Product Details

• Actors: Rory Block
• Directors: Happy Traum
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Homespun Tapes
• DVD Release Date: March 1, 2005
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0007ZAECM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,201 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Learn to play the guitar style of the most influential Delta blues artist of all time! Robert Johnson’s unearthly singing and intricate Mississippi Delta style slide guitar have inspired innumerable players in the decades since his untimely death in 1938. On this exciting, jam-packed DVD lesson, the award-winning contemporary blues singer and guitarist Rory Block completely demystifies the licks, runs, strums, bass lines, turnarounds and other important guitar elements that combine to make up the unique Robert Johnson sound.

Working in open G and D tunings, Rory provides a series of informational keys – specific guitar techniques that "open doors and unlock information" to allow you to play any song in Robert Johnson’s repertoire. She works with you on getting a good slide sound, and details the percussive picking and strumming skills you’ll need to achieve that special Robert Johnson feel. Rory discusses blues singing style, provides fascinating insights into the Mississippi blues, and shows how to establish the energy, drive and motivation that will make you a funkier, more interesting player.

Although these skills pertain to any Robert Johnson song, you’ll learn detailed renditions of If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day, Terraplane Blues and Preaching Blues.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Robert Johnson Techniques., April 4, 2005

By 

Charles Kahler (Alameda, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: DVD-Rory Block Teaches the Guitar of Robert Johnson (DVD)

As always, Rory Block's teaching is clear and easy to follow. This Level 3 lesson is concerned with teaching riffs and slide techniques (in open G and open D tunings) that are used in the music of Robert Johnson. Of the three songs taught, only "If I Had Possession Over
Judgement Day" is taught at great length. The idea isn't so much to learn several songs by Robert Johnson, as it is to learn how Robert Johnson went about playing the guitar. The other two songs taught and performed are "Terraplane Blues" and "Preaching Blues". Rory also delves into how to approach the songs vocally. Well worth the money.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rory Block Teaches the Guitar of Robert Johnson, August 6, 2005

By 

Bruce Baker (Kansas City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: DVD-Rory Block Teaches the Guitar of Robert Johnson (DVD)

After playing acoustic and electric guitar for nearly 40 years and deciding to study and learn Mississippi Delta acoustic slide blues, I began searching for instructional videos. Rory Block knows her stuff and in my opinion, is able to effectively present many of the elements any student of this guitar style will need to achieve success. With that said, I find Ms. Block's style a bit more aggresive in certain respects and use the DVD as one piece of the learning process rather than the central part of it. I recommend the DVD highly as part of the process of learning slide guitar.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Player and Teacher, September 14, 2009

By 

D. Glasser (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: DVD-Rory Block Teaches the Guitar of Robert Johnson (DVD)

I really enjoyed both of theses dvds. I'm fairly new to playing slide but have played guitar for decades. I appreciated the way she works diligently to show exactly what she is doing and why. She doesn't always play exactly what Robert Johnson did and gives her reasons, showing what he actually did do as well. Ms. block certainly knows and loves the music of Robert Johnson and that makes a huge difference.