1. Jes M Dari) Perforce Nae (BMD STORMY WEATHER” ‘OL Aen Tele (© Ted Koehler Mase Ca. 5A Music Co.(ASCAP) “ROCK ME BABY" (BB King, Jose) ‘© Powers Mic Sons a ue. ne. (BM) “DONT GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE" 1 ED, Bs as) {© Haris MasicCop. JEN bbls Catabe Ie (ASCAP) “NOBODY LOVES ME AUT MY MOTHER™ (BB. King) ‘© aches: Music Cop / Sound f Lacie, I. BMI) “THE THRILLS GONE" (ie Hanh, Darel) SPoweforce Mane (BMD) B.B.KING BLUES MASTER 11 =YOU DONE LOST YOUR GOOD THING NOW" 1, Spivey. R For “PAYIN- THE COST 10 HE THE BOSS 10.0. King) ‘© Duchess Masi Cop / Sounds of Laie, les (BNA) ware” G8 King (© Sounds Lacie Ie (89) “THREE O°CLOCK BLUES" “ORD, King Tab) (© Powerorce Mase/ Sounds ofl, Ie (BMI) satus FUN @B King) (© Sour of Laci. NA) “WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN, LL STILL BE AROUND" (Sample, Wenig) (© beg Masi Fue Kaiphs Mase Co. (2M B.B.KING BLUES MASTER IN “EVERY DAY I HAVE THE BLUES" -Chatnan) (©-Axe Maske PL aoe Tio Mask (8941) ALLLOVER AGAIN" ‘CAdm ‘© Adans-Gigson Muse (@M) “DARLING YOU KNOW ILOVE YOU" “8 King, J Bitar) {© Powerore Muse Sond of Lace Ine (8¥) “SWEET LITTLE ANGEL” (8D King. Ta) (© Powesorce Mase Sach of Lane, (MI)Tasse OF CONTENTS Inmeopucron 7 licen Or musical Srmeots 8 B.B. Kinc Biues Master I 1 ‘You Upset Me Basy/RHyTHM GUITAR B You Upset ME Basy/INTRO 4 You Upset Me Basy/Finst Soto al ‘You Upset Me Basy/Seconp SOLO B Exametet 2 Exampte 2 uu Examrte 3 2% Examete 4 a Examous S 8 Rock ME BABY/RHYTHM GUITAR 2 Rock Mt BABY/INTRO 3B Rock ME BABY/FIRST 5010 u Rock ME BABY/SECOND 5010 % EXAMPLE 6 8 Examout 7 a Exampte 8 “4 Examrue 9 4 Nosopy Loves Me Bur My MorHER/INTRO 4 Nowoor Loves Me Bur My MoTHER/SOLO 56 Examput to a Examnue tt o Toe Trnitt fs Gont/RierrHm GurTan a The Tans ts Gorter Tue Tuniut ts Gont/Finst Soto Tue Tuniut ts Gont/Scconp Soto 1 B.B. Kine Bugs Master II 7 You Dowe Lor Your Goon Trine Now/Finst $010 78 You Done Lorr Your Goon Taine Now/Stcono $010 a Examouet 84 Examote 2 8h Examoue 3 85 Examete 4 8 Example 5 86 Exampce 6 8 Examots 7 cu Pavin’ THE Cost To Bt THE Boss/RHYTHM GUITAR 2 PAavIN’ THE Cost To Be THE Boss/INTRO: 4 Pavin’ THE Cost To Be THE Boss/First SOLO: % Parin’ THE Cost To Bé THE BOss/SECOND SOLO ” Exampie 8 104 Beane 9 104 Rupr’ /ReYTHM GUITAR 105 arin 106 Examnis 10 nT Examete 11 mW Examnit 12 it Examris 13 1 Exar 14 18 Tunee O'CLock B.uss/INTRO no THnee O'Ciock B.UEs/FiRsT SLO m THREE O'CLock BLUES/SECOND SOLO neExampur 15 Examous te Exannus 17 Encnce te Beano 19 Examput 20 Exampus 21 ExampLe 22 Buves Funk Exampte 23 Exams 24 EXAMPLE 25 EXAMPLE 26 Exampue 27 Exampu 28 4s Exampue 29 wr WHEN ITALL Comes Downs, IL SriLt BE AROUND/RHY THM GUITAR 1s WHEN IT Aut Comes Down, ['u Sritt Be AnounD/InTmo 18 When IT Aut Comes Downs, ut Sritt Be Axouno/Finst Soto 154 Wen ITALL Comes Down, It Sritt BE AROUND/SECOND 5010 15 B.B. Kine Buues Master III 163 Evenr Darl Have THe BLues/InTno. 