Albert King Style Blues Licks
 Hi guys, welcome to another blues lesson! :) In this lesson we will cover some of the most famous licks of the great blues legend Mr.Albert King. Albert was by his Gibson Flying V Guitar, left hand playing and upside down string layout. He played with his fingers too, but in this lesson we will do his licks using a pick. You can use fingers if you like to get that rich fat tone.
Now, I've noticed that some people have problems when going back to the root in a solo. This "skill" so to speak can be learned by doing some nice licks when going back to the root, and Albert does this all the time, so I purposely put many variations of these in here too. You will find them quite useful when playing your own progressions I'm sure.
It is a simple lesson using mostly minor pentatonic scale - major position. In this position we will be doing some nice slides and bends using our index finger - just like Mr.Albert King. The tone we are trying to have is rich, warm, overdriven and fat humbucker tone.
This lessons contains:
- Blues style of Albert King
- Lots of great blues licks
- Index Finger Bending
- Slides
- Syncopation
Settings used:
Humbucker (better is neck but i used bridge with tone rolled off), pro co rat drive pedal emulation, fender blackface amulation, slightly overdriven, a touch of reverb.
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|--3--| |-3-|
Q Q Q E E E Q H S S S S S
E||----------------------5--7--|--7brb-----------------------|
B||-----------------5g7--------|-----------------------7-7-7-|
G||----------------------------|-----------------------------|
D||----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A||----------------------------|-----------------------------|
E||----------------------------|-----------------------------|
3 3 |-3-| 3 3
S S E E E Q S S S S S E
--5-7-7pbr--7pbr--7b--5b------------5-----|
----------------------------7-7-7-7---7~--|
------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------| |
Here we have a great starting lick of Albert King - the one he is most famous of, and often starts his songs with it. Lot's of bends, and watch out of that bends, we do a whole step bend, then return to half step bend, and go again to the whole step bend on that E string. |
|-3-| |-3-| 3 3 3
S S S S Q S S S S S S E. S S
----------------------------------------|
-------7---5b---------------------------|
--4s-6---6-------6---4-2-4---2b---------|
---------------------------4------4p-2s-|
----------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------| |
A little "come back" to the root lick. You will maybe notice that we are using mostly the major position of the pentatonic scale, only sliding occasionally to the minor position here and there in order to return on the root. The most important thing is not to use too many notes, but the right ones. Practice various combinations and learn the notes - this way you can fell the time when you need to come back to the root, and really play some great licks. |
|---3--|
E E E
------------|
------7-----|
--4b-----6--|
------------|
------------|
------------|
|-3-| |--3-| |-3-| |-3-|
Q S S S S S S S S S S S S Q
--------2-----------------------------|
--5b------5-2-------------------------|
--------------4b-4-2-4---2------------|
-----------------------4---4-2--------|
-------------------------------4------|
--------------------------------------| |
Here we have a similar lick like before, but watch out! This one is played in the context of going to the B7 chord (the IV), and involves one great bending lick commonly used by Albert. Using our index finger we bend the B string whole step to go to the root. |
|-3-| |--3-| |-3-| |-3-| |3|
E S S S S S S S S S S S S S E E E Q
-----------7------------------------------------|
---------7---5b-5-7-----------7-----------------|
-----4g6------------6-4-----6---6---------------|
------------------------7-4-------7b--7b--7b-4~-|
------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------| |
Here we are doing a couple a slide in, going up, doing another nice bend with our index, and then returning to the root in a syncopated way, adding some bends in the way. When we land on those bends the progression goes back to F#7 again. |
|-3-| |--3--| |-3-| |--3--|
S S S E S S S S E S S S H
------------------------|------------------|
------------------------|------------------|
-----2-4-4pbr--2-----2b-|--L---------------|
-2g4-------------4-2----|-----4p~-2--------|
------------------------|-----------4------|
------------------------|------------------| |
Here we have a little "fill in" lick, that is used to cover the space before going to the V chord (C#7). This little lick is purposely a little quieter, and this is because it is used to accent the coming part. |
|----3----| |----3---| 3 3 3
S S S S S S S Q S S E E S S S S S S Q
------------5-7-|----7pbr----7-5-7b--5-------------------|
--------5-7-----|-----------------------7-5---5-7--------|
---4s-6---------|---------------------------6-----6------|
----------------|----------------------------------------|
----------------|----------------------------------------|
----------------|----------------------------------------| |
OK here we go to the V chord. Notice how this lick is much more dynamic then the last one. Here we are entering the peak in the progression - especially on that bend on E string. This bend must be spot on and played with a lot of feeling. |
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S Q
-----7pbr--5-7-7b-5b-----------------------|--------
-----x---------------7-5---5b--5-7---------|--------
-----x-------------------6---------6-4-6-4-|--------
-----x-------------------------------------|--7-4~--
-------------------------------------------|--------
-------------------------------------------|-------- |
Still at the peak, doing a raking lick, and going down to root of course, thus resolving the solo. |
|--3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |---3---| 3
S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S E H E. E W
----------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------|
----------7---5~----2---5---|----------------------------------------|--7~----------------|
-----4s-6---6---------4---4-|--2---2-4--------------------------4g6--|--L~----------------|
----------------------------|----4-----4-2-4-2-----------------------|--------------------|
----------------------------|------------------4~--------------------|--------------------|
----------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------| |
And to conclude the solo, we are using the variation of the same lick when going down to the root, and a nice fifth interval vibrato at the end. |
Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments |
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Kristofer Dahl |
12th March 2008 |
GMC Founder & Rocker
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I love it Ivan - to me, the blues has always been the number one inspiration for phrasing and tone!  Everyone should give this a go regardless of their musical preferneces! |
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Trond Vold |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Great lesson  I really like those bends |
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Dejan Farkas |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Great licks Ivan |
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Martin la guitarra |
12th March 2008 |
Member
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YEEESSSS, i love your blues lesson! keep em coming
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Tuubsu |
12th March 2008 |
Member
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Yeah, this is what blues should be!
