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Spike Driver Blues Guitar Lesson: Mastering Mississippi John Hurt’s Signature Style
The blues genre owes much of its evolution to the contributions of Mississippi John Hurt. Born in 1893, Hurt played a significant role in the development of fingerpicking technique, and his music remains popular even to this day. By using an intricate and mesmerizing fingerstyle, he became one of the most identifiable players in the country blues genre.
From his early recordings made in 1928 to his rediscovery during the folk revival movement of the early 1960s, Mississippi John Hurt’s music has stood the test of time. Even when he was out of fashion during the rise of electric blues and rock and roll music, musicians still looked up to him as a source for inspiration.
Spike Driver Blues – A Classic Song
Spike Driver Blues is arguably one of Mississippi John Hurt’s most popular songs. The song tells a story about a man who is working on a railroad spike driver while also trying to catch up with his loved one who has left him alone.
The lyrics are full of metaphors related to love and work, making it an emotionally
engaging song that touches at the heartstrings. Furthermore, Spike Driver Blues features an intricate fingerpicking pattern that serves as an excellent case study for intermediate guitar players who are interested in developing their right-hand techniques.
As such, it is no wonder that this song has become one of Mississippi John Hurt’s signature pieces over time. In this lesson, we’ll be looking at how you can learn this classic tune and play it yourself!
Chords and Progression – The Beauty of Simplicity
Now that we’ve covered the tuning, it’s time to dive into the heart of Spike Driver Blues – the chord progression. The beauty of this song lies in its simplicity. It only uses three chords: G, C, and D7.
However, don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s an easy song to play. The magic is in how Mississippi John Hurt plays these chords and transitions between them.
Breakdown of the Chord Progression
The chord progression used in Spike Driver Blues is G – C – G – D7 – G. Let’s break it down a little further: – First, we have two measures of G. – Then we switch to C for two measures.
– Back to G for another two measures. – Next up is D7 for one measure.
– Finally, back home to G for two more measures. This progression repeats throughout the song with slight variations in timing and rhythm.
Demonstration of How to Play Each Chord
To play the G chord in open tuning, place your index finger on the 5th string at the 5th fret, your middle finger on the 6th string at the 7th fret, and your ring finger on the 1st string at the 8th fret. For C, move your index finger down one string to the 4th string at the 5th fret and put your ring finger on the 2nd string at the 8th fret.
To play D7, place your index finger across all strings at the 5th fret (also known as a “barre” technique), then add your middle finger on top of it at the 6th fret of the third string and finally put your ring finger on the 2nd string at the 7th fret. Remember, when playing fingerstyle guitar, ensure that your thumb is muting or playing the bass notes while your fingers pluck the treble strings.
Overview of fingerpicking technique used by Mississippi John Hurt
If you want to master the intricate fingerpicking style of Mississippi John Hurt, start with practicing the basic finger patterns. Start with playing simple melodies, such as nursery rhymes or folk songs using only your index, middle and ring fingers.
Once you’ve mastered that, try incorporating your thumb into the mix by alternating between bass notes on different strings while maintaining a consistent rhythm.
Song Structure – Breaking Down the Anatomy of Spike Driver Blues
Spike Driver Blues is a classic Mississippi John Hurt tune that has become a staple in blues music. The song is a simple twelve-bar blues progression, but what sets it apart from other blues songs is the structure of each verse and chorus section. The song begins with an instrumental intro that sets the tone for the rest of the piece.
The first verse follows, which consists of four lines sung over a repetitive pattern played on the guitar. These four lines are then followed by a chorus section, which repeats twice before moving onto the next verse.
The second verse is almost identical to the first, with minor variations in lyrics and melody to keep things interesting. Once again, this verse is followed by a chorus section.
The third and final verse presents a subtle variation on what was previously heard in verses one and two. Like before, this last verse is followed by another chorus section.
