B.B. King's Guitar Legacy: How Difficult is It to Play Like the King?
It’s relatively easy to imitate someone's style of playing. However, it’s very difficult to come up with your own unique style. This is especially true when it comes to playing like the legendary B.B. King. Let’s explore the difficulty of replicating his signature sound and the unique elements that made B.B. King an icon in the world of blues and rock guitar.
The Challenge of Imitating B.B. King
It is nearly impossible to replicate B.B. King's exact style. Mr. King had his own special style that is unique and hard to mimic. His signature vibrato bends are not very difficult if a guitar is strung with very light gauge strings as he preferred, but getting it to sound exactly like his may be challenging. Mr. King needed no vibrato arm; his hand and wrist movement made Lucille sing with vibrato. The sustain he could produce seemed as though some effects device may be causing it, but he used no effects except a bit of the amp's reverb.
Playing B.B. King's Unique Sound
Playing a bend on Lucille was a near-effortless task for B.B. King. I have wondered if his high E string was a smaller gauge than .007 because it was so exceedingly thin. I have used .007s but his custom sets felt they could start at .006 or even .005. The thinness of the string sometimes made it break in concert. It was amazing to see him pull a new string from his coat pocket, thread it, wrap it around a peg, tune it up in less than 2 minutes, and still sing as if nothing had interrupted his performance.
The Religious Experience
Playing B.B. King's guitar solos was a religious experience for his audiences. The Gibson ES-355 voice from Lucille was rich and soulful, and the Mesa Boogie amp with no effects pedals and a microphone placed to the speaker created a clear yet overdriven flavor that was essential to his sound. No one can play guitar like B.B. King because he played in such a special and unique way from the heart and soul. The gear and techniques that B.B. King used are critical to replicating his sound because they allowed for the freedom and emotion that characterize his playing.
Simultaneously Terribly Easy and Fiendishly Difficult
If you look at the tabs, it doesn't appear that B.B. King played a tricky passage in his life. Anyone playing for a year or so can manage the notes. The difficulty lies in the fact that everything Riley played he played with heart and a fiery intensity. To play like him, you have to get THAT. And that is a skill nobody can teach. It's all about the emotion, the passion, and the unique way he played.
B.B. King's Solos: Melodic and_accessibly_difficult
It begins with a guitar solo that is very melodic and feels quite slow and reserved, making it quite accessible. However, the truth is it is rather difficult to play well because of some of the points already covered—beautiful phrasing, distinctive vibrato, and microtonal bends. The solos require a deep understanding of the blues scale and the ability to bend notes in a way that conveys emotion and soul. The feel and delivery are just as important as the technique.
Conclusion
Playing like B.B. King is a challenge that requires a deep understanding of his unique style and the ability to convey the emotion and passion that are central to his playing. While some aspects of his playing may seem simple, the entire performance requires a level of skill and artistry that is difficult to match. For any musician aspiring to play like B.B. King, it's not just about the technique but about the heart and soul behind the guitar.