164 Eveny Dav t Have Te 165 Eveny Day I Have TH 168 Exampurt 1m Eeamnee 2 m Examnue 3 m Exampur 4 1B Examptr 5 1% ExampLt 6 182 Examptt 7 183 Examott & 183 ExamPte 9 184 EXAMPLE 10° 184 Aut OVER AGAIN/INTRO- 186 Aut Over Acain/Finst SOLO 188 ‘Aut OVER AGAIN/SECOND SOLO m Exampte 11 14 Examue 12 198 Exampte 13 1 Examrce 14 195 Exampte 15 202 Exampte 16 202 Exampte 17 204 Examrte 18 210 Examrue 19 ott ExampLe 20 Danuine You Know I Love You Exampte 21 ns Eeamrue 22 a Exampue 23 »» Exampue 24 20 Examrue 25 » Examrus 26 as Examrue27 Bs Switr LiTTie ANGEL/INTRO uo 1 Sweer LITTie ANGEL/SoLOFoREwORD Today, the sky's the Um ftar, You have video, books schools and CDs. The opportuni © be the best player youcan be the basics first, then expand hat become so important: J ing. Sometimes what you don’? play is just as imporan you de play. Listen to other players, and to as many different types of music as you can, You'll find it easier to understand other people's styles, and evenly you will start sounding like yourself, And in the long run, that’s the goal of Good luck, enjoy the book. and keep practicing! ‘ Buwes Masten ComrieINTRODUCTION Article on 8.8. King's etyle appearing in the July 1999 leaue of Guitar World magazine (REPRINTED BY PERMISSION) ROYAL BLUES His majesty, B.B. King, demonstrates why he rules in this historic lesson in bends, scales and slides. une [FIGURE 2 88S 13TH-POSTON SLE PATER BY ASKOLD BUK ‘Vary few MUSICIANS have had as mach Impact on their peers as B.B, King. He bs influenced generations of guiarists, and his playing continues tobe fresh and ‘vibrant. B.B.'s ideas are deceptively sim- ple, yet upoa analysis they stand up as Sophisticated musical statements. He phrases impeccably. always hits the “right notes, and is possessed ofa vibrato that slike nothing ls. ‘As the interviewer on B.B."sinstruc- tional video series 8. King? Bluesmacter (CPP Media Group), 1 was able 10 bang prgunea outwith him and discuss practically every n trpec of his unique syle BB. proved io S™MBLER bea warn, funny and burable man totally en ‘committed 9 music, and generous 10 & fault when it came to sharing is ideas. It was an unforgettable experience Wien you think of BLD. King, the frst thing that comes i mind is vibrato. He says he developed it asa rest of bearing his cousin, the legendary Delta bluesman Bua Whit, play. “He used a bottleneck, and [tried 1 copy the sound, or get as lose as posible, with my fingers." BB. daid before playing Figure 1. °T use the ibaa to mike a poit—to end an ides” BR. getshis vibrato started by hooking his thumb over the top of the {retbourd. raunes ‘ Aer that, the only point of contict be- Swing feel 2-1} tween his left hand aod the neck is that of om his finger fretting the nove he is plying * The vibrato cores from the wrist—B.B. roa stakes his whole hand rapidly and evenly “The faster | shake my hand, the beter it sounds to me,” he said. “I want ic to sound Tike the vibrato in a person's voice.” ‘We next talked about scales, focusing ‘on B.'s favorite blues paviern, @varia- tion of the blues scale (Figure 2). Whereas the stock minor pentatonie “box” contains ‘the root, Sated thir, four, fth and fat- ted seventh, B.B.’s patter contains the root, second/ninth, flatted tind, fourth, Buues Masten COMPLETEA pnivave ceneon with aoe. eiwa fis nd nin eee — Sarno kr eyeae Siacie ina iat aha emia a At crnecannean cea! Boom diner scempea th Sn enin,Sing eto ‘with the index und midle fingers cf his Tet hug for oe sgh tape Nite ath ps os tin ne seme Tingus eah Toone lege same ta pa weld ne Tig tac rom cidon ending of wih a {In this example he beals the Dto m Ei (half-step), whereas in be previous exam: fete es cD wpe onca Depedig one Lay me Inch be walt tu ‘Xp ol sey. sepa al Siping BB ak Gop Sanh free ay ing ts inch at ne gas oa ‘Sos tant eg uD ded ceo fir cet" at yg al to