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BB King Intros and Other Ideas . Frank Markovich. Start With the Form. Following page explains this. From there you should fill this out. While I could do it for you, it is best if you do it yourself and understand what you are doing.
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BB King Intros and Other Ideas Frank Markovich
Start With the Form • Following page explains this. • From there you should fill this out. While I could do it for you, it is best if you do it yourself and understand what you are doing. • We will be working mainly in the keys of A and D so make sure you know the blues in those keys!
BB King Scales • The scale that B.B. King uses is not the typical blues scale. • It is composed of the 1, 3, 5 and 6 with added 9 (2) sometimes. • It isn’t that BB doesn’t use the blues scale ever but he really uses the 6th degree and the 9th many time. He also uses the b3rd in many instances. • For these first introductions notice the use of the chord and the emphasis on the 6th. • Much of this is influences by Charlie Christian. • He uses the Mixolydian Mode – The Charlie Christian influence. • Lots of arpeggios – you will see this as we go through the material.
The Mixolydian Mode • Another mode that is used quite a bit is the Mixolydian mode. It is built off of the 5th degree of the major scale. • When you are playing a dominant chord for a long period of time this is the mode that is most used in traditional music. • Even when playing a blues this is a mode that needs to be emphasized along with the blues scale. • Notes are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and b7 as related to the major scale.
Application • Play a D7 chord and solo using the Mixolydian mode. • Develop a vamp using this mode also. For example playing Am7 to D7 will also work very well with this mode. • Try adding in harmony similar to what you did in the Dorian Mode.
This is in 4th position to start and when the chord is played you will switch to 5th position. Be sure to do vibrato on the last note. Try to play with a bluesy tone. Very easy to feel. Count to 3 and come in on the & after 3. The scale notes used are 5, 6, 1 chord, to 1. The 6th really can be considered a chord tone. This would mean that the whole intro is chord tones.
Almost the same as the last intro but a slide up to the A7 chord on the 1st beat of the 2nd measure. Also only using 2 of the notes in the chord. This is a grace note so it happens quickly. Again be sure to play with vibrato on the last note. Counting is the same as are the fingering and position.
#3 Very similar to the last 2 but only the 3rd on beat 1 of measure 2 and instead of going to the root it goes to the 5th of the chord. Notice how much different going to the E (5th of A7) sounds. The skip of an interval of a 6th really brings this line out. Again it isn’t much different than the previous examples but it is enough different to give the intro a different feel. You should try this one up an octave. In fact, all of them in various keys and octaves.
This is in 5th position. Again try this example in other positions and other keys.
Intro comments • Notice the notes are all either in the chord or the 6th. • Notice how relaxed these intro’s feel. They set the tone for the rest of the solo. • Very important to start correctly. • Also they all start on the & after 3 of the previous measure. • Chuck Berry also did this on most of his introductions.
Thrill Is Gone • This is a standard minor blues: • Form is: • ||: Im | | | | IVm | | Im | | bVI|V7| Im | : || • Song is in the key of Bm: • ||: Bm | | | | Em | | Bm | | G|F#7| Bm | : || • We will start with an outline of the beginning solo which is also the introduction to the song.
(e) The first 4 measures are all in Bm. If you look closely you will see that most of the notes are chord tones. If you think of the chord as a Bm7 then all but the 3 E’s are chord tones. This entire section is played in 7th position. Not even one note is out of that position. The scale used for this is the B minor pentatonic scale in the E from. Make sure that you learn that scale.
Start at 10th position At this point play in 7th position. The melody on the G to F#7 is really exciting. But for the G it is the 5th of the chord to the 6th to the 5th back to the 3rd of the chord. F#7 is the 7th to the 6th back to the 7th. Again chord tones. Then the Bm Uses the 3rd and the root. The double stop at the end is the root and 5th. Chord tones all the way. While not adventuresome it is very melodic this way and works well in this song. Lot’s to think about with this.
Now work on hammering and pulling • Do the exercises listed before. • Apply to the blues scale and the mixolydian mode.
Bending Notes • This could be a whole course but we will start with the basics. • On the first 2 strings you always bend the strings upward towards the sky. On the bottom 2 strings you must bend them downward. Typically the middle 2 strings are also bent up but could be bent either way if you are only bending one note and not holding another note. • There are a variety of bends that need to be accomplished.
The main part of this is double stops • Double stops are playing 2 notes together, usually on consecutive strings. • Chuck Berry did mainly double stops. • Called stops as when you press down on a note it is referred to as stopping the note. • This can be lots of fun. You will find that this tune is actually very easy and has lots of repeated ideas.
Start with pickups To do this barre the 3rd fret with the index finger across the 1st 4 strings. Use your ring finger on the 1st note, then hit the 2nd and 3rd strings and immediately hammer on the 3rd string 4th fret with the middle finger. Then flatten your ring finger to ½ barre at the 5th fret and play the 2nd & 3rd strings. Lastly switch to 5th position and using the 2nd and 3rd fingers play the 2nd string 6th fret and 3rd string 7th fret together
2nd group is just backwards from first part Notice that the next part is backwards of the 1st part. Here ½ barre the 5th fret with the ring finger and play the 2nd and 3rd strings. Then ½ barre the 3 fret with the index finger and play the same 2 strings, immediately hammer on the 4th fret of the 3rd string with the middle finger then play the 4th string 5th fret with the ring finger.
Now move everything up 5 frets to the 8th position. It is exactly the same but up 8 frets. It is now against a C7 chord.
Back down to G7 – same as first time!! See how just one simple phrase is used over and over again. This makes learning this very easy. These ideas can also be used for soloing.
Now one more easy line This is an easy line to do also. Start in 4th position. Middle plays 5th fret 5th string, then index plays 4th string 4th fret 2 times, then middle plays 5th fret, ring plays 6th fret, and pinky plays 7th fret. Then a D9 chord. Next move the whole idea down 2 frets for the C7 chord. D9 at the 4th fret and C9 at the 2nd fret. 1 2 3 3 3
Last turn This one last main idea is to play in 3rd position. Very similar to beginning but not double stops. Ring plays 5th fret 4th string, index 3rd string 2nd fret, middle to 3rd string 4th fret, to index 2nd string 3rd fret and lastly the 5th fret 4th string again. The only hard part is that the 3 notes in the middle are triplets (3 notes in the time of 1 beat).
This measure before the repeat is like the rest of the song but has a D7 in the middle. See below D7 4th fret 1 2 3
Now learn it and solo to it. • As you can see there are only 3 parts to this song. • Memorize it. Good blues to play with others. Try it in other keys. • Soloing is just a blues. Use any of the techniques talked about with the blues.
