BB King Guitar Licks: 1947-1953

Explore B.B. King's second lick in the first position blues box from 'Why Did You Leave Me?' in B-flat, including the recurring lick and note-holding technique.

Learn lick #3 in the first-position blues box in the key of B, moving from B-flat, from Shake It Up and Go, capturing BB King style in early electric blues.

Shift to the key of C and move the first-position blues box up to the eighth fret, using single-string licks, double stops, and slides in the B.B. King style.

Learn B.B. King's lick in the key of B flat from three o'clock blues, anchored in the first-position blues box with a sixth-fret double-stop and a ninth-to-sixth fret bounce.

Master lick #6 in the blues box in the key of B flat from fine looking woman, emphasizing repetition, variations, and passing bends to elevate ordinary notes.

Explore B.B. King's lick #7 from blind love, in the key of c, leading into solos with an eighth-to-tenth fret, three-note phrase on the second string.

Learn lick #8 in B-flat over the first position blues box, featuring a slide on the third string (9-8-6) and a fourth-string pull-off, with ideas to blend notes.

Explore lick #11 from Someday Somewhere, featuring a subtle BB King slide, left-hand vibrato on the fourth string, and a double slide from the third string 10th to 12th fret.

Learn lick 12 from BB King's Three O'clock Blues in B-flat, a first-position blues lick with hammer-ons and optional vibrato, featuring eighth- and sixth-fret moves.

Explore lick #13 from early B.B. King in B-flat, a fill lick with pull-off on the first and second strings from ninth to sixth fret, Why Did You Leave Me.

Explore B.B. King lick #14 from 1947-1953, a horn-like C lick. It starts on the 8th fret high E and alternates with the 10th fret B, Gotta Find My Baby.

Explore lick 18 from the other night blues in the key of G, featuring a pull up flick and a six-to-five-to-three pull off into a first-position blues box run.

Learn lick #19 from BB King guitar licks 1947-1953, sliding into B flat from the eighth to eleventh fret on the second string, then returning to the first blues box.

Explore lick 20 in G, a BB King blues box variation based on the first-position lick, with fingerings on the third fret second string and fifth fret fourth string.

Explore lick #24 in the key of G, climbing into the phrase with a passing note on the second string and a second-position blues box.

Explore a BB King blues lick variation in the key of G, using the sixth fret on the second string to form a G seventh and a single-string run.

Explore lick #26 from BB King’s recordings, in the key of C, moving from the one to the five with a tenth fret start on the fourth string, vibrato.

Explore BB King lick #28 in blues in the key of G, showcasing variations on the same notes across lessons with tab-guided practice.

Learn lick #30 from the key of B flat, including a second-string climb, hammering between notes, a quick hop, and a bend resolving to the B flat root.

Lick #32 presents a complex pattern in the key of G from she don't move me no more, with variations across frets 3–6 on the first and second strings.

Learn lick #33 from Beeby Boogie in first-position blue box patterns with pull-offs from 11th to 10th fret on first string, and hammer-ons with double stops in C.

Discover lick #35 from BB King’s my own fault, darling, starting at the fourth-string 12th fret D with a first-position blues box, including slides on the second and third strings.

Master lick 38 in F sharp, featuring single-string runs in the first-position blues box, climbing from the second fret of the first string, moving fourth to fifth fret, with vibrato.

Explore BB King's lick #40 from please love me, featuring a distorted intro, two double stops, and a blues box in E flat from frets 11–13.

Discover B.B. King's lick #42, a double stop on the second and third strings that launches a solo in B from the blue box in shake it up and go.

learn lick #43 from bb king guitar licks 1947-1953, featuring a double stop on the first and second strings with pinky on the eleventh fret and a blues box run.

Explore lick 44 from BB King, 1947–1953, a baby boogie in C uses a double stop, hammer‑on/pull‑off between frets 8 and 10 on string 1, and 8–9 on string 3.

Discover B.B. King's string bending in blues licks, two riffs from three o'clock blues and highway bound in b-flat, shown in blues box with a three-finger bend on third string.

Explore B.B. King's lick #52 from Blind Love, featuring a bend on the tenth fret of the third string, sliding to the first string, and a held vibrato finish.

Explore B.B. King's lick number 53, in C, focusing on second-string bending with a four-finger band to control tone and build finger strength through repeated practice.

Demonstrates BB King lick #54 from Please Love Me, second string 14th fret in B flat, alternating with first string 11th fret, finishing on the third and fourth strings.

Explore lick #56 from BB King guitar licks 1947-1953, highlighting bends on the second string, a long 11th fret bend, and a three-part phrase rooted in Blind Love.

Explore lick #58 in Bb, a variation of lick 57 with a long bend on the first string, a nine-fret bend, and a jazzy swing phrase ending on Bb.

Explore lick #63 from BB King's Someday Somewhere in Kiff, using the D shape at the 12th-13th frets with slides and hammer-ons that align with the blues box in C.

Master lick 65 in the D position by sliding to the 15th fret of the first string, hammering 11 to 12, then 13 on the second string with vibrato.

Explore lick 68 from B.B. King guitar licks 1947–1953, stay in the D shape and second-position blues box, move to B-flat, with a walk-down to the 11th fret in C.

Explore double-stop rhythm patterns in B.B. King guitar licks from his early recordings, including horn-like double stops over one, two, and four chords in fine looking woman in b flat.