om payer sh Lee Yo ety Hake an Ls at ‘never really sat down and thought about Test Bt ienngh re ein Pee ‘Ring ove el el 7 246 Scent es ont Sper exec edt 0G te an wring em jor third (28) of C7 Soraein ts post wee bend frm the sen) fe rd) ew tren tet (0) ah) fed veh, hea the fourth (F) up to the fifth (G), Novice tata ee enous geg (fiche hsp bea a tem Mow gat net Mh thc ng ope et i Tetsu Vng wr tint Rega ate 0 eh Rand neg eB ‘strings with the same finger he used adc ne, Fgwe i fos teu pds mtb tat fan pyre fb ie teatend mt PACD discenting tv ete sere ‘Though this is hanily the only position so fr net cpt hs me bse, Ts pen a be oe) probe bo nig me CDIELeCnG Au homey ne Cmiopaon ae CH ERG As with an eed ne HCE, {Cie re a Tor penton ct wt ee no we Buves Masrin Converteh gg spesmie Ss, See ee rehcaee ieee cmeiae Sena tne Pas bres ceca Soe he seit ees taie Smt neers oe eaaerpceoe he ry ch ie ort. Keg mae sgieT iamalste Bi: wetal riot voor snmated ome A 1p Journ anor ee SESE See nt ene (cr Seta’ ipo ye Sect nd en oe A a advice any guitarist could use, @Lecenp of Musical SymBoLs ee Downstrokes Upstrokes efi hand fingering Right hand fingering Hand vitrato nd inde riddle “ng J oe Bend Quick bend Pre-bend Gradual bend Release bend Unison berd & Hammeron Pulloft Palm mute ‘Tremolo Trill Pick Side Picked slide Legato slide Short slide up and down ‘Muffied stings (sa) a Natural harmonic Artificial harmonic Pinch harmonic Right hand tap Ghos note yim 10 Buves Mastin CommitYou Upset ME BABY/ RHYTHM GUITAR Here is a sample chord progression for “You Upset Me Baby.” The voiings land rhythms are what B.B."s rhythm guitarist might play on this tine, Keep in mind that you may substitute a ninch chord for a dominant seventh chord (ez. G9 for G7) at any time. SYou UpseT ME BABY/INTRO BB. kicks off "You Upset Me Baby” with some T-Bone Walkertype ideas bars 2-9, he uses the G minor pentatonic scale exclusively. tn bats 9-10 and 13-14, B.B, bends the 53 of the G7 chord (Bb), to the 3 (BD, Sing tet J by pf ev F7 Far Padd D ad de a3 svi - Buves Masts ComrieYou Upset ME BABY/FIRST SOLO “The first solo features some great cighih-pos tion to the left-hand fingering in bars 10 and 12. Notice that BB. bencs the C to the Chor D on the first string with his firse Gnger. This ss an imporuntele- iment of his style, later incorporated by modem blues/fusion. gularbts such as Lary Carlton and Robben Ford. Bars 15-17 feature a wide bead of a step and a half. B.B. holds the bend while grooving hard. This is a classic B.B. King lick; it might require some practice ‘on your part to keep it in pitch. % ‘Buus Masri Conrirt2H © teaby Gi 9 a7 - R A N hold bend b,You Upset ME BABY/SECOND SOLO In bars 13-16 of the second solo, B.B. plays a double-stop (two nots at ore idea that pays tribute to his jazz roots. He pedals the root (G) ontop wile moving the third (B) up to the fifth (D) chromatically. It isan idea that can be heard in much of George Benson’s playing, and which shows the depth of BB. King’s musical knowledge. ‘The ending cadenza is a great workout. It covers most of the neck and includes much of B. octave: vocabulary: sealar runs, bends, chromaticism, double-stops and aS SSS Bives Musrin CommerExXAMPLe 1 'B.B. bases a lot of his ideas around chord shapes. Rather than paying in one position, he moves up the neck to propel the solo. For example, in the ley of G. B.B. gocs