Description
In this lesson I’ve put together several popular guitar licks that Albert King would commonly use. Albert was a left-handed player which means that he was pulling the strings when he did his bends (as opposed to pushing the strings), this is fairly common with left handed players because the order of the strings are updside down. Another thing to point out about Albert’s style is that he usually tunes his guitar down to e flat (so everything is tuned down a half step). A lot of artists (Hendrix, SRV) would use this technique because there is less tension on the strings which means you can bend them farther (with less effort). I’ve never been a big fan of doing this because it can quickly become confusing when you sit in with a band or play with other musicians, having to always remind yourself that you’re a half step down. Albert King is a great one to follow (especially for beginners) because he uses a lot of the same licks over and over, so it makes it easier to concentrate on learning – less to be intimidated by. However, don’t let the simplicity of his licks fool you into thinking they’re easy to play, I’ve been trying to get his sound for years and still haven’t got it down (not even close). This lesson makes reference to some of the previous lessons like the major and minor pentatonic scales overview which are also available on this site.
Albert King Style Guitar Lesson
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
You need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets.
Learn MoreAdd to "My Favorites"
You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.
how do you get these backing tracks to download; thanks, clem
Albert King could you be kind enough to play it with soundslice with backing track so I can jam along with you through the whole thing also BB and Freddy King thank you Brian
Hey clim, If you click on the “Download Jam Track” button at the top what do you see? If you’re logged in (which you were to post your comment on here) then you should see 2 links, one to download the tablature and one to download the jam track. The jam track is a zipped file that you’ll need to download and extract the MP3 file from. Let me know if this isn’t working for you and I’ll try emailing it to you.
Brian;
GREAT LESSON !!!!!taking me a little time to get it down but it is great I keep pluging away. I am 69 and havent played in many years now trying to get back into it. Thanks
Q. The group Foreigner When the play the concert version ( long version) of Urgent the intro by Mick Jones is good, can you teach it ???
Hey Donniehana, glad that you’ve picked the guitar back up at 69, but why in the world did you put it down in the first place? :) I’m always surprised how many people there are like you that stop playing at some point. I can’t imagine putting it down, but then again I tend to OVERindulge.
As for the Albert King lesson, glad you’re enjoying, just keep plugging away at it and you’ll eventually be able to play it. The most difficult part wont’ necessarily be fretting the notes, but will be getting the bends and vibrato down just right. That was the stuff that drove me crazy when I was learning how to play blues.. I’d hear guys like Albert King or Eric Clapton and would try over and over and over again to get a sound like that.
Regarding Foreigner, I’ll try and dig up the live version that you’re talking about and maybe record a private lesson for you. I’m trying to stay away from copyrighted material so I won’t be able to post something like that (although I’m sure a lot of people would enjoy it) - If you’ll notice, all of my lessons have original solos or songs that I compose that are played “in the style of” the artist. So I just have to sort of make it up.
If you can find that live recording on YouTube or somewhere shoot me the link and I’ll try and put something together for you.
-brian
Thanks Brian;
I got the Albert King down now, I also have switced around playing it in different keys.
PS. I sent you that Foreigner intro off you tube. A lesson sounds GREAT.
Thanks so much
Love this solo is there anything you can add to it to make it about 8 bars longer ?
Also an intro and turnover ..
Thanks Brian
wow, this is awesome, thanks bro!
So far the best lesson for me has been this one, 3-5 notes to play really makes you think how to do more with less and I was surprised how fast I was able to pick it up, makes me feel good, but my fingers are blistered from bending and bending…Its all good. Thanks Brian!
1976lespaul - hey man, glad to h ear it’s working for you. I think the best way to learn something is to remove all of the noise and break it down to it’s simplest form. if you can start creating solos with just 2 or 3 notes, then you can add to them over time.. but if you can get it conceptually, then eventually you’ll be able to play like Eric Clapton.
Nice lesson Brian enjoyed that very much.According to several people (many actually) Albert King tuned his guitar between 1& half steps to 2 & half steps down & never seemed to play anything on the E 6th string.
LP
Hi thanks for this lesson.
I have a problem with tab download. the fret numbers dont show up at all an there is only one page. Can you help me?
Thanks Dom
Do You have Adobe Reader Dominique ? It is only thing I can think of for not showing fret position numbers. I also think in most cases there is only 1 page - haven’t seen all the TAB available here but it seems to be that way.
What do you exactly do when you go to download the TAB ?
