Message Board Archive: Thread Number 79

I just got two Mance Lipsocmb cd's and I'm really impressed. Any advice
on trying to play his style (monotonic bass). I do a lot better with
Mississipi John Hurts style but have trouble with Mances driving thump.
Any suggestions?

Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 11:56:17 -0400 (EDT)
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Mance Lipscomb
Message Number: 79.1

If you _understand_ what he's doing but just can't _do_ it yet, one
thing you can do is write out in tablature what is going on, and then
painstakingly play through the tab you've written again and again, note
by note, until it begins to flow.

A few points about Mance Lipscomb's style:

The thump-thump you referred to is usually just playing one bass string
again and again, once per beat, so four times per measure (in 4/4 time).
This tends to sound not monotonic but monotonous if you don't damp the
bass string with your right hand.

The string Lipscomb plays again and again is usually the root of the
chord, i.e., if he's playing an E chord, he'll play an E in the bass, if
an A chord, an A in the bass, & c. Frequently, he is in fact playing E
or A chords, and since E and A notes are on open (non-fretted) strings,
he escapes from the need that Hurt and others have of actually holding
the chord the whole time with his left hand. For instance, while in a
passage that has an A chord, he can go into this position for awhile

>     ======
>     ||||||
>     ||||||
>     ||||*|
>     ||||||
>     |||||*

without losing the bass note he's been playing (A). This means that the
listener loses the ease of knowing that the left hand position is always
the obvious chord. Lipscomb could in fact be anywhere on the neck and
still be thumping away at that open fifth string.

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 16:40:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: Bhhamilton@aol.com (Brad Hamilton)
Subject: Question: Mance Lipscomb -sugar babe
Message Number: 79.1.1

The only Lipscomb song I play is Sugar Babe, and I play it with an
alternating bass. I haven't heard it in years (except my version). Have
I invented my own version - i.e. did he play it repeating the E bass?

Brad Hamilton

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 18:50:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Mance Lipscomb: Sugar Babe
Message Number: 79.1.2

Brad wrote:

> The only Lipscomb song I play is Sugar Babe, and I play it
> with an alternating bass. I haven't heard it in years
> (except my version). Have I invented my own version - i.e.
> did he play it repeating the E bass? 

You're right! I forgot about that song, even though I teach it alot.
It's definitely played with alternating bass. I haven't listened to
Lipscomb for a long time. However, I definitely remember some songs that
had so-called monotonic bass too.

Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 11:59:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: markv@org.chem.uva.nl (Mark Verhaar)
Subject: Feedback: a little on 'How to play'
Message Number: 79.2

I was just looking for some new info on some old blues players when I
found this message board. There were even some messages about one of the
biggest of all:Mance Lipscomb !!

You’re right: When listening to Mance Lipscomb you should be impressed!

I would like to add a little about his playing:

- The big sound of the driving (often monotonous) bass comes from
damping the strings with your picking hand (left for me). It takes some
time to get it just right. What is also important is to use a thump pick
to add spice to the attack of the bass tone.

- When learning a song of Mance Lipscomb (or any other song) from a
record it is very important to tune your guitar to the pitch of the
records, which is often one or two steps above or below the standard
tuning. (I can play quit a few of his song, so if anyone has a question
about the key or pitch of any of his songs, just mail me :
markv@org.chem.uva.nl )

- When learning a song of Mance Lipscomb it helps to ‘see’ the man. So,
buy a video tape!! There are several available.

- If you just started playing this kind of guitar style I suggest you
buy some books of the Stefan Grossman workshop. (I could look up some
titles for anyone interested)

- If you are really interested in Mance you should read the oral
(magnificent) autobiography: I say me for a parable by Glen Alyn.

Mark Verhaar

Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 21:15:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: More: Great documentary about Lipscomb
Message Number: 79.3

Apropos, there's a marvelous little movie about Mance Lipscomb made in
1971 by the documentary film maker Les Blank, who also made "Burden of
Dreams", "The Blues According To Lightning Hopkins" and many more. It's
called "A Well Spent Life", and it features Lipscomb in his native Texas
where he talks, sings, plays, and takes the cameraman to meet his
neighbors. It's about 45 minutes long as I remember and it's one of my
favorite movies.