up © the teath position to play over the V chord (D7) He thea moves down to the eighth position to play over the IV (C7). In this example, notice how B.B. outlines the C9 chord in bars 2 and 5, andthe D9 chord in bar 4, Freely sitar (8.8) oT 8 apa wees: Te re ce + ——=: « E pes 3 ~~ - a sao * — = x : He | suitar 2(Askold) let ring throughout === A 4 +} +H hipe a ge a & ae SS = — 4 F — : +EXAMPLE 2 "Askold: That was a beautiful lick you played over the D chord, going bck 10 the C chord. B.B.: Don'task me to do it again! (laughter) ‘After that exchange, B.B. proceeds to play a more complex version ofthe pre vious example, Notice the jazz-like line in bar 3, which features a piano-lke arpeggio over the G7 chord, Again, B.B. moves up the neck to play over the C peas and D chord shapes, but this time his ideas are mach more intrica. gultar 1(B.8,) ar co a £¢ pee i" =EXAMPLE 2 Swing feel 7-7} G6 ET guitar 1 (BB) ‘guitar 2 (Astotd) BIB. finds that elements oF country music, as well as Jaze and gospel, creep into the overall blues feel He says that if you play a tune with a lt of changes, you don't have to worry about playing # specific note because th lies are in the chords. Over a simple progression such as a I-IV-V blues, boweves, your choice of notes (and their placement) has to be more careful BB. plays this example in a jazz vein: ar DI 06 ET Buves masres CommitEXAMPLE 4 Hie then plays the same example in a blues style. “You really got tbe placing them [the notes] in the right place,” B.B. says. “People quite often sty, ‘Well, ‘anybody can play the blues." Yes, you can—anybody can do most anything, ‘but would you like it?” frets oi e7fo a7 ps o7 e100) abe 20pm, be eae eben ae —f See say Ete { Sie < RS eied Boke set $+ 6H ee the + aEXAMPLE 5 To iMlustrate the I-VI-II-V progression (G7-E7—A7—D7), B.B. plays thisbeas- tifal cxample. “There's a lot you ean play aver this progression.” he sys. “and you can make it bluesy!” a7 ET ar D7 o7 vis oi ae guitar 1(BB.) ies ‘gultar 2 (Askold) °c cms or ET ar eho psRock ME BAsy/RHYTHM GUITAR “Rock Me Baby” is a standard 12-bar blues which featores an intresting rhythm pattern, Over the I chord (Bb), a Bh6 chord is played, moving t te Ab6 chord and back. Analyzing the notes in relation to Bhy the Bb6 chord produces the rot (Bh), third (D) and thirteenth (G), and the Ab6 gives us the flatted seventh (4p), ninth (©), and fifth (F). Combining these notes results in a Bb13 sound. ‘The same pattem is played over the [V chord (Eb) and V chord (F}, producing E}13 and F13 sounds, respectively. Swingfed Jes") Bhis ebi3 by b Bbi3 FI3 tb13 Bhi3 7Rock ME Basr/INTRO "The solo work on “Rock Me Baby” is textbook B.B. King. Notice hischoice of notes throughout the une. In bar 10 of the intro, and bar 6 of the second sole. B.B. outlines the E}7 chord, bending the sixth of Eb7 (C) to the flatted seventh (Dp). In bars 14-15 of the second solo, he plays the high Bh note with his pinky. answering cach time with a variation of a theme started in bar 13. B.B. ends the tune with a typical fiery cadenza,Rock ME BAasy/First SOLO ? why se bz aba FTRock ME BAsr/SECOND SOLOAB ~ a Se ———————————— = ‘— 2EXAMPLE 6 Swing fee! gutar 1 (B.B.) a7 ‘guitar? (Astold) Singersisle “Charlie Christian was a big influence on B.B. King’s otyle- BiB, obser that Christian's diminished scale ideas sometimes show up in his playing. To