Incorporate B.B. King’s Lyrical Style Into Your Guitar Playing: Must-Try Solos

There are not many guitarists who can rival the influence of B.B. King, the man often described as the King of the Blues. His pioneering guitar style was the catalyst for a huge number of Chicago blues and eventually rock guitarists, and we dare say that anybody who has picked up the electric guitar owes something to him. 

His lyrical style, with its immaculate phrasing, shimmering vibrato, and deeply inherent musicality, is perhaps the pinnacle of expression for which many blues guitarists strive. For more than half a century, King worked tirelessly, releasing over 50 albums and playing upwards of three hundred shows a year and, as a result, he has carved out a legacy that is untouchable. 

Born in 1925 on a plantation in Indianola, Mississippi, King’s fascination with music began at an early age while singing in church. He taught himself to play by listening to the radio and set his heart on a career in music. His popularity grew, and a record contract, radio airplay, and tour dates followed. The rest is music history. 

King’s style developed from an early love of vocalists. He said himself that his favourite musician was Frank Sinatra, and it is evident that B.B. incorporated this influence into his style, seeing improvising as ‘singing through the instrument’. This quality made him truly special. His style had all the musicality of a great vocalist, and the subtleties in his playing are a huge part of the expression he was capable of. 

His phrasing was key to this sound, and each melodic idea was punctuated with space, allowing his solos to breathe. His vibrato also set him apart with its unique quivering style. This gives us some great concepts to take away: to sing like a vocalist when improvising, and that a strong and unique vibrato can become a signature part of one’s sound, adding emotion and expression. 

B.B.’s vocabulary was mostly pentatonic-based but also incorporated a jazzy, chord-tone style of improvisation, as he was influenced by Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, along with the early Chicago blues men such as T-Bone Walker and Lonnie Johnson. 

Our studies incorporate some of these ideas, as well as a pattern referred to as the ‘B.B. Box’. This can be seen as the top three strings of position three of the major pentatonic scale, although it’s really a mix of major and minor, and King would draw from both scales in his solos. 

This shape is really a central part of getting King’s style down, as it allows for the first finger to do most of the vibrato work, especially on the root note, which was perhaps one of the most characteristic elements of King’s style. Aim to be as expressive with these solos as possible and, as always, apply the concepts to your own improvising

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Amp settings: Gain 2, Bass 4, Middle 5, Treble 6,

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