Is that a pick holder on the "upperside" of your guitar? |
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Danilo Capezzuto |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Great lesson
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Nick Kellie |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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nice lesson dude!
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Muris Varajic |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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That's the one! |
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The Uncreator |
12th March 2008 |
Fire Up The Blades, Moderator
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Great lesson, You did the legend justice!
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Nemanja Filipovic |
12th March 2008 |
Singing Instructor
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great lesson man... |
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Joe Kataldo |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Great Lesson
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Carlos Carrillo |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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good job Ivan!!!!!!
thanks
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Toni Suominen |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Great as always Ivan! |
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Pablo Vazquez |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Wow!! Great Lesson!
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Bogdan Radovic |
12th March 2008 |
Bass Instructor
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Another great blues lesson!  |
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Siggum |
12th March 2008 |
Member
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Great lesson Ivan, you clearly got the blues |
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Ivan Milenkovic |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Thank you very much guys!  |
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Martin la guitarra |
12th March 2008 |
Member
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i just have one noobish question, well i've watch most of your lesson. But when you post out the scales i get confused. Because there can be so many notes, like the A dorian mode for instance. In what order do you pick them?
Even those scales you put here, f# minor blues scale and f# pentatonic blues scale makes me go nuts... Appreciate some help here please
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Gabriel Leopardi |
12th March 2008 |
GMC Coordinator & Instructor
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Great blues lessons Ivan! Nice sound too.
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SLASH91 |
12th March 2008 |
Member
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Really cool
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Alejandro Piņero |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Oh!! Good lesson!
Very nice sound!
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Hisham Al-Sanea |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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great blues Ivan ...nice feelings
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Ivan Milenkovic |
12th March 2008 |
Instructor
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i just have one noobish question, well i've watch most of your lesson. But when you post out the scales i get confused. Because there can be so many notes, like the A dorian mode for instance. In what order do you pick them?
Even those scales you put here, f# minor blues scale and f# pentatonic blues scale makes me go nuts... Appreciate some help here please Well it's not the order, you just have to know the scales in order to play it, that's all. And by knowing I mean to know the correct note pitch that corresponds to a place on the fretboard. For simple licks from albert you can choose only F# minor pentatonic lesson, and if you look more closely, minor blues is with just ONE note added, so it's the basically very similar. It all revolves around pentatonic scale.
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JukeboxHero |
12th March 2008 |
Member
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A wise man once said, "Blues is the roots everything else is the fruits." Great lesson Ivan.
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Gerardo Siere |
13th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Great solo, great sound, great job.
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Marcus Lavendell |
13th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Now that's what I call blues!! Awesome Ivan!
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Ivan Milenkovic |
13th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Thanks a lot! |
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Marcus Siepen |
13th March 2008 |
Instructor (Blind Guardian)
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great lesson, love it!
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inertia |
14th March 2008 |
Member
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killer licks, definitely going to learn this lesson
Ivan - please keep making more blues lessons, you rock man
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Juan M. Valero |
14th March 2008 |
Instructor
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excelent and cool lesson |
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kyldeee |
14th March 2008 |
Member
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This is what I would call blues Great lesson Ivan. |
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Ivan Milenkovic |
14th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Thanks a lot guys, my intermediate/advanced blues lesson with lot's of blues licks is almost ready too! |
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Fran |
14th March 2008 |
Member
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Awesome lesson full of great licks as usual
Thanks Ivan! |
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Carlos Carrillo |
14th March 2008 |
Instructor
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good job!!!!
thanks
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Luciana Segovia |
15th March 2008 |
Singing Instructor
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I loveeeeeee the bluessssss...
while you was playing your lesson I was improvising with my voice.
coooooool
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EGMONT 1963 |
16th March 2008 |
Member
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HI IVAN
WHAT WILL SAY THE S S S S Q S S E OVER THE TABS
THX
UDO FROM BELGIUM
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Ivan Milenkovic |
18th March 2008 |
Instructor
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Thank you very much!
@Egmont 1963
Those are note length values for example S like sixteen, Q for quarter etc. |
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berko |
10th May 2008 |
Member
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wow, man i just love your lessons
i love this lesson
i love the bb king one (btw where's the 3rd "king" Freddy? :-))
i love you macedonian lesson
i love the pentatonic workshop
the ones with wah-wah
and even you restringing tutorial, man
keep them up, and the ultra-high quality editing as well!!
cheers
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Ivan Milenkovic |
10th May 2008 |
Instructor
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Thanks man, I'm glad I could help, and glad you like them! Cheers |
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