LP
Hi Lp I do use Adobe reader.(should I use another program?) I right click and save as to my desk top. Any tips?
cheers Dom
When you open the link there is a little icon in the far left corner of it - it looks like the old floppy disks , left click on that then choose ” save as ” then a window will pop up with your computer files & you can choose which file/folder you want.
Try that see how you go.
LP
Thanks LP I got it working gonna print and give it a shot!
Dom
You’re welcome glad you got it working for you.
LP
downloaded the material, cant wait to start. Thanks a lot!
I really enjoy the feel of blues guitar and jazz guitar its so pretty. Thank you for this video a lot of fun to play.
I have a request though and I would be so delighted if you did it lol
John Coltrane- Giant Steps
please and thank you are the magic words!
😀
Brian, Thanks for the great lesson. Have been using Activemelody for about 3 months now. Have made great progress. Your skill, personality, and beautifully designed are so good. What a teacher! Thanks again. When is the next lesson coming out? Hendrix? SRV? Whatever I’m sure it will be good.
john
Hey! Great lesson.
I notice something very interesting: this is not a tipical 12bar blues progression regarding the 4 last bars.Anyhow it sound great,different.
Have you got some exemples of titles played this way?
I learn a lot of songs from watching videos on YouTube. Your lessons are among the best. Nice choice of music and well presented. Keep them coming.
Nice - with a minor correction. Albert King does not tune down a half step like SRV & Hendrix. He uses a kind of an open tuning (Fm?) or something like that - similar to Albert Collins.
This makes his style & sound even more unique
And here is a comment from far away- from Bulgaria. I think this lessons are superb, excellent! Many, may thanks for these wonderful links and strategies!
@mbguess5 - Glad to hear that! I love opening minds to musical possibilities. When you break this stuff down to it’s purest level, you find that it isn’t that impossible to do… and all of the sudden music becomes extremely fun.
I love it, this has given me a new look on music. I have alwasy loved blues. Your lessons have opened my mind to bigger things.
Hey Brian. Great Lesson! Albert King is the absolute King!!! He is a testament to simplicity and soul. I go from listening to the gods of bebop - players like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, John Coltrane - to Albert King and man! Albert floors me in all the same ways - which is incredible in comparison because maybe Albert knows 8 licks total.
Anyways, I love the site. I’m a full-time music student and gigging blues guitarist and I learn a ton from here!
I love the lessons. Keep them coming. 🙂
PS what’s your favorite Albert King album? Mine has got to be “In Session” w/ SRV.
Brian, Git fiddle man in Dallas. I do wish somehow to get the Jam track for Albert and BB’s Lead. My downloads keep telling me that it won’t work because of the “codec” of the Zip file is wrong. Is there any other way to get these files? I have the tablature but not the same without the Jam tract. Thanks in advance.
Hi Brian,
I’m 65 & from UK. Started playing again about three years back and found you on U Tube. I signed up imediately and now I’m like a kid in a toy shop. You’re easy style of explaining concepts is brilliant. Albert is my King of the blues but your stuff on B.B. and Clapton (and Cray and Knofler, etc.) is great and you make it accessable. Well done mate, keep it up.
It doesnt allow me do download the track on my android… :’(
Brian,
This is some of the best instruction I’ve seen! I’m using it when I play and when I hit these Albert King licks a lot of heads turn.
Keep it up!
Bob
Greetings from Sweden. Brian keep up the excellent work!
Great lessons and a great teacher!
Just signed on, very good lessons. Thanks from So. Cal.
Davey, email me directly brian (at) activemelody.com and we’ll work through it. Could it be that you haven’t purchased the premium access? I had to start charging a $5 (one time) for access to all jam tracks and tab to cover bandwidth costs.
Hi, I can sign in but cannot access the jam track or tab for anything,
I can only echo what I’ve said in other posts.. this is the best! Please keep em coming. I’m happy with the blues.
I got to see Albert King in Chicago a few times. He even sat at a table with my wife and myself and had a few drinks with us. We were in a club on Stoney Island Ave on the southside of town. Love you lesson on him.
@SchoolBoy1 - wow, that is incredible! Unfortunately I didn’t even start to really appreciate Albert King (or any of the great blues artists) until the early 1990s, long after he was gone. I would have love to have seen him play, can’t imagine sharing drinks with him at the table.
Hi
I have just tried to download the mp3 but it says
Wait! In order to download Lesson Files, you’ll need to login with your premium account. It’s only a one time fee of $5 for access to all ActiveMelody Jam Tracks and Tablature.
