to the movie, but not exactly. That's how these styles of

tunes were done back in the '20s and '30s as traditional country blues tunes.

It's difficult to really explain how to play a tune like this from tab, but

there have been so many requests that I'll try my best. Skip James' style in

open D-Minor is largely composed of several "signature licks" that when added

to the general progression of the tune make it very recognizeable as a Skip

James piece. I think the best way to start is by first tabbing his most dis-

tinguishable lick with both tab and describing how it is played, and then

in the body of the main tab I can just say "add sig lick here". I learned to

play Skip's tunes in his style many years ago from Bowling Green John Cephas,

(probably the foremost living expert on Skip James-Bentonia Style D-min blues)

who knew him personally and learned from Skip himself. This will be a simpli-

fied version at best. The only way to play it properly is to become familiar

with the tuning and finger-style playing in this style and add and improvise

as you go, which is how both Skip and Bowling Green played it. I guess the

best way to start is by giving the open D-minor tuning (Open E-minor can also

be used but is harder on your strings and guitar neck). Tab would be identical

for either open D-minor (DADFAD) or open E-minor (EBEGBE). Put down your pick.

This must be played with your fingers.

Skip's main signature lick is as follows:

D__________________________||_________________________

A__________________________||_________________________

F____3>4____4