It’s tempting to call this the “3 note solo,” but since I already did a 4 note solo, that might be a little silly đ
Seriously, though, this is a really simple pattern… a lot of people call it the “BB Box” or the “BB King Box” but I’ve studied a LOT of BB King and, while he uses this box, he uses a lot of other patterns more.
Also, a lot of people use this pattern, not just BB…
So I call it the “house pattern” because it kind of looks like a house, and it’s REALLY easy to use it to follow the major and minor chord sounds throughout your solo.
Here, I’ll show you…
By the way, I have a course called Killer Blues Solos Made Easy that uses this pattern like this, and more.
15 replies to "Using The BB Box House Pattern And Switching Major and Minor"
I can play the box. I can play all the boxes.
But the rest is greek to me. The harder I try to understand him, the more incomprehensible it becomes in my head. Maybe its like a learning disabilty? I’ve actually been told I’m a genius in other things, maybe this is like an idiot savant thing in reverse.
How do you just ‘make something up’?
That’s not simple, that’s quantum physics level mysterious black art.
It’s clearly me. The other comments find this helpful. It makes me want to scream. Or cry.
I’ve tried for over 55 years now, off and on….
I keep trying the same thing (watching these videos) over and over hoping for a different result, that I’ll finally get it. That’s the definition of insanity.
Hopeless.
*sigh*
This was a really, REALLY helpful lesson that made me feel like maybe I’m not as far from playing a decent solo as I usually feel!
Thanks Griff for all your doing for me to learn some blues I look forward to your emails Every day for they are the highlight of my day gives me hope on being maybe just a little better of a player and helps me to make sense of it play on bro
I did your “4 note solo” which I found to be a tremendous help – because prior to that I was wondering all over the fret board making noise and not really playing anything. Then I thought what can I do with 3 notes or 2 notes. Playing around for a few hrs I ended up with something vaguely similar to what you demonstrated not because I knew what I was doing but because it sounded good. (If I could only hit those bends)
I also struggled for a long time with bends. I started out just using my ear to gauge it, but to no avail. I then put my acoustic (TC Electronics coloured LED) tuner on my headstock and practised over and over again hitting 1/2 note and full not bends – a littel every day. This way my brain finally figured how far my fingers needed to push the string up to hit the right tone as I had a visual inidicator as well as the sound. Eventually, I was able to remove the tuner (after some weeks of daily practice) and now I find I can bend reasonably well. I’ll never be BB King or Clapton, but it sounds good to me đ Hope that reminder of a someone else’s good idea my help.
Griff, as always making the difficult extremely simple….the idea of a full bend versus half bend to start mixing major and minor sounds – awesome!
It doesn’t have to be complicated. 3 notes. Stay in time. Have fun. Thanks Griff.
Hi Griff,
That’ s a definitive B.B. King lick, for sure. I am blessed to have seen B.B. live at least
six times (I have the same t-shirt as you’re wearing!) and you hear this lick and variations
a lot.
Griff, thanks for all the lessons – you’re helping this old bluesman a ton!
I was wondering, what recorder equipment you use to make your loops with?
As an additional option, you can stay on the A and not bend at all if youâre over the 5. Great stuff Griff. Thanks.
Youâve done more to keep blues alive and well than anyone could ever expect or imagine. Especially now, your emails are a golden part of my day – a spirit-lifter like no other. Thank you!!
Thanks!!!
That jist opened the door to get me out of box 1! For some reason I never made the connection until this video. Keep em coming!
Hi Griff, thanks for another great lesson. This lesson will help with the bends!
Thanks Griff for another reminder that blues soloing does not have to be complicated. Not all of us are joe bonamassa etc…(or you đ) and can fly up and down the fret board yet or if thatâs even our style. Youâve shown me how to get what I feel when I hear the blues into notes on my guitar without over complicating it. Your four note solo is how I found you and became a bgu member. Thanks for all the time and effort you put in for us. Enjoy your day.
I still have problems killing the note at the top of the bend. I think it’s that the act of “picking” the note and “rocking” my right hand slightly to kill the note on count are harder than they look.