Alright everyone, in this lesson, we’re going to break down five essential B.B. King licks from live performances of songs like “Lucille” and “Three O’Clock Blues”. To get the most out of this, you should be familiar with the minor blues scale in B-flat. We’ll also use major pentatonic scales, specifically the upper extension of the minor blues scale, also known as B.B.’s box. We will be using a seven-bar blues progression as an exercise.
Here’s a breakdown of the licks we’ll be covering:
- Lick 1: This is a great way to kick off a blues song, leading into the one chord. We’ll be using the major pentatonic scale in B-flat, incorporating bends and vibrato.
- Lick 2: This cool phrase from “Lucille” is perfect for transitions or playing over the four chord. It involves chromatic movement and an arpeggio of the E flat major chord.
- Lick 3: This lick brings us back to the one chord (B7). It includes sliding from the minor to the major third, hammering, and using a B flat nine chord shape.
- Lick 4: Starting at the end of measure four, this lick makes use of B.B.’s box. We’ll incorporate slides, bends, and staccato effects.
- Lick 5: This lick concludes with B.B.’s signature slide away. It features bends, alternating between bent and unbent positions, and resolves on the root note before the slide.