BB King - The Most Legendary Blues Music Guitar Personality Ever - Part 2   by Auburn Walker

in Hobbies    (submitted 2011-02-15)

The guitar style of BB King may seem simple, yet upon evaluation it discloses a refined consciousness of melody, harmony, and beat. He looks to always hit the appropriate notes, phrases like no one else, and has a vibrato which is universally recognized. BB approaches the guitar as if it were a different voice, not just as an instrument. He plays guitar as if he were singing through it. When he has to take a breath, his guitar does as well. He claims that his sound is not a thing that he learned, it is just the way he asserts himself as a person and as a guitar player. Thankfully, for aspiring blues guitarists there is a large amount of of BB King blues guitar tabs available and an instructional DVD training course taught by BB King himself!

Stylistically, what separates BB King from his fellow blues guitarists is his firm rooting in the jazz and the blues idioms. One of BB's major influences was jazz guitarist Lonnie Johnson, who was one of the first guitarists to visualize the guitar as a single-line solo instrument. BB additionally listened considerably to Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt and to horn players like Lester Young, Johnny Hodges and Bobby Hackett. His blues guitar influence comes largely from T-Bone Walker. BB softened Walker's somewhat strident style, adding a vibrato which he developed while making an attempt to copy the bottleneck slide guitar sound of his cousin Bukka White. The rest is pure BB King, which is a mix of factors that has made one of the most unique blues guitar performers ever!

BB draws from a huge pallet of harmonic and melodic devices. Although he is largely known as a single line guitarist, he does play chords - specifically triads and double stops which he uses to punctuate his solos. Check out his chord intro to the tune "Please Love Me" and his rhythm chord comping through the saxophone solo in the tune "You Upset Me Baby". Possibly the most identifiable characteristic of BB King's sound is his "Bee-Sting" vibrato. He does his vibrato fully from his wrist, as he shakes his complete hand swiftly and evenly. Even though it is a significantly imitated sound, only BB can make it "sing" the way he does. BB's know-how of jazz harmony enables him to introduce harmonic ideas into his soloing which are a lot more subtle than the standard pentatonic ideas employed by most blues guitar performers

The most distinctive quality of BB King's style is his capability to combine jazzier elements with a rock solid blues sensibility. I was lucky enough to listen to BB King and his big band perform in person at the Civic Center in Baltimore, Maryland back in 1969. The big band was extraordinary - a real wall of sound - and BB's guitar playing simply "wailed" and filled the Civic Center with some of the most exciting blues guitar music I've ever heard. And, as an extra bonus the starting act for BB King that evening was The Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart on vocals. I'll never forget the contrast in styles - Jeff Beck's British blues rock guitar playing as opposed to the American blues guitar playing of BB King! All in all an unforgettable evening!

About the Author

Peabody Conservatory trained guitarist Steven Herron helps guitar players become better guitarists. His company ChordMelody.com features an enormous selection of blues guitar tabs as well as instructional DVDs by BB King himself. Find out more and claim Steven's popular free monthly guitar lesson e-course available at: =>
http://www.chordmelody.com/BB-King.htm