demonstrate. B.B. plays a “bounce” blues in G. Notice the G diminished arpeg: gio in bars 13-14 (G, Bb, Db, E). Bives Masres CoumiersBt MASTER COMPLETE ”Buves Masten COMPLETE aEXAMPLE 7 Hom player, pariculany Louls Jordan, so influcnced BB, whowouldwy 0 ‘aintie the phrnoing of the horn on the guitar. Here BB. plays a slow blues and Comments “I'm stilt hearing the horn.” Swingfeel 7 guitar 1(B.B.) br ce m7, 67 FA Bh? om 9 5sco or cmt aBB. plays this example in the style of saxman Johnny Hodges, who would of ten sit on the perfect note, By bending © note and sustaining it BB. get the same effect. rn G7 PA Bhe7GB ONG. A > ‘Swing feet guitar 1 (BBL) Ne cr) och) sF7 ETON AmtNC.7) «wn en Am7 @EXAMPLE 9 ‘On this cight-bar blues, B.B. fecls like he's “tallding © a person.” He believes ‘that on a slow blues, the phrasing should be more laid-back and personal BB. is always aware of the chord progression and consistetly chooses his notes to fit the changes perfectly, as in bars 17-18 where he bends the second (E}) to the flatted third (Fp) of the Dpm7 chord. ab ai tar 1 (0.0) = aw . ioe ‘guitar 2 (Askeld) Dbmaj7 Dba?+ of oR et HO HYAb vb bm ab «aboNosopyr Loves Me Bur My MOTHER/INTRO “Nobody Loves Me But My Mother” is a great example of siow, soul blues tune, B.B. plays it with an organ trio, and his performance is exception= Don’t let the rhythms or the amount of notes intimidate you: the fempo is que slow and if you listen te the tape, you'll feel the phrasing, Notice how B.B. outlines the A7 chord in bars 1 and 7 and the D9 chor i bars 2 and 10 of the intro. This is a B.B. trademark—he never hits a “wrong’ note, Bars 34—35 of the solo feature a sophisticated harmonic idea, as B.B. plays a descending Bm9 arpeggio (Cf, A, Ff, D, B) over the £9 chord, These notes give us the thirtcenth, eleventh, ninth, flatted seventh and fith of E, re spectively. aE EEEt Fee i pee} tee | pm eee >2 B R BOR _——_~ B : =" we 4H Ke a = = 2% oe te reece =: f —————— ==> 7 ° BR ee B B os D Buves Mastin Commiesabdeste UAEXAMPLE 10 BIB demonsiewow the use of cixthe fn the blues idiom fm chin shot exanle Bars | and 2 feature a traditional turnaround which would be played ovr the last two bars of a 12-bar blues (over the Land V chords) ‘guitar 1(B.B.) NC.) 9) G7 guitar 2 (Askoid) 7 o FIA. Bb°7 G/B Am?EXAMPLE 17 B.B. “streiches out” on a jump blues in F#. For someone who is prinatly known as a blues player, the amount of jazz chops B.B. exhibits is amazing. Check out the chromaticism in bars 8-9 and 13—15, and the grest uiplt idea ‘over B7 in bars 17-18, Try taking bits and pioces of this colo and applying them to your own soloing style. Swing feel T-1 2 2 (Astold)re - pipes Am? Gm7 bo cto oo Fp ans Desi? bs4 rer a Phi?THE THRILL Is GONE/ RHYTHM GUITAR Tre is a sample progression for BBs all-time hit, “The Theill fs Gone This is a traditional 12-bar minor blues, with the V chord (G7) being approached by the bVI chord (Ab?) in bar 9.THe THriit Is GONE/INTRO EL. primarily uses the © minor pentatonic seale w solo over “The Thill Is Gone! He adds the flaited fifth (G)) in bar 11 of the first colo and bars 21, 26 ‘and 30 of the second solo, He also uses the natural sixth (AB in bars 434. 47-49 and 53~54 of the second solo, thus hinting at the C dorian mode. Once again, B.B. displays his depth and natural musicianship. cm abrTHE Torii Is GONE/FIRST SOLOTHe Trrits Is GONE/SECOND SOLO