But on the video clip it said it was free
Thanks
Tex
Hey $5 is almost nothing. Brian is putting out some very good lessons and for that $5 you get all the jam tracks and tabs
$5 is almost nothing but a video that promises a free download is misleading and a down right lie. $5 is not free and in this tight economy some people cannot afford even $5 so making up false promises just to lead people to your site is very misleading.
@ultimatetone - There is a disclaimer on the video that states that it is not longer free - Over the past 2 years I’ve had to explain this many times and I can’t afford to take the video down … here’s my blog post on this very thing… https://www.activemelody.com/blog/blog_comments/premium_membership_now_5_dollars/
can’t seem to download the backing track on my Ipad3. Got the tab, but not the backing track.
Thanks
Carl
Carl, that’s because it’s a zip file - you can’t unzip a file on an iPad (there isn’t file management on a tablet device)- so you’ll have to download to your computer and unzip. I’m going to be fixing this in the next version of ActiveMelody (upcoming)
Hi Brian, great lesson ! Your intro video to the website includes a really cool tune, sounds like Albert King style. A lesson and jam track for this if poss would be great.
Graham
Backing Track won’t download. I get a message to log in if I’m a Premium Member (which I am) and after I log in, I get the same message? What’s up with that?
@PokerSteve - I’ve resolved this for you. You should be able to download now.
Thanks Brian!
Hi Brian,
First things, your lessons are first class and your style is so good, thanks. However there seems to be something missing from the end of the Albert King lesson (or is it just me?). Also it would be useful, for beginners like myself, to give a slow run through of the complete tune/lick at the end.
regards,
Rob.
Just managed to finish off this lesson last night. It feels great to play something that sounds complete; thanks Brian. I spread the lesson over a week and took it one step at a time. Just a tip that might help others who may struggle like myself - Learn a small section and play it over the backing track; just keep repeating it until the track ends; it doesn’t sound as good as the complete thing but it does fit in and it makes you feel good.
Regards
Bob.
Cambridgeshire UK
Hi Brian. Really enjoying your blues lessons. Was in a band in my early twenties playing straight rock. I am now 58 and decided to play blues properly. Love the Albert King stuff but
Can’t seem to get the backing track to unzip properly.
Great Lesson! Love Albert King’s style.
Hi Brian.. found you on YouTube about a year ago and i must say out of all you guys out there i find you lessons some of the best. so thanks !… may i make a suggestion, could you also show us how to play the backing tracks on some of your solo lessons or at leased the chords. I know this one ( Alber King ) is easy but maybe on some future ones.. Keep sending them lassons……. Warren UK…………………….
Hi Brian. I have only just discovered your lessons on the net. Love the sound of the guitar in the Albert King lesson. Would you be able to let me know your settings so I can try and duplicate the tone?
Nick
Hey Brian, i still cant seem to find the “chords” to this song. I thought you might have them in the tablature, but didnt see them. Can you tell me what the chords are and their arramgment so i can strum the rhytmn as well.tx.
trying to break down the 12 bars, it is a 12 bar blues, right?
where is the free tab and mp3 for download??
Thanks Brian, cool lick really enjoying learning these blues licks lots of fun, I can’t always play them as fast,but with some practice I’m hoping I will get it.
Jim
hi could you please do lesson with Freddie King’s, Going Down.
Thanks
Is the tablature for this lesson still available for download?
@oldude - yes if you’re logged in as a premium member you can still download the tablature for this.
Too fast as usual. Geez, get tired of rewinding immediately after a lick
Brian This is my second month on your lessons. I:m 69 ,been seeking lessons for 8 months. I tried 45 years ago ,Your lessons are wonderful. I have an injured left hand ,so my wrist is the problem with barre chords, and the end of my little finger was mashed off. I cant do BB King. I do what I can and i:m having a great time . Your lessons are great. THANKS and GODS best blessings to you. JERRY
Hi Brian Thanks to you and this site I am playing again at 66 gave up playing when I was drafted and sent to Vietnam. I love your method of instruction its come a long way since i took lessons for 5 yrs as a kid
However, I am having problem downloading jam tracks They will only play for less than minutes and stop on my computer. I saw where you offered to send a jam track to an email .
I am very interested in 3 now until I can straight this problem out which is on my end, my computer. They play just fine at the library. Could you e mail me jam track for albert king leg 021, the ballad for bb king 041 , and dave gilmour 105
Hi Brian,
Quick question (hopefully); does the solo start at measure 3 in a 12-bar chorus?