B.B. King Player Study

B.B. King is another of the most influential guitarists of all time. His genre defining playing earning him the nickname "The King of Blues", and is considered one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and Freddie King, none of whom are actually related). King performed tirelessly throughout his career, appearing on average at more than 200 concerts per year into his 70s. In 1956 alone, he appeared at 342 shows.

His playing style is emotive but also economical - no one creates more feeling from fewer notes than B.B. King. This is partly down to note choices, but also his vibrato and string bending, which is a crucial technique to practice in order to really nail his style.

Key playing points;

• Emotive yet economical solos with few fast runs

• Expressive vibrato and string bending with an incredible amount of emotion

• Genre defining blues style and influence

BB King player study - Interactive TAB

B.B. King - "Rock Me Baby" guitar lesson

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